True but this is one of those "highlight" performanes that @Clutch mentioned, not too long ago, that would vault Harden to standalone top MVP candidate. This plus the clutch shot vs. GSW over Curry could be the biggest of those highlight moments.
+5/7 seems much heavier than +7 points. There are just arbitrary thresholds, especially when they've never been hit in those combinations before, that will get more attention.
If the 60-11-10 helps seal the deal for MVP, then this. I honestly don't know what else it will take for James to win MVP. As far as I'm concerned, he's already won it.
Both tri-dubs are highlight performances. Thing is, "60-point tri-dub" is easier to hear than 50-15-15. Both were NBA History firsts. Last season was similar... "tri-dub" is easier to hear than "most points created"
yep last season "tri dub" won the mvp while "8 more wins, 3 seeds higher, HCA, 2 less uncontested/statpadding rebounds" got robbed
secret 3rd option, his first 3 quarters against the jazz earlier this season: through 3 quarters he had 54 points, 13 assists, 18-21 from the field, 7-7 on 3's. 54 and 13 at the end of the 3rd quarter! while practically not missing. accounted for i think 89 points. that would be the 3rd most ever in nba history for an entire game, and the 53/16/17 is actually second so only behind that game and obviously wilt. and the jazz were top 5 in defense early in the season when we played them. if not for harden's trend of being awful in garbage time (we were up 30 and he went 1-4 with 0 assists in 5 minutes), or if it had been a close game, he could've put up something ridiculous like 65 and 16. as for the actual poll, i picked 53/16/17. it certainly seemed like the points meant more in this game because it was so close, but the 16/17 is just ridiculous and accounting for the second most points in nba history is hard to ignore.
i streamed both games. both games i was yelling my ass off. this game is more important. the team Harden had against Orlando was arguably worse than the team vs NYK. - Harden is finally front-runner for MVP this season, and he gets to shut up all dem haters. - PJ, Ryno, G money, Nene, Moute -- this team is worth bottom 2 or 3 in WC. put Harden on there, and he's good enough to carry this team to the playoffs - close game, came up clutch. - showed he can play defense, 4 steals to go along w/ the ridiculous trip dub - shitty-ass continuation "Harden" rule didn't hold him back from straight murdering these fools
Meaningwess one-game stats. Wussell Westbook aweraging twipple double for whole season is most impwessive.
While, in our opinion, both are great and magnificent efforts... the media soaks this type of **** up, specifically BSPN. Those are the voters that Harden needs to "impress" and sway the most towards his corner. The timing of it could not be better also, as 60 point triple double just a few weeks prior to all star weekend, soon after a clutch win vs. GSW.... the media will eat this s*** up. I guarantee they've long forgotten the trip dub vs. NYK on NYE. Therefore, this 60 point trip dub takes more precedence.
I'd have to go with the 60 because not only did he get the 60 point trip dub but also broke the Rocket's franchise single game scoring record in the same instance. But It just shows the greatness we are witnessing to be able to debate which was better
According to basketball-reference Game Score formula, that 53/16/17 has a game score of 48.7. Last night's game was a 56.6, the 5th best individual performance of all-time. https://www.basketball-reference.co..._score&c1comp=gt&c1val=48&order_by=game_score
