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MVP Watch 2k15: James Harden

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by justtxyank, Feb 23, 2015.

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jman7373 Member

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Harden finally number 1 on the MVP ladder.

http://www.nba.com/2015/news/featur...hy-mvp-candidates/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt3a

1) James Harden, Houston Rockets
(Last week: No. 2)

Harden Records Impressive Triple-Double
James Harden records 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in Monday's victory over Minnesota.
While the other frontrunners on this list have had their ups and downs lately, Harden has had no such issues. He continues to score at a ridiculous clip (27.8 points over his last 10 games) while also serving as the maestro of all things (7.3 assists and 6.6 rebounds during that same stretch) for a Rockets team that is surging (winners of three straight heading into tonight's game against Brooklyn at Toyota Center) at just the right time. Harden's mastery of a system that is predicated on his every move is what makes what he's doing this season so remarkable. Dwight Howard simply has not been healthy or effective enough to serve as a true No. 2, which puts even more pressure on Harden, who recorded a triple-double (31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists) in a Monday win over Minnesota.

2) LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
(Last week: No. 3)

Nightly Notable: LeBron James
Highlights from LeBron James as he scores 42 points, grabs 11 rebounds and dishes out 5 assists.
In a week when all of the top candidates on this list had statement games, LeBron had perhaps the strongest showing in Thursday night's TNT thumping of Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. He dropped a season-high 42 points to go with his 11 rebounds and 5 assists. The far more important numbers for LeBron and the Cavaliers remain their 18-2 record since mid-January, the best mark in the league. How anyone could take LeBron's impact for granted at this stage of his career is a mystery. The Cavaliers are up to third in the standings right now and within striking distance of the Toronto Raptors and the No. 2 spot. This time last season the Cavaliers were buried in the lottery mix. Can one guy make this big of a difference? Yes, when his name is LeBron James.

3) Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
(Last week: No. 1)

Curry Drops 32
Check out the highlights from Stephen Curry (32 points and eight assists) in the Warriors victory over the Wizards.
Curry gave Warriors fans a scare when he sat out Sunday's loss to the Indiana Pacers to rest his sore foot. He put those fears to bed with a 32-point (on 11-for-18 shooting from the floor, 5-for-9 from deep), 8-assist effort in a rout of John Wall and the Washington Wizards Tuesday. Curry struggled (5-for-17) with his shot in Thursday night's TNT showdown against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the Warriors needed more than just a hot-shooting Curry to overcome the energy and effort LeBron brought to the arena. You can bet Curry and the Warriors will be cranked up and ready for the challenge that awaits in Toronto tonight in the form of All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry and the Raptors. The race for that No. 1 spot Curry held on to for weeks is starting to really heat up.

4) Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
(Last week: No. 5)

Westbrook's Triple Double
Highlights from Russell Westbrook as he scores 39 points, grabs 14 boards and dishes out 11 assists in the Thunder loss.
Westbrook saw one of the few players in the league at his position who can match him basically step-for-step, in Phoenix Suns dynamo Eric Bledsoe. And even he couldn't slow down the Thunder whirlwind, who collected his second straight triple-double (39 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists) and third this month before fumbling away what would have a been a game-tying layup with 5.7 seconds left in an overtime loss. Westbrook, who led the Thunder to a seven-game win streak, is doing so in epic fashion -- and without the aid of Kevin Durant (who missed his fourth straight game). Rajon Rondo (January of 2013) is the only player in the last five years with three triple-doubles in a month. Westbrook is the first player with five straight games of 20 or more points and 10 or more assists since ... he did it in January of 2011.

5) Jeff Teague, Atlanta Hawks
(Last week: No. 4)

Block of the Night: Jeff Teague
Jeff Teague alters Patrick Patterson's dunk attempt, then Teague hustles back again and blocks Patterson's shot.
A 3-for-4 stretch from right before and after the All-Star break had people wondering if Teague and the Hawks were finally coming back to reality after that unbeaten January run. And yet Teague and the Hawks still have a comfortable lead over the pack in the Eastern Conference standings, eight games ahead of second-place Toronto. Teague scored a combined 21 points on 17 total attempts in back-to-back wins over the Bucks and Mavericks this week. He played just 26 and 28 minutes, respectively, in those games. It's yet another instance where the Hawks' team-first mantra trumps any pursuit of individual glory. For Teague, it's the wins that are most important, of course.

6) LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers
(Last week: No. 10)
Forget about the pedestrian recent numbers (15.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists in his last five games) and consider that Aldridge might be the toughest player in the league this season, playing with that torn ligament in his left thumb. The Trail Blazers are going to need every bit of energy he can muster down the stretch of this regular season if they're going to hold on to their spot in the top half of the Western Conference playoff chase. Aldridge, who is averaging an impressive 23.1 points and 10.3 rebounds on the season, and the Blazers will get a huge test from that revamped, Russell Westbrook-led Oklahoma City Thunder team Friday night at Moda Center. The Thunder frontcourt better be ready for heavy doses of Aldridge early, often and all night as the Trail Blazers try and make a statement of their own.

7) Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
(Last week: No. 6)

Thompson's 39-points
Klay Thompson drops 39 points with five 3-pointers in a tough loss to the Pacers.
Thompson is in a bit of scoring slump, by his own lofty standards this season, since lighting the Indiana Pacers up for 39 points in a loss Sunday. Thompson scored just 17 points in a win over Washington and 13 on 5-for-13 shooting in a loss to Cleveland Thursday night. (He did add 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks in the loss to the Cavaliers.) Thompson has attempted a total of seven 3-pointers in his past two games, which is a serious diet from distance for a player who averages 7.1 attempts from that range. The slump shouldn't last, not for a player who has been on a tear basically all season, and certainly not for a player as relentless as Thompson has been for the Warriors.

8) Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
(Last week: No. 8)

Grizzlies vs. Blazers
Marc Gasol records 21 points and six rebounds, Courtney Lee adds 19 points as the Grizzlies defeat the Blazers.
If he's been nothing this season, Gasol has been spectacularly consistent with his scoring, rebounding and defensive positioning for a Grizzlies team that has thrived riding the back of its All-Star center. Gasol's 18.2 points, 8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks can be deceiving on a team where he isn't asked to serve as the offensive bell cow on a nightly basis (not with Zach Randolph, Mike Conley and now Jeff Green in the mix). Gasol's game, this season in particular, is more about the impact he has on both ends of the floor for a team that is built for long-term playoff success. And right now, the most important thing for Gasol and the Grizzlies is making sure the big fella is healthy and energized down the stretch of the regular season and going into the playoffs, where the Grizzlies will be one of the top seeds.

9) Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
(Last week: No. 7)
Lillard's role as catalyst and director for a team that has a player as accomplished as LaMarcus Aldridge makes his inclusion on this list even more impressive. Lillard is asked to play so many different roles (facilitator, scorer, etc.) that a simple position designation doesn't do his game justice. In eight games this month, Lillard is averaging 19.6 points, 6.4 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 seals. Lillard worked the San Antonio Spurs for 18 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists in a home win Wednesday night, knocking down 7 of his 15 shots from the floor and 3-for-4 from beyond the 3-point line. When Lillard is consistently knocking down that deep ball, he's as dangerous as any point guard in the league.

10) Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
(Last week: No. 9)

Lowry Finds Johnson
Kyle Lowry tosses the deep passes to Amir Johnson for the alley-oop dunk.
Lowry has been relatively quiet since the All-Star festivities, averaging 12.8 points, 6.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals since New York. The Raptors are 1-3 during that stretch, with an impressive win over the first-place Hawks at Philips Arena to cling to. Another prime opportunity to serve notice comes tonight on their home floor when Stephen Curry and the league-leading Golden State Warriors come to town. Lowry, who relishes the games within the game as much or more than any player and point guard in the league. The Raptors need Lowry to get back to his season standard of 18.3 points and 7.1 assists down the stretch if they are going to hold off Cleveland and stay in that No. 2 spot in the playoff chase behind the Hawks.
The next five: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks; John Wall, Washington Wizards; Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans; Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers; Pau Gasol, Chicago Bulls
Click to expand...

#61 jman7373, Feb 27, 2015

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Just don't put him on the cover of NBA 2k15!!

