James Harden is gonna get screwed over again in MVP Voting

Not worried. ESPN no longer matters in sports world.

 

Stephen A. Smith said today that he still had Harden 1st, Westbrook 2nd, Lebron 3rd, and Kawhi 4th. He thinks that having a coach as great as Pop actually hurts Kawhi because Pop is gonna make sure that whatever team he has is good. He also got on Max for now hyping up Kawhi since Kawhi's name was barely being mentioned until last night and we're over 60 games into the season.

 

Max "Lebron could be averaging 2 points a game and he's still the MVP" Kellerman is now caping for Kawhi because of a 24 hour media cycle?

lmfao

 

Unfortunately for all the media members with Knee-Jerkins Lymphoma, the season didn't end after last night.

 

Westbrook scores 58 and still loses LOLZ

 

39 shots. Nobody else on the team was able to wrestle the ball away from him to get up more than 9.

 

But how were those frail, helpless cohorts supposed to be able to use their emaciated limbs to even push the ball futilily in the direction of the hoop more than that?

 

Does Stephen A. have a vote?

 

I'm not sure if he does this year, but he didn't have 1 back in 14-15. Some notable guys who voted for Harden back then were Chris Broussard (he has a vote this year as well and has said that Harden still has a slight edge over Westbrook unless Westbrook can get to 50 wins while averaging a triple double), David Aldridge (works for NBA.com and Harden has been #1 on their MVP ladder for most of the season), Brian Windhorst, Mike Fratello, and Hubie Brown.

 

Each Thunder loss helps James.... and Leonard.

7th Seed (48-34) is much different than 7th Seed (43-39).

Looks the West will have a sub-500 8th seed.

 

Harden led his team the entire the season and they're gonna give Leonard the MVP for 1 game! Give me a break!...James Harden is the Rockets engine...If Leonard get's injured Spurs still win a bunch of games and are in the playoffs. Harden gets injured... Rockets wouldn't even be in the playoffs. Every year it's some player they prop up to say is better than Harden...George, Butler, Thompson..now Leonard!? Pah-lease! The haters are ridiculous..they're looking for any reason not to give it to Harden...first it was Westbrook..but his teams not winning, then it was Durant..he's injured! Where was the Leonard MVP discussion all season...1 game they change their mind! The most value player to his team is James Harden...he is the MVP!

 

what they are doing to harden is pathetic, you almost have to laugh to keep from crying

 

Harden aint no fat horse

 

After yesterday's game. I've stopped doing the Westbrook watch for the trip-dub (even though he is barely over the assist total now by only 2), but am on the Leonard watch.

 

I still think Harden is the leading candidate, if you look at overall individual numbers+ team perfornance.
It's all about where you put the emphasis.
But ye, Westbrook is having just unbelievable historic year, its very hard to the unbiased eye not to pick him with those numbers. His team performance is not good but they're still in the Playoffs.
Leonard in the other hand has a better team record, and efficiency level out of this world+ defensive player of the year candidate. For people who value defense when they look at overall performance he can be a valid candidate.
Harden is in the middle there. His numbers are historic and amazing, not quite as Westbrook's though, and the team is doing really well, although not close to the top 2 in the west.
What gives it to Harden in my view is how the team is doing relatively to expectations. This is where he stands out.
I won't get mad if Westbrook or Leonard gets it, because to be honest they deserve it much more than Curry deserved it in 2015, but I'll feel bad for James, cause its almost impossible to top what he's doing this year.
In any case, I like it when Harden comes with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove much more than when he feels satisfied.

 

OKC is really cratering, in part because Westbrook is a huge ball hog. If James put up 39 shots he would score 70+. I would laugh so hard if they fall out of the playoffs.

 

Woj & Michael Lee:

Spoiler

Do you think the MVP race may have, if it didn't change, was altered?

Michael Lee: Absolutely. When you have those marquee match-ups & a chance to separate yourself, that's what Kawhi Leonard did. He hits a huge three & pins a guy's shot against the glass in the same sequence. The fact we spent so much time on the Warriors and now Durant is hurt, all the sudden SA is right there. Why? Oh, Kawhi Leonard is there. He went on an nice streak of 30 point games. People are recognizing the Spurs are there. They've been lurking all year. Kawhi has elevated his game. With all these numbers thrown out blowing our mind, there's a guy scoring AND defending. That's where he's separating himself & people are paying attention. I've been nudging for people to pay attention to him for a couple of weeks now.

Woj: The fact is he's not just a 2-way player but the best 2-way player & there isn't a close second.

