NBA Awards: Why Kevin Love Is the Real 2012 MVP

When the 2012 NBA MVP talks arise amongst those around the game, it is clear which players make up the discussion: LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant.

Yet there fails to be any sort of love for Minnesota Timberwolves star power forward Kevin Love.

Washington Post sports writer Matt Brooks says it best:

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"Surprised? You shouldn’t be. The guy has been a double-double machine for the last two seasons."

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This season Love has exploded onto the scene, as his production has been outright dominant. Love is posting a whopping 26.5 points and 13.8 rebounds per game.

His 26.5 points per game ranks No. 4 in the league while the 13.8 rebounds is a league second-best, trailing Howard's 14.5 a contest.

Talk about impressive.

What makes Love's game all the more interesting is just how many ways he can dominate a basketball game. He can rebound the ball, shoot from three-point range, play the post game and give a team second-chance points in the paint.

The arsenal Love boasts as a 6'10'' power forward makes him one of the more feared players in the league.

Not to mention, in the second-half of the season, Love has only improved. In the month of March, Love posted an impressive 30.7 points and 13.8 rebounds per game while also cashing in three three-point shots per game. His shooting game has rivaled Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki lately.

These are the numbers for each of the MVP candidates as well as Love:

Kobe Bryant: 27.9 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, 4.6 assists per game, 42.1 % FGs

Kevin Durant: 27.7 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.5 APG, 50.1 % FGs

Dwight Howard: 20.9 PPG, 14.5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 58 % FGs

LeBron James: 26.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 6.6 APG, 53.5 % FGs

Kevin Love: 26.5 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, 45.1 % FGs

Clearly, when assessing the numbers, there is no question Love has the clear edge over most of the field.

Yet when it comes down to voting time, Love will not win the award with as solid production as he has produced, as the Timberwolves have gone down hard this season with the season-ending injury suffered by point guard sensation Ricky Rubio.

Unlike James, Durant, Howard or Bryant, Love is on a team that will likely miss out on the 2012 postseason, as his team is just 25-28 on the season and currently No. 11 in the West.

With the poor play from Minnesota, make no mistake about it—James is the clear favorite for the MVP award and will be battling it out with Oklahoma City stud Durant.

In spite of the lack of wins from the Timberwolves squad, Love is in fact the real MVP of the league. The numbers don't lie. Without his dominance on both ends of the floor, this is a team that heads downhill in a hurry.

A healthy Rubio in 2012 will give the Timberwolves a chance to become one of the top teams in the league, as Love will then begin getting the recognition he deserves. Until then, expect Love to continue doing his thing despite being overlooked by those around the NBA.