Two Honorable Mentions for this years MVP Race

Let me start off by saying that this year's MVP race does not have a clear cut winner like there have been in the past. This year there are five lagitiment candidates along with some honorable mentions. I'll start off by naming two honorable mentions.

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First up is Marc Gasol. I'm giving the first honorable mention spot to Gasol because of the season his team has had. The Grizzlies have held the two seed for most of the season and have only recently slipped to three behind the Rockets. The Grizzlies success this season is mostly thanks to Gasol. Gasol is averaging a career high 17.5 points per game (ppg). He is also has 7.9 rebounds per game (rpg) and 1.6 block per game (blkpg) to go with his 17.5 ppg. Gasol deserves some more praise. His stat line doesn't shout MVP material, but he could easily put up a double double on any night. He is also probably the only center in the NBA that can dominate on both ends of the floor. Gasol could make a jumper from the top of the key on the offensive end and then could get a block the very next play. Not many centers in the NBA can do both of those things. Many forget he was the defensive player of the year in 2013. Gasol is a threat on both ends of the floor, something that is missing in the NBA today.

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The second honorable mention goes to LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge is averaging a double double for the season with 23.5 ppg and 10.4 rpg. He is also averaging 1 blkpg. Oh yeah. Did I mention he is doing all of this with a torn ligament in his thumb? He tore a ligament in his thumb back in January and has decided to play through it. Thanks to Aldridge and Lillard's outstanding play the Blazers currently sit in the fourth seed in a tough western conference. I think Aldridge should be brought up in MVP conversation more often, but this year there are so many candidates he fall out of the top 5.