#62 nolimitnp, Feb 27, 2015
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Did anybody hear this Brandon Tierney tool on the radio? Basically said everybody had already handed the MVP trophy to Curry, but now that LeBron opened his mouth, we have to rethink things, and turn this into a two-man race between Steph and Lebron. He all but dismissed Harden (and Westbrook) from the race for God knows what reason. The fact that guys like this have access to national radio is sickening.

#63 Fyreball, Feb 27, 2015
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LeBron won't have a shot at MVP this season unless he can sustain the numbers he put in Golden State AND lead his team to a top 3 record in the NBA.

#64 SeekingAlpha, Feb 27, 2015
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Matt Moore from CBS with some logical thinking and praise for The Beard

With the third quarter of the season wrapping up this week, it's time to catch up with the MVP debate, which is turning into one of the most compelling in recent memory.

If the 2013 and 2014 debates were lacking in intrigue, and the 2011 debate was lacking in extremely compelling candidates, this year's contest is shaping up as one where everyone's got someone they think absolutely has to win. James Harden has staked out a huge block of support, Steph Curry has the strongest narrative support, and Russell Westbrook has broken through injury-absence and second banana shackles to crash the party, while LeBron James is looming like Batman.

I include the basics at the bottom, but just as a heads up: I view the race through the prism of what's likely to happen given voter tendencies and priorities through the years, not just my own perceptions of their play.

Here's a look at the candidates.

James Harden, G, Houston Rockets: I thought, after Curry's 51-point performance vs. the Mavericks along with his various advantages (which we'll get to), that he had a clear advantage. Harden isn't playing on the best team in the league, his team isn't the one everyone talks about, and his play style grates on some of the voting members in that he does get to the line a huge amount.

But Harden has combined statistical superiority (27.1 points per game, 6.9 assists, 5.8 rebounds on 45-39-87 shooting, No.1 in Value Over Replacement Player and Win Shares per Basketball-Reference) with a factor I tend to overlook: the Atlas element. Harden is carrying the Rockets despite Dwight Howard's absence and that goes a long way. Harden playing at an MVP level statistically for the third best team in the West (only 2.5 back) and doing so with Howard on the shelf creates a powerful narrative that the voters love.

He's also filling up the highlight reels. His crossovers have become Vine candy, and with Durant on the shelf for so much of this year, he's stepped in as the pre-eminent shot maker (as opposed to shooter, that's Steph). Harden's a lightning bolt this season, and keeps striking opponents over and over, leaving nothing but scorch marks in his wake.

Stephen Curry, G, Golden State Warriors: Curry's box score stats (23.7 points per game, 7.9 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 48-41-90 shootings splits) are actually only "really great" and not "unbelievable." 24 points per game on 48 percent from the field and 40 percent from three just doesn't blow anyone away for an MVP candidate, despite those still being pretty nuts. But that all comes in just 33 minutes per game, because the Warriors are blowing teams away by such wide margins that Curry's just not needed for heavy minutes.

Curry remains the one player (outside of Westbrook) that you watch and cannot figure out a way to truly defend. He changes defenses just by his very presence. But Curry's strongest proof of his performance, his team's record, is also a serious liability; his team's so good that without individually explosive numbers it's hard to believe Curry's so much the difference as to make him MVP. "Best player on the best team" is a popular line of reasoning, but it has to be punctuated by definitive performances or metrics. The Warriors have been go good that they haven't consistently needed either from Curry.

A month ago I thought the MVP was Curry's to lose. Now I think he's solidly a step back behind Harden with Westbrook and James closing fast.

Russell Westbrook, G, Oklahoma City Thunder: The number, quite honestly, are bonkers. 26.2 points per game, 8.1 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 43-28-84 shooting. For being a ballhog, he has more assists per game than Harden or Curry, and as many as James.

There are only two real knocks on Westbrook. One, he's misses ten more games than Curry. But if he doesn't miss any more for the remainder of the year he'll finish with over 60 games. You still have to be unbelievable to make up for that deficit, but man has Westbrook been unbelievable.

