Blake Griffin replaces LeBron James as No. 2 pick in latest MVP Rankings.

The readers have spoken … and the readers are thinking the same thing I am thinking: Blake Griffin is a stronger MVP candidate than LeBron James.

We published a poll late last week asking readers to chime in on the question of who should be sitting in the No. 2 spot beneath Kevin Durant, and Griffin drew 61 percent of the vote.

Yes, it seems sacrilegious to list LeBron third-best at anything – especially after he had another one of his freakish performances last night in Cleveland, dropping 25 in the first quarter and finishing with 43.

But how come he only seems to have those nights when Dwyane Wade is sitting out?

Remember when Bron-Bron went for 61 against the Bobcats a couple weeks ago? Yes, we all remember, because it was one of the more unforgettable nights of this season by any player from any team. But in the seven games afterward, he never scored more than 24 (or fewer than 17) as his team lost five of those seven games.

LeBron had 27 turnovers (against 47 assists) in that seven-game span, which is Westbrook territory when it comes to leading your team to empty possessions.

Most importantly, that seven-game stretch marked a period in which the Heat squandered an opportunity to quit looking up in the standings at the Indiana Pacers, who were having problems of their own. Miami and Indiana will play each other two more times – the next matchup coming a week from tonight – and those games will go a long way toward determining which will enter the postseason with a decent head of steam.

So whether we are talking playoff positioning or the MVP award, the race is far from over. This week’s rankings are only a last-day-of-winter heat check.

But for now, LeBron’s failures during March outweigh his triumphs.

And that means he drops one spot behind Griffin, who hasn’t scored fewer than 20 points since Jan. 18. That’s 28 in a row for those who may be wondering. Oh, by the way, the Clippers have more victories (48) than the Heat (46), in case you needed a little extra convincing.

So on to the rankings we go …

RANK	PLAYER	RUNDOWN	LAST
1		KEVIN DURANT, F, OKLAHOMA CITY: How long until we start hearing conjecture about him joining the Lakers … or the Knicks. His contract is up in 2016, and all that hoops journalism is about these days is speculating about what will happen on July 1 — of this year, or beyond. Yes, I am overdramatizing. But free agency speculation is waaaaay out of control.	1
2		BLAKE GRIFFIN, F, LA CLIPPERS: Besides the intro, here’s another factoid: Griffin is a better endorser than James when it comes to selling cars. Just ask the folks at Kia. But in all seriousness, Griffin has scored 20 or more points 46 times to LeBron’s 52. But in 2014, Griffin leads ‘Bron, 40-39.	3
3		LeBRON JAMES, F, MIAMI: I am not hating on him, OK? If I was starting a team from scratch, he’s the first player I would take because of his overall skills and his astounding level of confidence — a trait that has only has manifested itself in the past two years. But let’s face it: ‘Bron’s team should be playing at a higher level, kicking things into gear the way they did last season.	2
4		AL JEFFERSON, C, CHARLOTTE: Once you get below No. 3, this exercise gets tricky. So what puts Big Al in this slot? Two words: Mike Dunlap. You want a further explanation? Folks … this team was 21-61 a year ago, OK? The East’s POW is the linchpin in one of the biggest franchise turnarounds we’ve seen in years.	7
5		JOAKIM NOAH, C, CHICAGO: This podcast veered toward Coach of the Year, and a strong case can be made that Tom Thibodeau is the most deserving man out there — largely because of this guy, the best passing big man I have seen since David Robinson. The William Hill betting offers include a 70-1 price on the Bulls winning the title.	5
6		KYLE LOWRY, TORONTO: Every week someone breaks in with a bullet, a testament to me being fickle and running super hot and super cold. Yes, it seems there should be someone from the 50-win Spurs in this slot, but that team is a special case. This guy has been spectacular since the Rudy Gay trade, especially lately. He’s going to make big, big bucks as a free agent this summer.	–
7		JAMES HARDEN, G, HOUSTON: When we get down to seventh and beyond, there is very little differentiating the candidates, all of whom will draw fifth-place votes when the ballots are sent out. One of the most interesting subplots will be who is fourth and who is fifth. By the way, I know it is old news and all, but WHAT THE HECK WERE THE THUNDER THINKING WHEN THEY TRADED THIS GUY?!	7
8		STEPHEN CURRY, G, GOLDEN STATE: The best golfer on this list, which is worth something, right? Or maybe it’s just that my golf deprivation is so acute as the endless winter that has gripped New York shows no signs of abating. On a more serious note, the Splash Bros. – Curry and Klay Thompson – are the first teammates to combine for 400 3-pointers in consecutive seasons	6
9		JOHN WALL, G, WASHINGTON: Fouled out in overtime vs. the Kings on Tuesday and looked like the second-best point guard on the floor. But that is a testament to the skills of Isaiah Thomas, who rang up a triple-double and gets his share of love in our Most Improved Rankings. As for Wall, he’s shooting 48 percent in his last 10 games, and Wiz still have a chance at a top 4 seed.	9
10		CARMELO ANTHONY, F, NEW YORK: Yes, you may recoil in disgust – especially those in Indiana who are witnessing the first of these rankings without Paul George. But the fact is that NY takes straight wins into tonight vs. the Pacers, and Melo has been carrying them. By the way, my take on Phil Jackson’s newser was that Mike Woodson is out if Knicks miss the playoffs.	–