Who WIll Be This Season's MVP?

LeBron James and Kevin Durant engaged in an entertaining back-and-forth where the All-Star Game award exchanged hands roughly 50 times, give or take. Whenever Durant's grip seemed secure on the trophy, LeBron ripped it away. And vice versa. Dunks. Three-pointers. More dunks. More threes. Durant wanted it more. Then James wanted it more. Until LeBron wanted it less.

Kevin Durant and LeBron James

In the end, Durant took top honors Sunday, not so much for what he did in the final moments, but for what another player didn't. The narrative will be LeBron, after putting the East in position to win, waving off three chances for the game-winning shot. One pass went to Deron Williams, who airballed. Another pass was intercepted. Finally, LeBron inbounded the ball to Dwyane Wade, who missed at the buzzer.

For a player who famously faded in the fourth quarters last June, the link between the 2011 NBA Finals and this All-Star Game is just too... delicious. It made you forget that Durant was more invisible than James in the fourth quarter, scoring two points and never being able to hold of the charge from LeBron and the East in the final frantic moments of the 152-149 West win.

Anyway, it was dizzy but mostly good stuff between the finest two players in the league. You suppose these next two months, when they chase the regular-season MVP, might be just as compelling?

Durant and LeBron are pushing their respective conference-leading teams, are among the scoring leaders in the league, and are producing big when it counts. Both scored 36 points on Sunday and therefore, the MVP rested on whose team won.

Both players have been having incredible seasons and it will be interesting to see who ends up winning the MVP award for the entire season. The second half of the season begins tomorrow and in my opinion, Durant has the upper hand right now.