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James Harden is gonna get screwed over again in MVP Voting

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by HardenTime, Jan 1, 2017.

  1. HardenTime

    HardenTime Member

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    I can feel it

    check out this article from the USA Today

    http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/01/james-harden-houston-rockets-triple-double-nba-mvp-russell-westbrook

    In case you’re waking up a little late from your New Year’s celebration, you need to know what Houston Rockets guard James Harden did on Saturday night.

    He totaled 53 points 17 assists and 16 rebounds in a win over the New York Knicks.


    Rub your eyes again and look at those numbers. That would be the first 50-15-15 game in NBA history. And if it wasn’t obvious before, it is now: Harden and Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook are now in one heck of a two-man race for NBA MVP.

    Before diving into who deserves to be the front-runner as 2017 kicks off, take a look at their respective numbers.

    Let’s start with Westbrook: He’s still Mr. Triple Double, averaging 30.9 ppg (which leads the league), 10.7 apg and 10.5 rpg. He leads the NBA in PER at 30.41, although he’s turning the ball over 5.4 times per contest.

    Here’s where you might be surprised to look at Harden’s numbers: 28.5 ppg, 12.0 apg, 8.1 rpg. That’s right, he’s almost at a triple-double average with more assists than Westbrook and fewer points. He also leads the league in win shares at 7.6 (Westbrook is at 5.5, ninth overall).

    One reason to vote for Westbrook is the aforementioned Oscar Robertson triple-double average. But if Harden gets there — and he might, he’s already totaled eight triple-doubles in 2016-17 — what’s the tie-breaker?


    The answer comes down to their teammates. If you remove Harden from the 26-9 Rockets or Westbrook from the 21-13 Thunder, which team is better? I’d take the Rockets thanks to their secondary options and deeper bench. Beyond Victor Oladipo and some scoring from Enes Kanter, the Thunder don’t have much more to work with, which means one thing: Westbrook is a one-man wrecking crew single-handedly leading his team to a playoff spot.

    As of Jan. 1, my vote is for Westbrook. But no matter where you land in this argument, this is going to be an incredible race to watch.
     
  2. HardenTime

    HardenTime Member

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    the same logic they are using to try and give westbrook the mvp is the same logic they laughed at morey and rockets fans with when we were trying to tell them harden the same excat thing in the 2015. Harden didnt have a bogut, green, or thompson when curry won mvp

    Its also weird how before the season many sports sites bleacher report, cbs, si predicted the rockets to finish 8th or to miss to playoffs because of the loss of dwight and the hiring of mda
     
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  3. finsraider

    finsraider Member

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    Stein made this same argument in his column. How short their memories are...they gave Curry the MVP over Harden two seasons ago because he was the "best player on the better team".
     
  4. J Sizzle

    J Sizzle Member

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    The goalposts have been moved by the media in order to give the award to who they want to win it.

    Surprising? No, not really. Harden was punished for not having as good of a team as Curry in 2015, and he is going to be punished for having a better team than Westbrook now.
     
    #4 J Sizzle, Jan 1, 2017
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2017
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  5. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    Look if Westbrook wins it that doesn't diminish what James is doing, they are both having extraordinary years.

    DD
     
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  6. fryjol7

    fryjol7 Member

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    I think a triple double average is more mediatic, if he falls down that treshold it´s Harden´s. Otherwise I think the media has decided already. Agreeing with your point. I would be really surprised if he averages the triple double over the whole season.

    Other late factors helping the Beard may be a bigger gap in standings. If we keep winning and OKC loses more regularly.
     
  7. Newlin

    Newlin Member

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    That's the way I look at it. I really don't have an issue with Westbrook getting it. Both players are doing amazing things. It would be cool if Harden could win it though.
     
  8. joomba

    joomba Member

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    Then how the fu*k did Curry win any MVPs? Take Curry out of GSW, they are still top, elite team for gods sake.
     
  9. D'antoni World

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    I heard this from quite a few pundits now. All of a sudden the Rockets are a loaded team lol and they would do ok without Harden despite nobody saying they would be a top 4 seed before the season started. Harden will get screwed over sure. Even when the Thunder were the 7 seed they were saying Westbrook mvp lol It's ridiculous but most of the media loves Westbrook and flat out hate Harden, D'antoni, Morey, and the Rockets in general ( firing of Kevin Mchale, the analytics, the 3 pointers, the perception of not playing defense, etc) and they will find a way to rationalize giving the MVP to Westbrook and COY to someone other than MDA u better believe it.
     
  10. cdrive

    cdrive Contributing Member

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    They scoffed at MDA coming on board. (Hey so did most of us)

    Said we got worse by losing Howard.

    They yawned at Gordon and Anderson signings and mocked our inability to get Horford and Bazemore.

    Now they change the tune to Harden having more help. Rockets role players are excelling because Harden is making everyone around him better. Even with sick stat lines, Russ has never done that. At the start of the season the entire media was pretty pleased with themselves by ranking the re-tooled Thunder roster over the Rockets. Now all of a sudden the Thunder is a team of scrubs surrounding an MVP.
     
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  11. BootyHunter

    BootyHunter Member

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    If the Rockets can land a top 3 seed I think Harden will get the mvp award. I'm projecting the Thunder will probably finish around 5th or 6th
     
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  12. joomba

    joomba Member

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    Since when having Gordon and Anderson as the second and third best player on your team was considered 'stacked'? you gotta me kidding me. If anything, Oladipo, Steve Adams and Kanter trio looks better on paper than our role players. What did AD do with Gordon and Anderson? nothing.

    Why is this not seen as Harden making players around him better?
     
  13. JazzLakerHater

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    I just realized something today. Harden is now leading the team in points, assists, and rebounds.
     
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  14. Houstunna

    Houstunna The Most Unbiased Fan
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    Losing does diminish it... same way winning enhances. MVP is historical stuff.

    The fact Robinson had just won MVP, enhances what Dream did to him.
     
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  15. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    We have the better team, could not care less if Westbrook gets it and we win the chip.

    DD
     
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  16. mrm32

    mrm32 Member

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    That's MVP-esque.
     
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  17. Fyreball

    Fyreball Contributing Member

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    Professional sports writers are some of the most petty, agenda-driven, narcissistic assholes on the planet. It's unbelievable that their word holds so much weight when the vast majority of them couldn't even do a push up without assistance.
     
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  18. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Contributing Member

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    But if you DO NOT remove Harden and Westbrook from their teams, the 26-9 Rockets are still better than the 21-13 Thunder because, you know, 26-9 is better than 21-13. Right?

    Also, if OKC calls up the Rockets and propose a trade of "everyone except Harden" for "everyone except Russ," I think there is a pretty decent chance that the Rockets accept it. The Rockets guys fit better, but the OKC guys are more valuable trade assets.
     
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  19. DudeWah

    DudeWah Member

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    I truly hope Westbrook gets burned out and fails spectacularly from March-April. That's the only way Harden wins MVP.

    The media is salivating at the mouth to hand Westbrook the MVP.
     
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  20. thedude077

    thedude077 Member

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    I don't see it. You have to be in a top 3 seed team to win MVP.
     
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