Westbrook is tops in points per possession, according to Basketball-Reference, which factors for pace, and fourth in assists per possession. He has averaged over 30 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists per game in February, most of it with Kevin Durant on the shelf when his team needed him most. There is nothing like watching Westbrook, the athleticism, the relentlessness, the absolute absence of any concern for human life as he attacks. It is thrilling and terrifying all at once.

The drawback, of course, is the second real knock on Westbrook, and that's efficiency. He missed 26 shots Thursday night. He's shooting less than 30 percent from 3-point range and only 43 percent overall. That kind of efficiency hurts when you have a reputation as a hothead, as someone selfish, no matter how many times you pass or assists you send out. Westbrook's perception hurts him, and even if's true this season, getting voted MVP when last year's winner is on your team is hard to swallow.

No one has singularly raised their production like Westbrook has, though.

LeBron James, F, Cleveland Cavaliers: So much for a down year. The King has once again risen to be the unfathomable force of nature that has won the award so often, and looks every bit of his old self. Vs. the Warriors Thursday he had the entire aresenal on display, as if to officially throw his hat in the ring. He pounded Draymond Green in the post, sliced through defenders in transition, and hit pull-up threes from the perimeter. It was an onslaught.

26-6-7 is the stat line, and while his PER is the lowest it has been since 2007 and he's not the omnipresent defender he once was, the Cavs' struggles during his injury absence (2-8 this year when LeBron sits, 35-14 when he plays) combined with their meteoric rise in the East since his return both combine for a powerful indicator of his "value."

There's something about James' whole season that does feel a step off, like he's still holding back, at least until the last month or so. But you can't look at the production and deny its impact, and you can't reasonably withhold him from consideration based on his performance relative to himself. After all, no one should be compared to that ideal.

Honorable mentions:

Marc Gasol: Was an early season candidate but has fallen off in terms of production and his defense has slipped just enough (while remaining top notch). He suffers from Curry's problem in that his team is so good, but he also doesn't force the issue enough offensively to shed that perception.

Anthony Davis: Too many injuries, not enough wins. It's a foregone conclusion that Davis is going to win this award, and soon. But not this year.

John Wall: Fell off a cliff for too long of a period.

Kyle Lowry : Same.

Jimmy Butler: Yup.

Guy probably not being talked about enough in the conversation: Chris Paul. Only 17.9 points, but 9.9 assists, shooting 47-39-88 and the Clippers have somehow not cratered without Blake Griffin. The Clippers haven't been impressive, relative to their West counterparts, and Paul hasn't had many signature games. But he's having a tremendous season at age 29.

Most likely to be voted MVP: Harden has taken the lead in this category. Keeping the Rockets afloat without Howard is a Herculean task that's an easy bullet point for the voters to remember.

Who I would vote for: I still think Curry remains the guy who changes the opponent the most, but Westbrook has been so insane for so long, the production is becoming hard to acknowledge. Right now, I'd vote Curry, but by season's end, even with 80 percent of what he's done this month, I think Westbrook is unavoidable.

That said, Harden would be a great choice as well. His efficiency and leadership really should be acknowledged, and while the talk of his defensive prowess is drastically overstated due to some noise in the metrics (he's a good defender, not a lockdown guy), his improved effort on that end has taken away the single biggest negative to his game. Just the fact that Harden acknowledged it as a problem proves that he's had an MVP mindset this season.
Click to expand...

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on...rd-quarter-report-checking-in-on-the-mvp-race

#65 J Sizzle, Feb 27, 2015
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The media has given steph the MVP

The only way I see harden getting MVP is if he gets the scoring title and gets 2nd seed in west

#66 Rockets025, Feb 27, 2015
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Glad they at least give him big credit and acknowledge the lack of supporting cast as opposed to Curry and of course that Curry is ahead because of the 'narrative' and best team argument.

Lebron is balling, but looked like a loser early on so he does not deserve it. Westbrook is coming and if he manages to get them a high seed, he could win it. Curry is good, but Harden is great. To me, it's between Harden and Westbrook.

#67 Rocket2008, Feb 27, 2015

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Michael Wilbon, who has a vote for MVP, has mentioned on PTI that IF Golden State remains number one, he's voting for Curry.

#68 rocketblaze, Feb 27, 2015
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How does a guy with 2 allstars on his team, and the 9th best record in the league win MVP?

