NBA at midseason: LeBron looks like an MVP; Durant is easily top rookie; Celtic pride is back

With the Utah Jazz exactly 41 games into their 82-game regular season, it's a perfect time to reflect on the NBA season at the half. While things could change drastically between now and when the playoffs start in April, here is a list of some of the leading candidates for the top awards as well as some team bests and worsts at the midway point of the 2007-08 campaign:

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: LeBron James, Cavaliers

There are numerous quality MVP candidates this season — Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Steve Nash, Dwight Howard and others.

But LeBron gets the nod because he's having the best all-around year of his short but impressive career, despite the fact he has missed five games with injury. He leads the league in scoring average by a full two points per game over Bryant at just a shade under 30. He's also grabbing about eight rebounds and dishing out eight assists each night.

How good of a passer is James? Well, on Tuesday he scored 51 points in Cleveland's win over Memphis. But afterward, Grizzlies coach Marc Iavaroni praised LeBron more for his assists.

"I think he's got more passing ability than Magic (Johnson) because he can put it on a dime and with zip," said Iavaroni.

Better passer than Magic Johnson? Now that's a compliment.

Now if the 23-year-old forward can just slow down on the roads a bit — he was recently ticketed for driving 101 miles per hour — he should cruise toward his first MVP award.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Kevin Durant, Sonics

This one's not really even close. Durant, the consensus college player of the year as a freshman at Texas last season, has easily been the top first-year player in the NBA. He pretty much won this award the day the Blazers' Greg Oden had knee surgery before the season even began.

Durant's 19.8 points per game average is nine more than any other rookie in the league. Memphis' Juan Carlo Navarro and Milwaukee's Yi Jianlian are the only other two first-year players to be averaging double figures, at just over 10 per game.

It helps Durant's cause that he is on a young, struggling team in that he gets plenty of playing time and shots. He's averaging more than 17 field-goal attempts per game but making only 40 percent of his shots. He's shown great potential, though, and will be an NBA All-Star in the not-too-distant future.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Byron Scott, Hornets