What Kobe Bryant Must Do to Win NBA MVP

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has done it all throughout his illustrious 15-year NBA career.

Bryant's been a five-time NBA champion, a two-time finals MVP, a 15-time All-Star (including this season) and won the NBA's MVP award in 2008.

The way the 2011-12 season started for Bryant, with four 40-plus point games in a row, it looked as if Bryant would be headed for a second MVP before this season comes to an end.

Since that time, though, he taken a backseat to Miami's LeBron James when it comes to the MVP talks, but there's a way for Bryant to get right back into the race, and it's simple.

Bryant's currently the NBA's leading scorer at 28.7 points per game, but in order for the Lakers star to bring home his second MVP, he's got to carry the Lakers to the top of the Western Conference.

Right now, the Lakers sit as nothing more than a mediocre basketball team with a 17-12 record, but there's still plenty of time for Bryant and the Lakers to go on a tear.

Kobe's shoulders need to get very wide—wide enough to carry his team on his back.

Now, with the talent the Lakers have up front, Bryant doesn't have to be the Lakers' sole option. He needs to continue to use Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, but if an MVP award is in his future (and that's not really the goal for the Lakers), wins have to start coming by the bundles.

For that to happen, Bryant needs to become Mr. Fourth Quarter and take over games down the stretch like he's capable of doing.

That alone could separate Bryant from James in the eyes of MVP voters. If Bryant becomes that fourth-quarter assassin down the stretch and James continues to have his struggles closing games, then that might give Bryant an edge.

But the key for Bryant isn't just the production; it's wins. If the Lakers take off, it will be a result of a big second half of the season by Bryant.

They only sit five games behind Oklahoma City right now for the top seed in the West.

When it's all said and done, if the Lakers sit at the top or near the top of the mountain in the Western Conference, we could be talking about handing the MVP trophy back to Bryant.