When we talk about the MVP race, we usually (and rightfully) focus on the top 2 or 3. Maybe the top 4 or 5 if we have the time on our hands.

But you wanna get nuts? Let's get nuts! We're prepared to rank an MVP ballot that goes FIFTY DEEP.

Here is mine, but feel free to submit your own if you have the time/insanity to do so. And if not, at least have the courtesy to bash mine; that's what reddit is for.

Some caveats first:

--- As we know, MVP does not directly correlate as "best player." We're talking about a player's impact on THIS SEASON (this partial season, really.) If you're a superstar who's missed more time or more shots than usual, you will be penalized for that.

--- And because we're ranking them on an "MVP" ballot and not "best player" ballot, we also have to factor in the standings, as the actual MVP voting does. The more wins the better, of course, but there does appear to be an important threshold to meet. That is: making the playoff field. Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis finished highly in recent MVP voting despite a lower playoff seed, but it's hard to win the trophy without a playoff ticket at all. It's still possible – in a Mike Trout sense -- but it would take an extraordinary effort and one that puts you inarguably ahead of your playoff peer.

--- Despite the length of this crazy post, I don't have the expertise to go into a DEEP DIVE about every single player in the league. My analytical knowledge is fairly limited as well. I'll use true shooting percentage and real /- and such, but my eyes glaze over at PIP and RBPM and MEEPmeep and whatever else. Given that, if you do have extra insight to add (either from watching all of your team's games, or from using your excel sheet), please weigh in! This may be your only chance to debate who is 37th most valuable player.

MY TOP 50 MVP BALLOT (at the all-star break)

(1) James Harden: 36.6 PPG, 7.7 AST, 62% TS

We start off on a controversial foot already, because James Harden vs. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a genuine debate at the top.

Personally, I don't believe you can tally off all skills as equally important. Some are simply more valuable than others. Chief among them: being able to score the ball efficiently. And scoring efficiently at this volume is historically rare. Harden has put this team on his back, night after night. We have to marvel at his scoring ability (however it comes about) and give proper respect for the durability that he's managed to maintain as well despite that workload. Moreover, his defensive effort has quietly improved, utilizing his strength to guard inside when needed.

When I list Harden slightly ahead of Giannis, I don't mean to disrespect the Bucks. Rather, it's the opposite. The Bucks actually have a strong and deep roster right now. To illustrate, 5 of their players will crack our top 50. Harden is only one of two Rockets. And for that reason, he's at the top of our list.

(2) Giannis Antetokounmpo: 27.2 PPG, 12.7 REB, 64% TS

Giannis Antetokounmpo is obviously a viable candidate for the # 1 slot himself. The individual numbers are ridiculous. The Bucks are at the top of the East. In fact, based on point differential, they've been the most dominant team in the NBA this season.

You hope that dominance doesn't work against Giannis as the season wears on. The Bucks are so good that he'll start to rest some more. It’s already started to happen; at the moment, he lags well behind Harden in minutes per game (33 to 37). His rebounding numbers (once 15 ) have subsequently trended down, and may continue to do so as the team gets him ready for the playoffs.

(3) Paul George: 28.7 PPG, 2.3 ST, 60% TS

Is Paul George better than LeBron James or Kevin Durant? No. Has he been better this season? I would say so. George has been scorching hot on offense this season, hitting 40.6% of his threes (on 9.6 attempts per game!) Moreover, his work on the other end has earned him genuine "Defensive Player of the Year" consideration. A lot of superstars earn a pass on defense because it requires so much effort, but George happily takes that assignment on. He ranks first in ESPN’s real plus/minus among his position.

I don't love the whole "best two-way player!" mantle because (as mentioned), not all skills should be measured equally. And really, when we say "best two-way player," we tend to mean the "superstar who's the best on defense." But semantics aside, George has snatched that mantle and that type of candidacy from Kawhi Leonard for this season.

