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NBA: Top 10 Candidates For Most Valuable Player Award In 2016-17

By Gerald Bourguet

Jun 13, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the third quarter in game five of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 13, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the third quarter in game five of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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October 4, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) dunks the basketball against Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Blake Griffin

If the Los Angeles Clippers‘ preseason opener — a 45-point drubbing at the hands of the Golden State Warriors — was any indication, either the Dubs are juggernauts, the Clips are not as good as advertised, or some combination of the two.

In any case, the path to redemption after last year’s first-round playoff exit starts and ends with Blake Griffin. Chris Paul carried Lob City to 53 wins, while Griffin missing 47 games because of a quadriceps issue and then a broken hand as the result of an alteration with a team equipment manager. Now the onus is on Griffin to deliver an MVP-caliber season in return.

With Kevin Durant joining the Warriors, there’s one less title contender for the Clippers to worry about out West. With Tim Duncan retiring, there’s an ever so slight opening for Lob City to make its first conference finals appearance in franchise history.

If that’s going to happen, the Clippers will need the Blake Griffin who looked like the LeBron James-Kevin Garnett–Magic Johnson hybrid he was in the 2015 NBA Playoffs, when he posted a 26-13-6-1-1 stat line and had his team within one win of the conference finals. If he can bounce-back with a career year and the Clippers seize a top-three seed, the Flyin’ Lion may soar to MVP heights.