#69 WinkFan, Feb 27, 2015
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A Win in Cleveland this Sunday will do wonders for his MVP chances

Rocket River

#70 Rocket River, Feb 27, 2015
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Watching espn: "lebron should be in MVP discussion because he is taking a team who didn't make the playoffs to possibly the finals"

My reaction: "oh I guess kyrie, love, jr smith, shrumpert, mike miller, waiters, Shawn Marion, Thompson, mosgov hasn't helped at all"

Lebrons back must hurt from carrying all these scrubs

#71 Rockets025, Feb 27, 2015
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Rocket River said: ↑

A Win in Cleveland this Sunday will do wonders for his MVP chances

Rocket River
Click to expand...

Exactly. Harden has to start having big games on national tv against good teams to catch up to curry, because he doesn't get the love curry gets outside the game

#72 Rockets025, Feb 27, 2015
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Beard's been cutting up the competition all season...that's why he's known as "The Barber", and soon to be League Most Valuable Player!!!

#73 Nick_713, Feb 27, 2015

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Why is Lebron getting so much love? He plays with 2 other stars/superstars, has missed a bunch of games, his teams record isn't that good (ESPECIALLY considering they play 52 games against the east), and he only started playing well in the last month....

isn't it about a whole season of work?

what a joke.

#74 HTM, Feb 27, 2015
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HTM said: ↑

Why is Lebron getting so much love? He plays with 2 other stars/superstars, has missed a bunch of games, his teams record isn't that good (ESPECIALLY considering they play 52 games against the east), and he only started playing well in the last month....

isn't it about a whole season of work?

what a joke.
Click to expand...

Skip B just said that on first take. Said lebrons first 2 months of not really showing that he cared from his effort takes him out of the race

#75 Rockets025, Feb 27, 2015
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Rockets025 said: ↑

Skip B just said that on first take. Said lebrons first 2 months of not really showing that he cared from his effort takes him out of the race
Click to expand...

Skip has been known to be a LeBron hater though.

#76 jman7373, Feb 27, 2015
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HTM said: ↑

Why is Lebron getting so much love? He plays with 2 other stars/superstars, has missed a bunch of games, his teams record isn't that good (ESPECIALLY considering they play 52 games against the east), and he only started playing well in the last month....

isn't it about a whole season of work?

what a joke.
Click to expand...

Harden has his work cut out for him to win MVP (which, IMHO, there is no doubt he deserves right now). For whatever reason, the national media does it's best to ignore Houston, meanwhile, Curry & LBJ get a GOAT article written about them whenever they sneeze. I've seen at least 4 "articles" (article is probably the wrong word since it implies some shread of journalistic integrity as opposed to the biased crap that passes for news these days) written about LBJ after beating the GSW. Not a peep, though, about Harden getting that Clippers monkey off his back the other day, nor did I see any mention of his sick x-over that shattered Rubio's ankles into a million pieces. Instead, I get to read about Curry and Obama's dog - sooooo riviting.

Its not that I need to read stories about the Rockets to validate my opinion of this team, but it would be nice to get at least half the coverage the Warriors currently get... and I'm not talking about the crap written about DH's loud suits or Dork Elvis' analytics.

/rant

#77 slothy420, Feb 27, 2015
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If harden Loses this it would be pretty crappy. When you combine the stats and Howard being out and of they maintain the 4th best record that should be enough. It would really help if the warriors could play .500 ball for a while.

#78 peleincubus, Feb 27, 2015

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jman7373 said: ↑

Skip has been known to be a LeBron hater though.
Click to expand...

In this particular case though, he's not wrong. LeBron has the juice to come on strong now because he coasted at the beginning. Imagine where the Rockets would be if Harden only decided to start trying after the New Year?

#79 Fyreball, Feb 27, 2015
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I don't understand how people can say the media wants curry to win it. All sites I've seen that do MVP rankings now have Harden number 1, everytime I turn on NBA Sirius XM every guy says Harden is in the lead now. Tim Legler, Avery Johnson, Jalen Rose on ESPN have said Harden is MVP. Even Chuck said it! I'm pretty sure the media is starting to back Harden. Now he has to continue winning and playing well.

#80 wfeebs, Feb 27, 2015

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