(4) Kevin Durant: 27.6 PPG, 5.9 AST, 63% TS

Kevin Durant will have another reason to get surly here, because in a way, he's being penalized for being so consistently good. His staggering stats aren’t new and surprising in the same way they have been for Paul George. But here he is, scoring at a ridiculously efficient rate, upping his assists to 5.9 per game, and leading the # 1 seed in the West. Ho hum.

But at the end of the day, Durant made his own bed. It's always going to be hard for him to win these types of awards while playing on a super team. He simply doesn't have to go balls to the wall every night to get a W. That said, he's a historically great player who shouldn't be taken for granted.

(5) Nikola Jokic: 20.4 PPG, 7.7 AST, 59% TS

The engine that drives the Denver Nuggets, Nikola Jokic deserves the lion's share of the credit for their success this year. Some of his teammates have been injured and others have been underperforming -- and yet here they are, in the # 2 spot.

The knock on Jokic has always been his defense, but that's hard to hammer him for right now. The Nuggets were in the top 10 for most of the season (although trending down to # 13), and Jokic has held his own. In fact, he grades as a positive defensive player, 1.7 on ESPN's real plus/minus.

(6) Joel Embiid: 27.3 PPG, 13.5 REB, 59% TS

In a crazy and uncharted new era of NBA basketball, Joel Embiid offers a throwback MVP candidate. The unstoppable center averaging 27-14 per game. Given his impact on defense and his team success, he should right up there with the best in the league. The battle between Jokic and Embiid isn't only for our # 5 spot, it should be a fascinating one to watch in regards to All-NBA first team.

Of course, Sixers fans should be most pleased with the fact that he has been durable right now and shown no signs of slowing down yet. If there's any knock on Embiid, it's that he thinks he's a better spacer than he actually is; he's firing up 4 threes a game and only making 29.5% of them.

(7) Steph Curry: 28.6 PPG, 5.2 AST, 66% TS

As with Kevin Durant, Steph Curry's greatness tends to get taken for granted. The dude is making 44.4% of his threes on 11.5 attempts per game! And yet, somehow, we forget about that as we get hung up on other breakout stars.

In Curry's case, injuries do add a legitimate excuse to ding him down a few spots. He's missed 15 games this season, which is a sizable portion of our hypothetical 60 game season. If he had played 10 more, he would be in consideration for the top 3. correction: he missed 11 games not 15, my bad!

(8) Blake Griffin: 26.3 PPG, 5.4 AST, 60% TS

The Pistons' 26-30 record is nothing to brag about, but hey, it's good enough for the # 8 seed and a playoff spot right now. And as long as that threshold is met, we have to consider the merits of Blake Griffin as a top 10 MVP candidate.

Quietly, Griffin has been doing his LeBron Lite act all season long, racking up averages of 26.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. His ball-handling and passing has always been an underrated part of his game, and he's been able to showcase that without Chris Paul around.

Should we actually reward Griffin for making the playoffs as a sub .500 team (and dock players on the West who miss out with better records?) I am doing that for this exercise, but you can certainly argue that decision as well.

(9) Kawhi Leonard: 27.0 PPG, 7.7 REB, 61% TS

After some MVP buzz early on, that chatter has quieted down for Kawhi Leonard. He's taken some games off, and hasn't revved up his defensive intensity every night either. With only 43 games played, he's on the low end of our candidates.

That said, he's still a stone-cold efficient scorer and a plus defender, on one of the better teams in the league. That's usually the type of recipe you use to cook up an MVP campaign.

(10) LeBron James: 26.8 PPG, 7.6 AST, 60% TS

Based on per-game averages and based on the "eye test," LeBron James is as great as ever and should be a top 5 MVP pick by default.

But we can't put this Top 50 on autopilot, because there's some serious context to consider. As mentioned, making the playoffs is a crucial threshold for us, which dings LeBron James and his flailing Lakers. And of course, we can't discount the 15 games missed either. That’s a sizable chunk of the season so far. His 39 games played represents the lowest total on the top 50 board.

As the season wears on, James should climb back into the conversation if he can stay healthy and lead the Lakers back into the playoff field. But right now? They're not in it. And that matters.

