East MVP of the First Trimester: Kyle Lowry, Toronto

The numbers, as Adam Sandler might say this time of year, are really not too shabby.

Averages of ‎25.4 points, 7.6 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game wrapped in a PER of 25.4 that still ranks No. 1 among every single basketball player whose address can be found on the Eastern half of the conference divide?

I wish I were slipping in my old age like LeBron James.

‎But you know by now how we operate at First Trimester time. Although LeBron could easily (and justifiably) serve as our selection here, it's true that we tend to favor candidates at this stage whose chances of figuring in the real-life MVP race come April are on the long-shot side.

Just to show them a little love that likely won't be forthcoming later.

Allow us, then, to slight King James for a trimester and focus on two lead guards playing the best ball of their lives. Ask us to pinpoint the most impactful player in the ‎poor Leastern Conference so far and we find ourselves flip-flopping between Kyle Lowry and John Wall.

Right.

Might as well flip a coin.

If you were forced to choose one to build around in drafting mode, Wall would naturally have the edge as a certifiable max guy known for playing at top gear. He awoke Friday morning averaging a robust 18.0 points, 10.5 assists and 4.7 boards, good for a PER of 21.3 as the high-speed force behind Washington's 20-8 start despite being forced to play without backcourt sidekick Bradley Beal for the season's first nine games.

Statistically, though, Lowry has the edge for now. Narrowly.

‎With All-Star backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan missing the entire month through injury, Lowry is shooting .407 on 3-pointers in December while hiki‎ng his PER into the NBA's top 10 at a heady 24.0. Lowry is basically a 20-8-and-5 guy now and has nudged Toronto all the way up to No. 2 in the league in offensive efficiency (111.7 points per 100 possessions) as well as No. 2 in average nightly point margin at a healthy plus-8.1.

I'm guessing King James will understand, with his Cavs off to such an uneven start, once he reads those last two paragraphs again.