ML: Kawhi is guarding Durant, Westbrook, Harden, whoever the top scorer is on teams & is making it hard for them every night. It takes a lot of energy to guard a tough perimeter player all the time & then go get 30 yourself. It's hard to defend. He's an elite defender/scorer & you don't see that too often in the game.

Woj: Because the numbers are gaudy & unprecedented, averaging a triple-double, between he & Harden, it's become an offensively dominated game. Maybe there is less appreciation for what Kawhi does. As much credit as Westbrook & Harden get, where would their teams be without them, take Kawhi off the Spurs, where would they be?

ML: The fact they're winning & right on the Warriors tail, that elevates Kawhi. People say if Russell averages a triple-double, he gotta win MVP & they don't want to discuss it. It's been 55 years since we had a guy average a triple-double. Oscar finished 3rd in MVP voting. 2nd? Wilt Chamberlain, averaging 50 & 26. Bill Russell won MVP. Why? Celtics had the best record. Winning has always been what we measured MVP on. We'll never see another 50 & 26 guy. He didn't even win MVP. It's been...Moses Malone was last guy who won MVP from a team that didn't win 50 games. 11 years ago, when Kobe averaged 35, I thought he should have been MVP. People didn't want to consider him MVP because they only won 45 games. Nash won with pedestrian numbers for him & won because his team won the division. If Kawhi wins his division or the West & is able to score & defend & without another all-star on his team this season, to do that, to be that one guy & win the conference, it'll be hard to deny him, even with a guy averaging a triple-double.

Woj: With Kawhi, ...with voting, we made a choice at The Vertical to not vote for league awards. One reason is they impact contracts, salary cap, balance of power. We shouldn't have any say in that. And it also keeps people off our back. People don't realize how much campaigning goes on. I don't want to have to deal with it. I don't vote, go bother someone else. I don't know exactly how everyone who votes...I'll ask people in the league, who would you vote for? They'll make you think about something because they live it in a way we never could. Human nature does play a part. With Kawhi, is it harder for him to be MVP - they don't hear his voice. Kawhi doesn't connect with people one on one. He doesn't have a great commercial portfolio. It falls in line with Tim Duncan. In this day & age, does it hurt Kawhi? He just plays.

ML: Personality is what drives MVP voting. If a guy is flamboyant or does exciting things, people will be attracted. Steph Curry has such flair, dancing after hitting 3s and is such an entertainer, hard not to be captivated. What would help Kawhi is having more 24 second sequences that stay in your mind. Russell is getting triple-doubles but also has those ferocious dunks & those plays that you can't get out of your head. Taking over games like against Utah & willing his team to victory. Those moments are being played over & over again. If you can have enough moments that get fans talking, you don't need to do the talking. Nobody knows what he said after the game. They remember the big three & block against Harden. They'll be playing OKC. If he outperforms Westbrook, that'll stay in people's heads. We are obsessed with personality & flair but if you have those moments that stick in your head, then you can create your own case without beating the drum yourself.

 

Exactly if both swapped teams Spurs would still be great but Rockets would at best be straddling the lower seed if in the playoffs at all. Kawhi, as good of a 2 way player as he is, does not create for his teammates like Harden has to

 

Oscar Robertson is the only one to have ever put up the numbers Harden is putting up this year also.

http://www.basketball-reference.com...mp&c3comp=gt&c3val=7.9&c6mult=1.0&order_by=ws

I have a feeling that next year Harden will put up the same amount for scoring and rebounds. But could perhaps add 2 more assists though. If he does that he could end up being back to back MVP. The Rockets would have to increase their wins to make that happen though.

 

I think just like a week ago, Westbrook had vaulted himself into a slight lead with that performance against Utah, he's done potentially fatal harm to his chances at MVP in the 4 games since. Sure his individual numbers are impressive, but his team is losing to inferior opponents. A triple double average(assuming he even maintains it at this point) is not enough. A true MVP has to make his team better and that includes in the win column.

Last night's loss at home to the Blazers is a perfect example. The Thunder are down 4 with less than half a minute remaining. They call a timeout and set up a play where Westbrook gets the ball, drives into the paint, and kicks out to a wide open Oladipo who knocks down a 3. A true MVP knows that he needs to find the hot hand, especially if they're unguarded. Oladipo was 4-5 from 3-point land last night. But what did Westbrook do the rest of the time down the stretch? Jack up long 3's and contested jumpers in the paint despite finishing only 3-9 from downtown. Had he played more unselfishly instead of looking to be the hero(and look to top 60 points for the night), OKC could've pulled that one out or at least forced overtime.