(11) Rudy Gobert: 15.2 PPG, 12.9 REB, 68% TS

Maybe it's the fact that he's not a high-volume scorer that holds him back, but Rudy Gobert continues to be one of the more underrated MVP candidates in the league. Not only is he a defensive force (that ranks at the top of advanced stats), he's leading the entire NBA in true shooting percentage. Donovan Mitchell may be the "star" in Utah, but Gobert is the secret sauce that's kept them in the playoff field. He deserves more than the All-Star jersey; he deserves to be recognized as one of the more impactful players in the league.

(12) Damian Lillard: 26.3 PPG, 6.4 AST, 59% TS

Our next grouping features a series of super-scorers at the point guard position. Among them, Damian Lillard lags slightly behind Kyrie Irving in terms of efficiency and defensive impact (according to advanced stats, which list him as a -1.1 on that end), but you can certainly make the argument that he should be higher based on intangibles and leadership. The Blazers are clearly his team. What gives him that final edge is that he has played in 56 games compared to 47 for Irving.

(13) Kyrie Irving: 23.6 PPG, 6.9 AST, 60% TS

The Earth is not flat, and Kyrie Irving's tenure with the Boston fanbase most certainly is not either. Early on, it felt like he was beloved for his insane shot-making ability. As the season has worn on and expectations for the team have not been fully met (yet), there appears to be some grumbling about this marriage/"engagement." Even Bill Simmons has started to throw shade his way.

That said, most of that discontent comes from off-the-court concerns and free agency. On the court, Irving is still one of the biggest offensive dynamos in the league, and not as big of a defensive liability as he had been in the past. He's banged up now, so he'll need to get healthy and back on that court to maintain this type of status.

(14) Russell Westbrook: 21.7 PPG, 11.2 AST, 48% TS

I've never been a huge Russell Westbrook fan in the past, but I love the way he's playing this season. He's putting his insane energy and athleticism to good use, making plays for others and becoming a terror on the defensive end.

Nevertheless, it's hard to ignore his horrible shot-making this season. His 24.4% from three is well documented, but his odd decline in free throws is even more concerning. After seven straight years of over 80%, he's dipped down to 74% last year and now 66% this season. Shooting 6 a game, it's hard to claim this is simply a matter of "sample size" either. As a result, his true shooting has dipped to the lowest mark of his career. He has also missed 7 games, a rarity for him.

(15) Kemba Walker: 24.9 PPG, 5.6 AST, 56% TS

Kemba Walker never gets his due, as the humble 25 PPG scorer leading his team to the playoffs. He may not be Steph Curry – and he may be a shade below someone like Damian Lillard – but he is still a hugely valuable player.

Of course, he's going to be playing the All-Star game in his home city, so perhaps he'll get some extra shine as a result. And if not, he's still going to get rich this offseason.

(16) Ben Simmons: 16.8 PPG, 7.9 AST, 59% TS

The last point guard of a little mini run, Ben Simmons is obviously the most unconventional. He's not a shooter (clearly) but he contributes across the board. If it wasn't for Russell Westbrook, we may be paying more attention to his potential to average a triple-double (at 17-9-8 right now.)

Defensively, Simmons' length helps make the Sixers a nightmare to play against. The advanced stats don't completely bear that out (only 0.8 on ESPN real plus/minus) but his ability to hang on the perimeter at his size is a huge feather in their cap.

(17) Anthony Davis: 28.1 PPG, 12.9 REB, 60% TS

Anthony Davis' MVP candidacy may be the trickiest on the board. In terms of sheer talent and impact, he should be in the top 10. To illustrate, he ranks 7th in the NBA in RPM wins added despite only playing 45 games. He is THAT good of a player. He may be vilified right now, but we can’t rationally ignore his on-court value.

However, we can't ignore the losing record either, or the massive distraction he's caused with his trade demand. Throwing the white towel on your team in the middle of the season (and in the middle of a contract) is hard to justify. I would understand if you left him off your top 50 ballot completely. And as the season wears on and he nurses his injuries/ego, he will continue to stumble down mine.

