Handicapping Derrick Rose's Chances at Winning Back-to-Back MVP Awards

The 2012 season has been a good one so far for the Chicago Bulls and reigning MVP Derrick Rose.

A solid 29-8 start to the season coupled with a 22.4 PPG and 7.6 APG season from Rose could get him into the conversation for a second consecutive MVP award this season.

Even though Rose says he isn't focused on another MVP and is more concerned with team success, another could ultimately be added to his trophy case if Rose and the Bulls have a great second half of the season.

"We're winning, that's the only thing I care about," Rose said Monday after practice. "If it comes with winning, like I always say, I'm good. As long as we're winning games, I'm OK."

However, if you handicap the MVP race, you can't like Rose's chances right now.

Right now you have have him fifth on the MVP ladder, probably with only between a 10 and 20 percent chance of capturing another MVP.

He's clearly behind the top four in LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant.

While a solid second half of the season could possibly see Rose leapfrog Bryant and Paul, who are both having outstanding seasons, it's almost unthinkable to see Rose jump ahead of both James and Durant.

Durant currently has the Oklahoma City Thunder sitting with the best record in the NBA at 29-7, and he's averaging 28.0 PPG (second in the NBA) and 7.9 rebounds per game.

It's hard to envision Durant or the Thunder slowing down, so he's likely going to finish in the top two in the MVP race.

Yet passing up LeBron is going to be next to impossible.

James is in the process of putting together one of the best seasons in NBA history.

The Heat are sitting at 28-7 and James is putting together a complete stat line that reads 27.7 PPG, 8.2 RPG and 6.8 APG.

He's been so good that something crazy is going to have to happen for him not to bring home the trophy.

So it might be a good thing for Rose to have the attitude he has.

Team success for him is much more important than individual awards.

He can control the team success. He can't control the MVP race or how the other contenders are going to perform.