How does the Rocket's performance in the playoffs affect your opinion on who deserves the MVP and how important such an award is?
Objectively, none. Perceptively, maybe a little? but not much. Last night was an embarrassing moment for anybody who supported/voted for Harden, no doubt about it, but it doesn't change what happened since October. I imagine there will be many who say last night invalidates Harden's season altogether, which will be silly, but that will certainly be the case knowing this website.
Zero. It's a regular season award. If we're going by playoffs then the top 3 MVPs are probably Lebron, Draymond, and Kawhi in some order. I hope us as Rockets fans grow away from wanting Harden or anyone on the Rockets getting that MVP award if it's not clear cut. I'm tired of the MVP talk.
The fact is Harden didn't play like a true MVP from the mid-point of the season. He had a great start, but gradually fizzled out towards the end. Anybody with an ounce of objectivity could have seen this when Harden regularly, and I mean like one out of every three games, would have 3/15 shooting games with 9 turnovers during the regular season.
Harden is a regular season superstar. No doubt about it......unfortunately he seemingly loses all ability come playoffs.
It's a regular season award so what happens in the postseason is irrelevant. If we do include the playoffs, give it to LeBron every year.
If you're talking about his two main competitors.... One guy Westbrook certainly wasn't winning games against Harden, shot his team out of 3 games. Kawhi's team just wiped the floor with Harden's...without Kawhi... I'm not sure this game changed anyone's opinion on the regular season MVP award.
They won once without him, in a game where The Rockets and Harden had the worst playoff performance in recent memory by any team/superstar. Kawhi has put up 28, 8, and 5 on incredible efficiency in the Playoffs, only LeBron has out done him imo.
I hope this does make Harden see how worthless the award really is because at the end of the year we will all be praising Curry/Durant or Lebron. Whoever wins that MVP award (Westbrook) it should feel hollow and empty at that point after another more important MVP award is given out AND a championship trophy.
I don't think it's worthless. It means something in terms of guy's legacy. I don't think striving to be the MVP of the league is a bad thing. There was no chance at a championship trophy this season, which obviously is infinitely more important. But having the MVP? Would have been cool. In the end, not THE goal, but a worthwhile goal to have for Harden individually. Now with that being said...I hope he and the team are smarter about his rest schedule. Maybe take a couple nights off. Maybe play fewer minutes if necessary. I want him managed smarter next season, and from what we've heard in these exit interviews, looks like that might be the case.
Hakeem heightened his legacy by crushing an MVP award winner face to face in playoffs. That means 2 things: - The MVP is largely a regular season award. Its considered a nice reward for an individual good year - People consider PLAYOFF performance 75% a player's legitimacy ANYWAY, which is tied into team advancement and rings. Its like a whole other season because fans already know postseason play doesnt factor into the voting. In the NBA, a 3-time MVP winner with no rings might have less respect than a regular All-Star with 1 ring, because thats being an "actual" MVP. MVP isnt worthless. It is a nice honor for players and their teammates hard work. But its not THE determining factor of greatness either
None. MVP is for games 1-82. Whatever happens in the postseason doesn't change what happens in games 1-82. If they want to change it so it includes the regular season plus postseason then so be it. But as of right now, it's only for the regular season and no matter what happens after doesn't affect how I think of who won it.
They won game 5 also, he sat the last 10 minutes or whatever. Also, don't forget his ass got benched in game 4 cause he was so shitty and was absolutely awful in game 1.