(18) LaMarcus Aldridge: 21.0 PPG, 9.0 REB, 57% TS

Wily ol' Gregg Popovich has the San Antonio Spurs back in the playoff field again despite an "against the grain" approach and a willingness to endure the dreaded two pointer. LaMarcus Aldridge's skill makes that possible. He's plugging away with 20-9 on good efficiency (and in only 32 minutes a night) despite making only 5 threes all season. With Kawhi Leonard in the rearview mirror, Aldridge keeps their offense consistent night in and night out.

(19) Eric Bledsoe: 15.8 PPG, 1.5 ST, 58% TS

This lofty ranking may surprise some people, but Eric Bledsoe has quietly had a very good season for a very good team. He's utilizing his length both to finish on offense (49% field goal) but also be a nuisance on the defensive end. In some ways, he's playing like Jrue Holiday right now.

You'd still like to see Bledsoe become a more consistent shooter (only 32.3% from three right now) but his all-around contributions for a # 1 seeded team shouldn't be ignored.

(20) Khris Middleton: 17.1 PPG, 5.8 REB, 56% TS

Speaking of the Milwaukee Bucks, let's continue to spread the love for the top team in the league so far. Khris Middleton is traditionally known as their 2nd best player, and that may still apply now given his complementary scoring and shooting prowess.

And if you are this deep into this mess, this is the kind of debate you're came for: F Harden vs. Giannis -- it's all about Bledsoe vs. Middleton!!

(21) DeMar DeRozan: 21.6 PPG, 6.2 AST, 52% TS

Although DeMar DeRozan has scored 20 PPG for the San Antonio Spurs and helped lift them back into the playoff field, it's hard to say that he's fit like a glove in their offense. He's not getting to the line as often as he did in Toronto. After five seasons in a row with 7 attempts, he's down to 5.7 this year.

That said, a pretty good version of DeMar DeRozan is still a good player overall.

(22) Karl-Anthony Towns: 23.1 PPG, 12.0 REB, 62% TS

Here's a case where the "standings" monster gobbles up another on-paper great player. Karl-Anthony Towns is an offensive maestro. If the Timberwolves had as many wins as the Nuggets, he may be in the same tier as Nikola Jokic.

But alas, they do not. They're ranked 12th in the West right now, which makes them quite irrelevant for our purposes. That also sinks KAT several spots in the rankings; although to his credit, this is 3rd among non-playoff candidates.

(23) Draymond Green: 7.0 PPG, 7.3 AST, 50% TS

Here we see the opposite effect: the standings boosting a player's MVP candidacy.

In contrast to KAT, Draymond Green has been a trainwreck as a shooter this year. However, his defensive wizardry is more than a mere reputation; the advanced stats rank him behind only Rudy Gobert in terms of impact.

(24) Donovan Mitchell: 22.4 PPG, 1.5 ST, 52% TS

While Donovan Mitchell is the face of the franchise, he's taken a slight step back in terms of efficiency this year. And in a way, that's to be expected. No longer the breakout rookie, he's now Priority # 1 for opposing defenses.

Given that, Mitchell's 22 PPG is impressive. He’ll need to improve his efficiency to rise much higher than this though. As a pure shooter, he’s never going to be Steph Curry or Kyrie Irving, so he needs to counter that and crash to the line even more often (4.8 FTA right now.) Mitchell may have mocked James Harden for flopping, but taking advantage of those freebies is simply good sense for scorers.

(25) Kyle Lowry: 14.3 PPG, 9.1 AST, 56% TS

While Kyle Lowry's scoring numbers may be dipping down, he's still a great playmaker (illustrated by the 9 assists) and a bulldog defender. In terms of real plus/minus and expected wins added, he ranks well ahead of someone like Donovan Mitchell. It doesn't quite feel like his team anymore in the same way that it used to, but you can certainly use some arguments to push for his winning style over a few players ahead of him.

