NBA Rising Stars Game 2012: Updated Odds on Favorites for Tonight's MVP

The NBA Rising Stars Challenge, which takes place on Friday night after the celebrity game, showcases some of the league's best young players. It's a chance for future studs to get a taste of the All-Star Weekend spotlight.

As with every event in Orlando over the next three days, defense will be at a premium, and that gives just about any player a chance to steal the show if he plays hard enough. It will be interesting to see which guys come to play and which are just enjoying the vacation.

That said, let's take a look at the top contenders to take home the MVP trophy tonight. All odds courtesy of Bovada.

Jeremy Lin (4-1)

Apparently Linsanity has no boundaries. Not only will Jeremy Lin take part in the game, which would have been unthinkable a couple months ago, but he's favored to win the MVP. The New York Knicks point guard certainly has momentum on his side.

Lin scored less than 10 points for the first time in 12 games against the Miami Heat last night. Previously he had taken the basketball world by storm with dominating performances that left defenses shocked. The Heat proved it won't be easy every night, however.

This game fits his style perfectly. He won't have to worry about playing much defense and instead can focus purely on driving to the hoop for easy baskets while also dishing out some assists. Nobody should be surprised if the Team Shaq phenom steals the show.

Blake Griffin (6-1)

Blake Griffin will be on the receiving end of many Jeremy Lin lob passes tonight, so he's the logical second choice of the oddsmakers. He played in last year's game, putting up 14 points in 14 minutes, including several highlight-reel plays.

It seems like a week doesn't go by where a Griffin dunk doesn't go viral. He's teamed up with Chris Paul to form a virtually unstoppable duo, and the ferocity with which he throws down his jams makes him one of the league's most exciting players to watch.

The biggest factor for the Los Angeles Clippers star, who has had injury problems in the past, will be how much playing time he gets tonight. If Griffin gets an extended run, there's a good chance he'll outshine Lin and take the MVP.

Kyrie Irving (17-2)

Lost in all the Jeremy Lin hype has been a tremendous rookie season by fellow point guard Kyrie Irving. There were concerns about his injury history and lack of experience in college, but he's put those worries to rest by averaging 18 points and five assists per game.

What makes those numbers even more impressive is the lack of talent around Irving. Defenses have started to key in on him, yet he's still managed to produce solid numbers. He has all the makings of a superstar once he gets a better supporting cast.

The Rising Stars game is certainly tailored toward point guards and high-flying dunk masters. Irving is the top MVP candidate from Team Chuck. If it can pull out the victory, the Cleveland Cavaliers cornerstone will be in good shape.

John Wall (9-1)

After a terrific rookie campaign, John Wall's numbers have remained level in his second season. While it's nice to know he's not suffering from the dreaded sophomore slump, the Washington Wizards were likely hoping he would take another step forward this season.

That said, he's still one of the NBA's top point guards of the future. He should thrive in the environment provided tonight, especially since he seems to play better on the big stage, which hasn't been provided to him much in Washington throughout the year.

He's on Team Chuck alongside Kyrie Irving. That means whichever guard gets more playing time will be in the MVP race, but it's impossible to know how the minutes will break down. Wall did win the award at last year's game with 22 assists, so he knows what it takes.

DeMarcus Cousins (10-1)

DeMarcus Cousins had 33 points and 14 rebounds in last season's game. He's another player who loves the up-and-down, no-defense style of play because it allows him to show off his athleticism, which is great for a player of his size.

Since Team Chuck lacks other big men, Cousins should receive ample playing time and therefore put up huge numbers once again. That makes him a strong dark-horse candidate to emerge with the hardware when it's all said and done.

If you look at the roster around him, which features several spot-up shooters, it's really hard to build a case against Cousins winning the MVP. As long as he brings as much effort to the floor as he did in 2011, his chances are pretty good.

For the complete NBA Rising Stars Challenge rosters, visit the game's official page.