Top MVP Candidates at the Quarter Mark of the Season

As we reach the quarter mark of the 2014-15 NBA season, most team and players' talent level has been established. We've gotten a chance to see who has played well, who hasn't and who has taken their talents to another level this year. Let's take a look at the top MVP candidates up to this point. The rankings are based off of team success, individual performances/numbers, as well as any other intangibles that have been seen this season.

Outside looking in                               
John Wall (Washington PG)- 17.6 ppg, 10.0 apg, 4.7 rpg (42% FG/31% 3PT/78% FT)
Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers PF)- 24.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.9 apg (51% FG/60% 3PT/74% FT)

5. LeBron James (Cleveland SF)- After getting off to a slow start in his second go-around in Cleveland, James appears to be rounding into form and building chemistry with teammates Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. The Cavaliers now sit at 13-7, good for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, and appear to be finding their grove as a team.

James is averaging 24.8 points, 7.7 assists and 5.5 rebounds so far this season, and has played a big role in the Cavs current eight game winning streak. James will always remain in the MVP debate because of all the things he does for his team, and it should be interesting to see where he ranks later in the season.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nms-O8GCtP0

4. Kyle Lowry (Toronto PG)- Kyle Lowry is a bad man, and he is finally starting to get some recognition for it on the Raptors. After re-signing with Toronto for 4 years/48 million dollars in the offseason, Lowry is proving that 2013-14 was no fluke. The Villanova product is averaging a career-high 20.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, as well as a steady 7.2 assists per game.

Lowry has constantly put the team on his back (Career-high 39 points in win at Utah on Dec. 3), and has led the Raptors to a 16-5 record, good for first in the Eastern Conference. Look for 28-year-old to receive an all-star nod, and should continue to be in the MVP conversation throughout the season as long as his production and the Raptors' winning ways stay the course.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQQZTNAkmq4

3. DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento PF/C)- Cousins' game has been trending upward over the past two seasons, and appears to be in full flux in 2014. He is averaging 23.5 points and 12.6 rebounds per game on 51.2% shooting, all three of which would be career-highs if they hold up for the rest of the season. Cousins has bullied defender on the block all season long, and is developing a sweet outside jump shot out to around 18-20 feet.

He has played his best basketball against some of the best defenders in the NBA, as evidence by his 34 point, 17 rebounds performance against DeAndre Jordan, who finished third in the Defensive Player of the Year voting last season. Cousins is agile, crafty and is learning to play smart basketball, as his goal for this season is no more than five technical fouls (Currently has 2). If the Kings can continue to win games and make a run at the playoffs, "Boogie" will gain more attention later in the season.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdqbEOSBu_Y

2. Anthony Davis (New Orleans PF/C)- The 'Brow is one of the most dominant forces in the NBA, and many people forget, he is only 21-years-old. Davis came out of nowhere last year to average 20.8/10 a game, and has only progressed.

Currently, he is tied for third in the NBA in scoring at 24.8 points a game, and is eighth in rebounds at 10.6 per game, which will surely rise as the season progresses. Davis leads the league in blocks with 2.9 per game, and is tied for fourth in steals with 2.5 a game, proving he can make an impact just about anywhere, anytime on the court. His Pelicans are 10-10 in a jam-packed Western Conference, but haven't quite been able to beat the upper tier of teams so far this year. If the Pelicans can crawl into the playoffs as a 7 or 8 seed, Davis could possibly be the youngest MVP in league history.

Davis had one of his best overall games of the season in a 112-104 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Kevin Durant's return on Dec. 2. Davis scored 25 points (8-15 FG), grabbed 10 rebounds, blocked six shots, dished out four assists and recorded four steals in the win. He showcased any and every part of his game against two of the best players in the league (Durant and Russell Westbrook), and should continue to dominant night in and night out for the rest of the year.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWHnXtkX_pU

1. Stephen Curry (Golden State PG)- Curry has taken his game to a superstar level this year, plain and simple. Whether it is his natural progression, or it is due to the guidance of head coach Steve Kerr, remains to be seen. One thing is for certain, and that is Curry has cemented his place among the top 10 players in the league, and could crack the top five if his game continues to grow.

The 26-year-old point guard is scoring 23.1 points, dishing out 7.7 assists, and grabbing a career-high 5.5 rebounds per game through the Warriors' first 20 games (18-2 record overall, 13 game win streak). His 49% field goal, 40% 3-point and 92% free throw percentages are all right around or slightly above his career averages, and he is committing 0.6 less turnovers per game as opposed to last season. Barring an unforeseen regression by either Curry or the Warriors, the Davidson product will remain high up in the MVP conversation throughout the season.

Curry's best game of the season came in a 114-97 road win over the Miami Heat on Nov. 25. He scored 40 points on 12-19 shooting (8-11 3PT) and dished out seven assists in the win, completely taking over the game at points. When Curry gets hot from the field, he is nearly unstoppable, and has shown no signs of slowing down, much like his team.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmmDsZzBnds

Like what you see? Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

Also, check out bunow.com for local and national stories of all genres written by Bloomsburg University students.