KOBE IS PLAYING LIKE AN MVP

If Kobe Bryant is not named MVP this season then there is something seriously wrong with the voting process.

After his 41-point masterpiece against Phoenix in Shaquille O'Neal's Suns debut last Wednesday, I saw a player who is on a mission. I saw a player who has dropped the "hot dog" off his plate and has become more efficient on offense and equally determined on defense. The Kobester looks totally zoned in on winning another NBA title!

He took 25 shots mostly against first-rate defender Raja Bell and made 16 of them in the Lakers' 130-124 victory over the Suns. Taking 25 shots in a game is nothing new to Kobe. He can take shot 25 shots in his sleep. But Wednesday night against the Suns, Kobe's shot selection was perfect. It seemed like all his FGAs were good looks and were well within the framework of the offense.

In the past, Kobe has a tendency to fly solo on offense and it usually draws the ire of his coaches and teammates. But this season, his shot attempts are down and has gone out of his way to get his teammates more involved. The Lakers are playing better than ever on offense, even better than the championship seasons of 2000-2002. The offense is flowing. It looks like everything is coming easy. The ball movement is better, the decision-making is sharper and the opposing team has no clue where the attack is coming from. I keep going back to this word: EFFICIENT.

Playing with Kobe can be very, very taxing. He is ultra demanding and comes down so hard on his teammates (just ask Lamar Odom and Sasha Vujacic) that it borders on tyranny. However, after all the tough love Kobe has thrown at his teammates, they have become mentally tougher in the process. It shows in Vujacic, who looks like a player brimming with confidence. It's starting to show in Odom's overall game. Plus, having Pau Gasol helps Odom in a way that he doesn't need to be option No. 2 on offense. He can just fill in the stat sheet and play third fiddle. And, oh by the way, that Gasol guy is pretty good.

Love him or hate him, Kobe Bryant cannot be ignored in any MVP conversation. His Lakers have a better record than LeBron James's Cavaliers...Kevin Garnett has two other all-stars helping him in Boston...and Chris Paul still has a lot to prove in the playoffs.

Kobe has been regarded as the best player in the game for the last six or seven years so let's validate that by giving him the MVP award.