MVP Shouldn’t Even be a Discussion

Actual result is more voters will vote the best player in the best team.

 

Forget the media, we can't even get our own house in order.

Clutchfans haters, whiners, and crybabies have been trashing Harden all season long for being "selfish" during his streak and for chasing another MVP.

Tell me, was Michael Jordan "selfish" for chasing more MVPs after he won his first in 1988? Was he being "selfish" when he dropped 69 on Cleveland in 1990?

Appreciate greatness while you have a chance. The dog years are always painful. Look at the Bulls over the last 20 years since Jordan.

Always show love to your MVP.

 

The media really screwed up giving Westbrook the MVP in 2017. They irrevocably marred the point of the award and how winning should be the main goal.

Harden should not be the MVP this year. He isn’t going to win enough games. Giannis is putting up absurd stats with the best team in the league. That should ALWAYS be the leader for the MVP, as it was Harden last year.

But the media opened the door for the “stats > wins” logic. Westbrook winning and Harden not winning is a logicless thought process and the media allowed that doubt to be put in place. It’s stupid. And Harden is likely going to be the victim of goal post moving for the 3rd time in 5 years.

 

By your standard, voting is not even necessary.

 

I do think the logic should be consistent with the voting, yes.

 

I agree with you. But the practice of voting seems to show that the NBA does not intend to use mere statistics and mathematics and a computer to choose the MVP.

 

Then it shouldn’t solely be the media to vote, given they are the ones who dictate the “narratives” to begin with.

But I know that’s not happening. Just shows a flawed system.

 

Not trying to be difficult, but I want to observe: "The MVP should be on the winningest team" is also a narrative, built by a whole bunch of people (media?) saying it again and again.

 

Giannis scored 16 of the Bucks 130 last night...game before that? 17 out of 140, Meanwhile Harden gets you 30-60 every single night...no discussion indeed

 

@Reeko bringing so much heat in this thread my fingers have 3rd degree burns from typing out this post!

 

I have no problem with winning being rewarded. That’s why I think Giannis is the obvious MVP, like Harden last year.

 

it wasn't until last night when I was watching that 4OT Hawks-Bulls game I realized exactly how crazy Harden is and that no one else outside of Rockets fans notices it.

They went to 4OT and Lavine and Young played 55 minutes each but neither of them were able to even score/assist as much as Harden does during a regulation game. And Harden has scored 50+/10+a 6 times this season.

Also it wasn't until this season I realized how insanely hard it was for Michael Jordan to average 37 ppg in that 86-87' season.

The last time someone came close was Kobe in 05' avg 35ppg. Basically, we're not going to see this happen again for another decade at least.

It's a shame not more bball fans aren't recognizing this.

What Giannis is doing is great an all but it's not historical. The MVP race shouldn't even be a race, Harden should just win it flat out. Giannis is playing with 2 legit all-stars in Middleton and Bledsoe. Voting Giannis for MVP is like voting Curry for MVP except Curry had that one historical season which he actually deserved it.

 

I don’t get this.

I think “winning per record” simplifies it to absurdity.

The award is more like: “who is the most valuable player to their team getting wins”. This doesn’t mean the team with the best record. It means - out of the top winning teams, which player has the most outsized contribution to those wins? Which team, if that player is taken away, will lose the most wins?

Out of the top teams - teams that are winning - Harden clearly is more valuable to the Rockets and Giannis is to the Bucks... by every metric and eye test.

 

Yup. I watched that game. They were amazing but the attrition wore them down. They don't have the stamina that Harden has. Lots of mental mistakes late for both of them. They also missed point blank layups. Their jumpers were front rim. It is understandable.

We don't fully realize how much of a LOAD Harden carries. It is remarkable and we take it for granted.

 

I think it obviously needs context added, but it cannot be argued that the Rockets have not had a very underwhelming season, while the Bucks are exceeding expectations. Injuries are a factor but that cannot be denied.

Like in 2017...the Thunder failed to live up to anybody’s expectations. That shouldn’t be rewarded.

 

But Giannis plays defense!

 

Just not historically great defense.

 

1st in wins - Giannis

Simple as that. He’s also averaging 27 / 12 / 6 / 1.5 / 1.5 on 58% in only 33 minutes, so his numbers aren’t bad either.