(26) De'Aaron Fox: 17.2 PPG, 7.2 AST, 55% TS

The Sacramento Kings are not currently in the playoffs right now (barely missing out despite a winning record). But hey, a 30-27 record is a huge achievement for them. More than anything, their shocking success comes as a result of the earlier-than-expected breakout of PG De'Aaron Fox. He's bumped his 3 point percentage from 30.7% as a rookie to 36.6% this year. And while that number may regress some in the short term, he continues to attack the paint and lead the team as a confident floor general. I suspect his leadership is also infectious; he is convincing this team that they can win.

In an attempt to stay consistent, I did penalize Fox for missing the playoffs though; he was ranked a few spots higher before they stumbled out of the 8th spot.

(27) Klay Thompson: 21.9 PPG, 1.1 ST, 57% TS

It feels like Klay Thompson has been sleepwalking through the season, but he has been averaging 22 points a game despite shooting under 40% from three for the first time in his career.

That said, we can't penalize a guy for his prior greatness. 39.6% from 3 (on 7.5 attempts per game) is nothing to scoff at. That, coupled with his defensive ability (although to be fair, he never grades as well there analytically as his reputation suggests) makes him a valuable player. The most valuable? No. But perhaps the 27th.

(28) Luka Doncic: 20.7 PPG, 5.6 AST, 55% TS

The lack of team success keeps the rookie out of our top 25, but he can take solace in the fact that he's # 5 among non-playoff contenders.

Prior to the draft, I expected Luka Doncic to develop into a 20-5-5 player in the NBA. I just didn't expect it to happen in year one. He's even better than we imagined, and the Mavs can enjoy that for many years to come.

(29) Jayson Tatum: 16.5 PPG, 6.3 REB, 56% TS

With Jayson Tatum, you always get the sense that there's more in the tank waiting to get unleashed. He's a good player right now, but he could be a great one with more opportunity.

(30) Bradley Beal: 25.1 PPG, 5.3 AST, 58% TS

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we're seeing exactly how good Bradley Beal can be with that extra opportunity. He's proving to be a true franchise player and a true All-Star. He is the one silver lining that the Wizards can take away from this nightmare year.

In terms of his MVP case for this season, that's harder to get excited about. The Wizards are 24-34, the worst record in our field so far. So while Beal may be a top 20 player overall, his MVP candidacy ranks behind that.

(31) Tobias Harris: 20.9 PPG, 7.9 REB, 60% TS

We've set the threshold at an appearance in the playoff field, and by that standard, Tobias Harris gets an extra boost. He was arguably the best player on the Clippers -- a team that was in the playoff 8 prior to his trade.

Now on Philadelphia, Harris' raw stats should go down. That said, he did have a career year with the Clippers before that. He wasn't too far away from being a 50-40-90 shooter (49.6 - 43.4 - 87.7). His defensive intensity still needs work though, which will be interesting to monitor on a contending team.

(32) D'Angelo Russell: 20.3 PPG, 6.6 AST, 54% TS

I imagine most fans will blast these rankings for having their players too low, but the Nets fans may be the most vocal of all. After all, breakout All-Star D'Angelo Russell is averaging 20-6 and has led this team charging into the playoff field.

Given that, we have to go a little deeper into the numbers to show our concerns. Russell's scoring efficiency still isn't up to league-average, and it most likely never will be until he makes a point to hammer his way to the free throw line. It's incredibly rare for a 20 PPG scorer to only draw 2.3 free throw attempts per game, and it's something that needs to change if he's going to justify any sort of talk about a max contract. He has been working on that (4.5 FTA in the six games of February) but it should continue to be a point of emphasis.

(33) Pascal Siakam: 16.1 PPG, 7.0 REB, 63% TS

Based on advanced stats, this ranking is way too low for breakout star Pascal Siakiam. In terms of RPM wins added metric, he ranks all the way up at 15, ahead of Kyrie Irving and LeBron James.

