NBA'S final four stars

Kevin Garnett stood tall by his team's bench, his piercing eyes focused on the action on the court. It was a meaningless game. The Boston Celtics already had clinched the NBA's best record.

But there was no rest for KG. There rarely is.

"It was nerve-wracking," he said. "You want your guys to play well. I was just trying to tell guys what I saw during timeouts. I was trying to keep energy high and morale up."

Even when Garnett isn't playing, he's into the game. Practices, pregame shootarounds, postgame news conferences. That kind of dedication has been the key to Boston's success, and the main reason why Garnett is a favorite for the NBA MVP award, which will be voted on today.

Last season the Celtics were 24-58, their second-worst record for a franchise that has an NBA-best 16 championships. With Garnett, Boston is 66-16, the greatest one-season turnaround in league history.

His per-game totals are slightly down from his career averages in points (19.0), rebounding (9.3), assists (3.5) and blocked shots (1.2). But his impact in Boston this season is undeniable.

"Everything he's done for the culture of the team, his impact on the game, is just tremendous," Celtics forward Paul Pierce said. "The way we go about practice every day, the focus on games ... keeping everybody on the same page. Those are things that can't be measured when you talk about MVP."

Should Garnett get the award?

"What's our record?"coach Doc Rivers asked. "That's all I have to say."

Kicking back near the rear of a charter bus, a sleepy LeBron James pulled up his sweatshirt's hood and contemplated a cat nap on a rainy afternoon in New Orleans.

As Cleveland's superstar and the league's top scorer (30 per game) was about to doze off before departing for a community service event during a busy All-Star weekend in February, he acknowledged the other stars on the bus with him.

"My point guard," James hollered to Jason Kidd, his U.S. Olympic teammate.

"MVP," James crowed toward Dirk Nowitzki, last season's top player.

"MVP-P," James said as Steve Nash got on the bus, playfully acknowledging Nash's back-to-back most valuable player awards.

Suddenly surrounded by some of the NBA's elite, James wondered if he was out of his league.

"Hmmm," he said. "I must be on the wrong bus."

More like driving it.

James is averaging career highs in rebounds (7.9), assists (7.2) and field-goal percentage (.484) this season, all while leading Cleveland to the Eastern Conference's No. 4 playoff spot.

If a player's stature is measured in historical context, then consider this: James is on the verge of becoming just the third player to average 30 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists, joining Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan.

Not to mention the Cavs just don't win when he doesn't play.

And as far as that All-Star weekend in February, James won the MVP honors for the game.

For at least a few months now, since just before the All-Star weekend the city of New Orleans hosted in February, Hornets players, coaches and the entire organization have been touting point guard Chris Paul's MVP credentials.

The Hornets' front office has been waging the so-called "CP3 for MVP" campaign (Paul wears No. 3). The effort focuses partly on basketball and partly on Paul's community service, such as his helping to rebuild homes in neighborhoods that flooded during Hurricane Katrina.

On the court, the former Wake Forest star leads the league in steals (2.72) as well as assists (11.6) per game -- reaching the league's top dish-man status while committing almost 100 fewer turnovers (198) than the No. 2 passer, Steve Nash (289). Nash is a two-time league MVP.