Harden will win it and he deserves it, but he didn't exactly help himself in term of narrative during that last month of the regular season. LeBron's name should have never came up given that his team is merely 4th in the weak EC.
So let me gets this straight......when LeBron takes an entire 6 weeks off in the middle of the season, it's ok, because "his team is going through turmoil " and "he's in his 15th year!" But when Harden has a RELATIVELY mediocre month based on how he'd been playing for 85% of the season, he's "not helping himself." Got it.
Yes, because whether you like it or not people's perceptions are shaped by most recent events. It's called 'recency bias', and it's part of the reason why Harden lost out to Westbrook last season. I'm not endorsing this phenomenon, but just describing how the world works.
Glad we are keeping track of the votes! Cool and great work. FYI, the official voters from last year and not 100% the same from this year. They can change. The loudest LeBron voices are from Cowherd & McIntyre (not official voters), Russillo (not official) and Cleveland Media Beat writers (some official). Otherwise, I have seen a bunch of Harden votes. Everyone from the Ringer staff voted for Harden. Of that group KOC has an official vote. So does Simmons, but he hasn't revealed his vote yet. I am sure it will be Harden.
Also, not an official voter, but a PRETTY STRONG endorsement from Kobe Bryant here for James Harden. Nice!
Sure, I completely agree with that, and it's one of the things that infuriates me about the media. They have the resources and supposedly the knowledge and understanding to not succumb to recency bias, but they unabashedly do. I only have an issue with what you said about Harden not helping himself. If we were to go with recency bias as a legitimate reason for why LeBron has entered back into the conversation, then truth be told, there really was nothing Harden could have done. LeBron finished the season on an absolute tear.
The people that effected by the "recency bias" are the social media/TV talking heads. The "echo chamber" of ESPN is a factor when influencers get sucked in. The people that don't get effected by the recency bias are the "stat geeks" and analytics types that tend to look at things in the macro.
Its not recency bias Its simply bias Bias against houston If harden is with la or ny producing these wins and stats he would have been mvp 3 yrs in a row now
wow... that’s even more embarrassing than voting him for MVP...damn, these dudes really don’t watch games
It can be both. There is recency bias for sure. But also, there is the "aesthetic." Harden is not a "high flying, mean face making" type player. The player that media people love. Remember, "mean faces means YOU CARE!" That's why Westbrook is TEFLON with the media. "He makes mistakes...but he is such a competitor...that it is ok." "He cares!" Conversely, Harden's sublime efficiency is under appreciated, and when he doesn't have a good game he "doesn't care enough or is a choker or quitter."
Why Harden is not only the MVP this year, but why he should have been LAST year. Anthony comes to OKC and has the worst season of his career despite playing over 32 mpg. Worst shooting % (.404) from the floor despite Westbrook throwing the ball around for assists. Chris Paul comes to Houston and despite avg under 32 mmp still scores 18.6 ppg with 7.9 assists and shoots .460 from the floor. Anthony with Harden would have had one of his best shooting percentage years ever I bet James Gawden for MVP- he makes teammates BETTER!
LOL its hardens fault that he had the rockets clinched 1st sed overall / HCA thruout the POs too early
Hey speaking of recency bias... you guys remember two months ago when the Rockets embarrassed the Cavs so bad that LeBron said his team shouldn't be put on national tv anymore? Since then, LeBron has been on such an absolute tear that he has carried the Cavs from the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference that day all the way up to the 4th seed of the Eastern Conference today. Man, what a beast.
By this MVP criteria, not only is team success downgraded vis a vis individual numbers, it actually hurts your MVP case. Makes perfect sense, right?
Pretty ballsy. I'm sure GM James will get the word from his ESPN buddies and have that player released.....what a farce