Perhaps I'm a little too conservative when it comes to these types of sudden breakouts, but I would like to see it sustain itself for a longer sample size before I'm ready to crown him as truly one of the best players in the league. He does benefit from a talented team around him as well as a smart coaching staff that knows how to play to his strengths. That said, he's well on his way to a Most Improved trophy.

(34) Nikola Vucevic: 20.5 PPG, 12.1 REB, 58% TS

Poor Nikola Vucevic is having an All-Star season, but like others on our list, gets derailed by his team's record.

(35) Steven Adams: 14.7 PPG, 9.5 REB, 61% TS

In contrast to Nikola Vucevic, Steven Adams feels like the type of center whose raw stats don't do him enough justice.

Take, for instance, his rebounds. He's averaging 9.6 per game, which actually lags behind his point guard Russell Westbrook (11.1). However, Adam is averaging a whopping 4.5 of those rebounds on the offensive end, the third highest mark in the league and the best offense:defensive ratio among them. Offensive rebounds are harder to get than defensive ones, which illustrates just how hard Adams is working to help his team win. And this year? They're doing that often.

(36) Jimmy Butler: 18.9 PPG, 2.0 ST, 59% TS

In terms of overall skill and impact, Jimmy Butler should rank higher than this. Still, like Anthony Davis, we can't ignore the elephant in the room and the destruction he left in his wake back in Minnesota. If you want to hold a grudge, you can topple him even further down this list.

(37) Myles Turner: 13.5 PPG, 2.8 BLK, 58% TS

Based on points and rebounds, you wouldn't peg Myles Turner as a true impact player. However, his ability to stretch the court makes him a valuable big in the modern NBA. His impact on defense is even more pronounced, and has helped the Pacers stay toward the top of the league on that end. In fact, you could argue that he was the most valuable Pacer even prior to Victor Oladipo's injury this year (Oladipo's shooting had regressed to some degree.)

(38) C.J. McCollum: 21.1 PPG, 2.8 AST, 55% TS

This may be the first season that I've started to doubt the Damian Lillard C.J. McCollum marriage for the long term. It always felt like there were enough shots to share in Portland, but the shooting guard has plateaued (and arguably regressed) since best year in 2016-17.

That said, we cannot get too hung up on the nitpicking here. At the end of the day, a 20 PPG scorer on a playoff team is valuable.

(39) J.J. Redick: 18.6 PPG, 1.4 TO, 61% TS

While C.J. McCollum appears to be locked into place, old man J.J. Redick continues to shine and even improve; he set his career high in points per game last season, and broke that mark this season. This three-point happy era is perfect for him. You can only wonder what his career would have been like if he came around 10 years later.

Even now, at age 34, Redick leads the Sixers in true shooting percentage. The team should continue to make him a priority; arguably, they’re at their best when making him a focal point. His skill set may be limited, but he still ranks up there with the Buddy Hields and C.J. McCollums as far as shooting guards go.

(40) Lou Williams: 19.9 PPG, 5.3 AST, 56% TS

Speaking of insta-offense scorers, Sweet Lou Williams has been lighting up scoreboards as well as anyone with nearly 20 points in 26 minutes a night. Other scorers should take note of his ability to draw contact and get to the line (6.3 FTA) despite a lack of size.

In fact, you can argue that Williams has been TOO good. The team threw up the white flag with the Tobias Harris trade, but Williams continues to chug along and keep the Clippers in playoff contention. Right now, they are 32-27 and in the top 8, which boosts his MVP candidacy ahead of some other similar players.

(41) Jrue Holiday: 21.1 PPG, 7.9 AST, 55% TS

As a solid scorer and defensive monster, Jrue Holiday actually ranks second among all guards (point or shooting) in the RPM "wins added" metric (with 10.1.) That's ahead of players like Damian Lillard and Steph Curry and only behind James Harden.

Still, the Pelicans have been underachieving all season. And while that's not Jrue Holiday's fault, that lack of team success does penalize his MVP candidacy behind other playoff starters. If you want to rank him higher based on sheer talent, you can do that. And if an angry Pelicans fan wants to rank the good soldier Holiday over disgruntled Anthony Davis, we can’t fault them for that either.

