LeBron James says Derrick Rose deserves to lead MVP debate

WASHINGTON -- This season's MVP debate is settled as far as LeBron James is concerned.

James said he believes Derrick Rose is rightfully the frontrunner for the league's top individual award and that everyone else falls in line behind the Chicago Bulls point guard.

“

What he's done for that team, with all the injuries they have and them being first in the Eastern Conference -- they're playing some really good basketball.

” -- LeBron James on Derrick Rose

"I think [it's] Derrick Rose," James said before the Heat's game Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards. "What he's done for that team, with all the injuries they have and them being first in the Eastern Conference -- they're playing some really good basketball."

James was named MVP each of the past two seasons but has said throughout the year that his chances to win in a third time would be tarnished by his move to the Miami Heat to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. James reiterated that notion Wednesday night.

Rose is averaging 25 points, 7.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds for the Bulls (53-20), who entered Wednesday with a two-game lead over Boston and 2½ games ahead of Miami atop the East standings. James is averaging 26.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists for the Heat. He is also shooting a career-high 50.4 percent from the field this season.

James believes his production is strong enough to validate a third consecutive MVP trophy. But he also said Rose seems to be garnering more support among the media block that votes on the award. In addition to Rose and James, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Dirk Nowitzki are considered the top candidates for MVP this season.

"Right now, statistically, it's probably one of the best years I've had," James said. "But we'll see. The media kind of controls it. You've got some guys here that have done their job also. At one point, I thought Dirk was also [worthy] until he got hurt. But Derrick Rose definitely has gotten a lot of the exposure and a lot of the media attention because of the work he's done. He's playing some unbelievable basketball."

Follow Michael Wallace on Twitter: @http://twitter.com/WallaceHeatNBA

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