Harden: "I thought winning was the most important thing"

Being asked a question has turned into lobbying. Fake news!

 

i agree. mvp isn't a season-long award. it's about what you do after the seeding has been decided.

hmm?

 

Since Feb 1st we've done 18-10 while OKC 18-13.
They did not look better than us but better than what they looked up until that time.
I hope Harden wins but to be true with myself, like I thought Harden deserved it much more than Curry in 2015 although GS had like 11 more wins, I do think Westbrook deserves it this year.
And I don't like Harden's focus on that reward. Just focus on getting us deep in the playoff.

 

Is there still hope?? Anyone voting for Kawhi has to have Westbrook in 3rd at best right?

 

Oscar Robertson triple double season vs Russell Westbrook:

First off, what Westbrook has done has been done better. It's been done, but Big O was better at it.

'brook has 31.7 ppg / 10.4 assists / 10.7 rebounds on 42.4% shooting.
Big O had 30.8 ppg / 11.4 assists / 12.5 rebounds on 47.8% shooting

I know the 3 point line has been added so to compare shooting percentage we can look at eFG% and Westbrook is at 47.5%. Also, WIN shares can be compared as well. Westbrook is at 12.7 this year and was at 14.0 last year. Harden is at 14.7 this year and the Big O was at 15.6. So while Westbrook chased stats all year, he wasn't really chasing wins. There's no evidence of that. None at all other than him saying it verbally which means nothing when you're not producing.

 

LMAO! I can't tell if you're being sarcastic.. but, yes.. There is still hope.

 

assuming your numbers are correct, then okc was 28-21 before and 18-13 since. that's about as close to the same as you can get.

but i'm used to it from the media:

vince young vs reggie bush
colt mccoy vs tim "look at all the 1 yard td runs i had and hey, what about that speech i gave after blowing that game to ole miss at home" tebow
james harden vs steph curry
james harden vs russell westbrook

there's always some narrative or game or moment or perspective that takes it away from my player. luckily i've seen hakeem and vince manhandle the guys who had their awards which somehow might be sweeter than having the award, but i'd just as soon win this one.

the denver coach even mentioned that harden has more help than westbrook. ok, lets say that's true. harden has also won 8 more games. it's not like they're equal in wins.

 

Feel bad for Harden, he clearly really wants it and sounds almost hurt in the interview like he knows he isn't going to get it. Joke about Houston media conspiracy or not if you wan't, but the narrative always seems to bend to alter Houston and none of our athletes or teams ever get an excessive amount of attention/respect. Just tonight on SportsCenter they jerk off to Westbrook's night, show a montage of his entire season, discuss the MVP. When the discussion shifts to Harden they show about three highlights from his night, then show him turn the ball over and mess up on defense. Like seriously, you could make a 10 minute video of Westbrook's sometimes extremely detrimental play yet he never gets nearly the amount of flack Harden does for his shortcomings.

Harden has definitely had his best two seasons in years with an extremely high level of competition, but the media has definitely played a role against him both times. Compared to Steph's splashing or RWB's triple doubles, Harden's game is more subtle and sublime. It's less flashy and depending on who you ask (most people) less exciting, and people seem to always harp on Harden for flopping.

 

He sounds defeated.... For the MVP. That's not the ultimate prize though.

 

Since the Rockets play OKC in round 1, the voters might be afraid to vote for Westbrook due to the strong possibility that the Rockets knock him out. This might nudge some votes for Harden that he otherwise wouldn't. These voters will be voting for MVP at the same time they are thinking about the Rockets-OKC matchup, and if some voters come to the conclusion that the Rockets are so much better than the Thunder, Harden might get more love than expected.

 

It's BS if Russ wins. MVP is about making your team better. Making your teammates better, getting W's in an efficient manner. Okc is the 6th seed and russel Westbrook was chucking all season

 

Because you like to touch yourself at night.

 

Agreed, except that I think he deserves it more this year. I think the team would be better it focused more on its weaknesses this last month instead of pushing the MVP/we don't rest BS.

 

Harden should really just respond with: 'Hopefully I can make an All-NBA team this year'.

 

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/galler...russell-westbrook-shouldnt-win-the-mvp-040917

Too bad the MVP is announce on June 26th, by then we already know who is CHAMP and who is bridesmaid.

 

By giving the MVP to Westbrick the voters are cheapening the award. The MVP should go to a player on one of the top teams...Rockets have 3rd best record in the NBA. The Thunder were projected ahead of Rockets at the beginning of the season. If anything the Thunder are underachieving and the Rockets have wildly overachieved..some even had Rockets not even making the playoffs. Now the narrative has changed to Rockets have too much talent...that’s why Harden’s not MVP! I'll give Curry a pass..he was the best player on the best team…I get that argument...but giving the MVP to Westbrick is disgraceful...it makes no sense. They have never given the MVP to a player on a team with a record that poor. I admit...Westbrick is an exciting player to watch...but if he’s not producing wins..he’s not that valuable! The MVP award has always been about winning until this year!! Why now? Because they don’t want to give it to Harden..that’s why? The MVP award is ruined! Now the MVP is about ball hogging, stat padding, individual records..not making the team better...not winning!!

 

The Warriors won 11 more games than the Rockets 2 years ago when Curry beat out Harden for MVP. I get where Harden is coming from. He lost the MVP to Curry in 2015 because of the disparity in wins. And now suddenly 2 years later, that criteria is getting completely ignored because one guy is putting up a bunch of triple doubles.

 

This is the type of comment I need Harden to make.