(42) Al Horford: 12.7 PPG, 6.8 REB, 60% TS

While Jrue Holiday gets dinged for not winning games, ol’ Al Horford has never had that problem. He continues to contribute to playoff teams, far beyond what the raw numbers suggest. In fact, I can see some vague argument that he's "more valuable" than Kyrie Irving to the Celtics, but scoring in droves does take a lot of skill that we cannot ignore. Horford has also missed time himself (10 games.)

(43) Buddy Hield: 20.5 PPG, 5.1 REB, 60% TS

I'll be interested to see how people feel about my ranking De'Aaron Fox a few spots ahead of his backcourt mate Buddy Hield. In my mind, Fox is more of the heartbeat of the team, which explains that ranking. That said, Hield is an efficient 20 PPG scorer, which is certainly valuable on its own.

Again, as with Fox, Hield suffers on this board by missing out on the playoffs (if the season ended today.) They both stumbled a few spots as a result.

(44) Malcolm Brogdon: 15.8 PPG, 94% FT, 61% TS

Our 4th member of the Milwaukee Bucks, Malcolm Brogdon has been shooting the ball better than any of them. You could even argue that he's been the 2nd best Buck this year thanks to that, his high-IQ play, and his general leadership qualities.

The reason I have him slightly lower than others is because he's not asked to do quite as much as the rest of the team, and does benefit from the talent and coaching around him. He has size, but he's also not on the same level of quick-twitch defender as his teammates.

(45) Andre Drummond: 17.4 PPG, 15.0 REB, 54% TS

Based on the simple stats, you could be outraged about ranking Andre Drummond below Al Horford. He literally averages twice as many rebounds per game.

Nevertheless, the jury is still out on whether Drummond plays winning basketball or not. He ranks 14th among centers in RPM. Although to his credit, the Pistons are indeed in the playoffs right now.

(46) Mike Conley: 19.9 PPG, 6.4 AST, 55% TS

Mike Conley is shrugging off those injury concerns and having another fine season, but it hurts him to be on a bad team in these types of rankings.

(47) Josh Richardson: 17.6 PPG, 1.1 ST, 55% TS

Miami's Josh Richardson has taken an important step this year. Earlier on, he was best known as the "pretty good player on a team-friendly contract" that could be floated in trade packages.

Right now? I'd say he's arguably Miami's best two-way player. Those Heat aren't actually in the playoff field right now (they are # 9) which dings Richardson quite a bit, but he deserves a spot on this top 50 anyway.

(48) Joe Ingles: 11.7 PPG, 4.9 AST, 56% TS

Joe Ingles may not be exceptional in any one category, but he does a little of everything and he does it well. He's a solider shooter and passer and all-around glue guy. He also bucks conventional wisdom and good ol' fashioned racism by consistently grading as a positive defender as well.

(49) Clint Capela: 17.6 PPG, 12.6 REB, 64% TS

Another springy young big racking up gaudy numbers, Clint Capela has justified his contract extension so far. His lower

The springy young Clint Capela has more than justified his contract extension, racking up 18-13 for the Rockets. That said, he is dinged quite a bit from his missed time. He has played only 42 of 60 games for the team so far, which hurts his MVP ranking here.

(50) Brook Lopez: 12.1 PPG, 2.1 BLK, 60% TS

The final member of our list, and our final Milwaukee Buck, is one of the most surprising inclusions of all. Brook Lopez has completely reinvented his game and unlocked a potential we never saw coming. After hitting a combined total of ZERO threes over his first six seasons in the league, he's made 135 (at 37.4%) so far this year. That ability to be a stretch big is particularly valuable to this Bucks team, as it unlocks the true potential of Giannis.

others candidates to consider (alphabetical): Devin Booker, John Collins, Danny Green, Serge Ibaka, Paul Millsap, Jamal Murray, Jusuf Nurkic, Victor Oladipo, Marcus Smart