League MVP doesn't mean you're going to win anything. Curry can have the MVP as long as we win the championship. I hope James Harden gets pissed when he doesn't get it and a goes beast mode in the playoffs.
That was probably one of his worst games this season, but he still contributed 19pt at 6/13 with 6 assists. He did committed 6TO, which probably was one of the major reasons GS lost the game, on top of that weird call at the end of 3rd which gave OKC 4pt (Holiday's foul on contesting the lob, than Westbrook's put back, plus Kerr's T). So yeah, it's a bad game by Curry's standard, but still decent for most other guys. You cannot say that about Harden's performance last night.
Having actually watched the OKC-Warrior game, the reason Golden State lost to the Thunders was because Curry had Durant's massive frame draped all over him. Also they didn't had any players that could check Durant since Iggy wasn't playing. Klay and Green couldn't do squat against Durant because he just kept shooting over them.
Rockets don't have another sharp shooting SG like Curry does either. You can't cheat on D with Klay on the court at the same time as Curry. Harden has no one. He is their only guy, so teams can cheat on D and force Harden to take bad shots or pass.
The craziest part about this conversation is that allegedly the Thunder offered the Warriors Harden in exchange for Thompson but they declined. It wasn't until the Wizards declined to give up Beal for Harden that the Rockets were able to close the deal. Can you imagine if the Warriors had both Curry and Harden right now?
Harden would be a much better defensive player for one thing. The coaching staff at Golden State does work.
honestly the sticking point will be the fact that the national media still paint a picture of Harden as a lazy defender. Everything else plays a factor too, the rockets losses to gsw, the gsw record but in the end I think it's going to take more than 1 season for Harden to get rid of the no defense reputation. Plus, the media love curry and the warriors.
Besides that, lets be objective. The rockets have been pretenders, playing well below the talent they have and are far below the Warriors in terms of record. MVP is going to goto a player on a top 3 seeded team.
You guys know Harden wasn't tall slender guy growing up? He was a chubby guy that had to work real hard... While most guys in the NBA were all tall and lanky and just had to add some muscle and conditioning.
Curry has a great team surrounding him. He has a top 5 SG in the same back court as him. He also is surrounded by loads of talent and a great coach. Harden does not. He does more with less night in and out. He is literally carrying us. Curry does not carry GSW. Harden > Curry all day for the MVP and its not even close.
Whelp after that game, Curry clearly pushes ahead of harden now that they got to match up. we really blew that chance to show everyone the rockets meant business.
Harden has the best C in the league according to most here who is a fellow top 10 player. Bev <<< Curry Harden > Klay Ariza < Barnes DMo = Green Howard >>> Bogut Bench is a wash. Only thing Curry has in his favor is a far superior coach probably top 5 in Kerr as opposed to the incompetent, clueless bottom 5 coach in McHale. Those who vote for MVP are not going to care about that. All they care is individual records and team records and Curry has Harden beat in both right now.
Curry also has a guy who can generate his own offense in Klay Thompson and a center who plays to his strengths in Bogut. If Dwight Howard would play the pick and roll rather than continuing to insist he's a post up player.... ugghhhhh. Dude is just way more Tyson Chandler or Ben Wallace than he is Hakeem. I wish he knew it.
That's on the coaching. The coaches have to get him to buy in. What use is McHale if he can't even do that? He is clearly not an X's and O's coach, knows nothing about running plays or in game tactics. They call him a players coach. I'd expect a players coach at the very least to get players to buy in. Perhaps McHale thinks Dwight is a great post up option?? Either way, those voting for MVP will not consider that Harden has a liability and a handicap in McHale who is not helping his cause.
That all makes Curry's season more impressive, not less impressive. He is toe-to-toe with Harden in nearly every statistical per game category despite having a usage rate nearly 3 points lower than Harden's and playing 3 fewer minutes per game. If you want to say that Harden is an MVP candidate at the midpoint of the season, fine. No argument here. To say that Harden is the clear choice over Curry and "its [sic] not even close" is ludicrous, though.
