MVP, MVP, MVP!!: Lakers Light Up the Show, Kobe Bryant Outshines All

The voting has ended, and now we can only wait until the MVP is announced. All the candidates have shown extreme performances.

Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets have been unstoppable, putting so many assists that, from time to time, you feel there are two Pauls on the court.

LeBron James has been a force to be reckoned with, annihilating the Washington Wizards in the the first two games. He averaged more than 30 points, showing his power over a Wizards' team that, up until now, hasn't been putting up. The Cleveland Cavaliers better win at Washington before they keep running their mouth.

Kevin Garnett...Well, the Boston Celtics are playing the Hawks. I mean no disrespect to the team, but coming into this series nobody is gave them a chance.

Last, but certainly not least, K-O-B-E.

During the first game, Kobe Bryant's shot was a bit off (let's not forget that he is still injured with a fractured pinky), but he still dropped 32 points. During Game 2 Kobe came to make a statement: "This is my house. This is my year. Get off!"

I'm paraphrasing, of course, but that was the feeling you got after the first quarter of the game was over and he had 20 points, on his way to 49 for the night.

He didn't have to do all the scoring though. In the second and third quarters, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol kept the team up even when Allen Iverson and the Denver Nuggets made a run, actually taking the lead by one at 68-67.

And then there was the fourth-quarter finisher. Kobe made a 3-point play to really put the game away in the middle of the quarter. Then, like a great gun-slinger, he sunk a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 14.

Playing the crowd like a great host, Kobe gave the smoking guns and then screamed his lungs out, telling everyone what team he is on: THE LAKERS!

The next game, on the road, will be hard. Kobe has tasted blood, but now he's going for the kill.