There's a really easy way to determine the Most Valuable Player in the NBA each season.

Take a great player from his team and determine where that team would finish in the standings without him.

For example, if you take Kobe Bryant away from the Lakers, Los Angeles would still make the playoffs. But if you take LeBron James from the Cavaliers, Cleveland's roster is as strong as Michelle Pfeiffer's eggs in "Scarface."

The Cavs would be awful without LeBron. That's why he's my 2010 NBA MVP. Too bad he won't be around to challenge for Finals MVP, though.

2010 NBA Award Winners

MVP
LeBron James - Averaged a 28, 8, 8 for the past three seasons
2. Kevin Durant
3. Dwight Howard

Rookie of the Year
Tyreke Evans - Fourth rookie in history to put up a 20, 5, 5. The others? Oscar Robertson, Michale Jordan, James
2. Stephen Curry
3. Brandon Jennings

Defensive Player of the Year
Dwight Howard - Led the league in rebounds and blocks for the second straight season.
2. LeBron James
3. Thabo Sefolosha

Sixth Man of the Year
Jamal Crawford - Finally found the role he was made to play: gunner off the bench. Put in 18 points/game in 31 minutes/night for the Hawks.
Carl Landry
Manu Ginobili

Most Improved Player
Aaron Brooks - Became Houston's go-to guy in the absence of Yao Ming. Improved his scoring average by more than 8 points/game, too (11.2 to 19.6). Also shot nearly 40 percent from 3.
2. Joakim Noah
3. Andrew Bogut

Coach of the Year
Scott Brooks (OKC) - took one of the two youngest teams in the league to the playoffs a season after it won just 23 games. Oklahoma City won its 50th game of the year last night.
Scott Skiles
Rick Carlisle

All-NBA First Team
Kobe Bryant
Dwyane Wade
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Dwight Howard

All-NBA Second Team
Deron Williams
Steve Nash
Carmelo Anthony
Chris Bosh
Dirk Nowitzki

All-NBA Third Team
Chauncey Billups
Joe Johnson
Manu Ginobili
Carlos Boozer
Amar'e Stoudemire

All-Defensive Team
Rajon Rondo
Dwyane Wade
Thabo Sefolosha
LeBron James
Dwight Howard

All-Rookie Team
Tyreke Evans
Stephen Curry
Brandon Jennings
Darren Collison
Marcus Thornton

Least Valuable Player
Eddy Curry - made $10 million-plus this season to play in 7 games and average 8.9 minutes/game

Least Valuable Player on a really good team
Derek Fisher - routinely gets torched by quicker guards...and slower ones