Top 5 MVP candidates at the All-Star break

We all know the prime suspects: barring disaster, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and James Harden of the Houston Rockets will be dueling it out down the stretch for the lovely piece of hardware that is the Maurice Podoloff Trophy.

For posterity's sake, though, we'll add three others to the mix.

5. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

This is really tough. Other point guards like John Wall, Kyle Lowry, Damian Lillard and even Chris Paul can make claims here. So can Marc Gasol. However, what Westbrook has done can't be dismissed. Despite missing 14 games, at the All-Star break he ranks third in scoring, second in steals and second in PER.

Notably, Westbrook leads the league in usage percentage (37.6) and plus/minus (10.5), per Basketball Reference. Of his four 40-plus point games, three came when Kevin Durant was out of the lineup. The knock on him as an MVP candidate could be that his team may not be in playoff position.

4. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

The value of James to the Cleveland Cavaliers is unmistakable - even if his vice-grip on the title of Best Basketball Player in the World may be loosening. The Cavs are 14-3 since he returned from knee and back ailments, a stretch in which he's averaged more than 27 points on over 55 percent shooting from two-point territory. Cleveland's offensive rating is 115.2 with James on the floor and 103.4 with him off, according to Basketball Reference.

3. Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans

Davis leads the NBA in PER (31.8) and blocks (2.7). He's averaging 24.5 points, 10.3 boards and can make coach Monty Williams physically frenzied with joy.

Like Westbrook, he could be challenged if his team sits outside the West's top eight. Perhaps holes can also be poked in his defense thanks to advanced rim protection stats, insofar that his opponent's field goal percentage from five feet or less is down the list of the league's blocked shot leaders.

But like James, the Davis's value to his team is difficult to understate. He's first in win shares per 48 minutes according to Basketball Reference.

2. James Harden, Houston Rockets

Now the real race. Harden leads the NBA in scoring (27.4 points), 40-plus point games (five), free throws made, free throws attempted, as well as win shares (11.1, according to Basketball Reference). He also leads his Rockets in assists (6.8) and steals (2, ranking third in the league).

Those steal numbers constitute a career-high and one aspect of Harden's noted improvement on defense. Just last season, observations like this were common:

Yet Harden has tightened up on D, helping Houston to No. 9 in defensive rating according to Basketball Reference, all while three-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard has missed a career-high number of games.

1. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Curry may have the edge because the Warriors are a better team, but that's not to suggest he's not absolutely critical to their success. Curry is second to Harden in NBA win shares, and leads the league in steals on a league-best squad that's first in defensive rating and fourth in offensive rating, per Basketball Reference.

And that's not even mentioning his status as perhaps the best shooter in the game. He's got the same number of 3-pointers this season as Kyle Korver. It's fitting that in an era of spectacular guard play that Curry and Harden should battle this out.