I can accept it if either Curry or Harden wins it. I think there are some great argument for both. I hope Harden wins it, but Curry is also having an amazing year. I would be angry if Westbrook or James wins it. The record of the thunder is not good enough (just like the Pelicans) And James clearly took 1/3 of the year off.
If the Thunder and Westbrook close out the season on a huge tear and Portland lets them slip into the 4 spot, he'd probably deserve it I don't for a minute think he can though
This is why Harden deserves the MVP: 1) He's putting up awesome numbers 2) He is single handily carrying a team that wouldnt be in the playoffs without him 3) No one in their right mind thought we'd have the record we have when the season started 4) He's been super clutch 5) No one other player has had the impact on his team and the league he has had
Is his team a legit contender? That's a fairly important criterion, historically. I think the main thing that separates people in the Pro-Curry camp and the Pro-Harden camp is this question. With regard to your 5 points, Curry's numbers are arguably just as good as Harden's, no one expected the Warriors to be this good, Curry has also been very good in the clutch, and regarding impact I think that's also debatable. Harden definitely has less help than Curry, but then that is also reflected in the difference between their records, so I can't infer that Harden is necessarily personally responsible for more wins.
It's unbelievable how insecure Rockets' fan are. Once people realize that the MVP award is Curry's to lose then they'll be able to find some inner peace and move on with their lives. The primary concern for Rockets' fans should be advancing in the 1st rd of the playoffs. Something that's only happened once in almost two decades now.
If the Rockets are not legit contenders please let me know who is... Because of how the warriors are playing, its not sustainable in the playoffs and will not be. I'd bet my house, car, and dog on that.
The thing about the Warriors is Curry's numbers/efficiency haven't really changed at all from last season. The only thing about them that has changed is the coaching change from Mark Jackson to Steve Kerr, as well as Klay Thompson turning into a star, and their record has increased substantially. Curry is obviously the catalyst for that team, but I don't think he's all that much more responsible for their surge than Steve Kerr is. Meanwhile...Harden is the primary (and only) playmaker for a team that lost Dwight for essentially the year as well as Jones for a significant portion. Bill Simmons said it best...take Curry off the Warriors for 20+ games, and the Warriors likely survive. Take Harden off the Rockets for 20+ games, and the Rockets don't come close to surviving. Obviously Curry shouldn't be "punished" for being on a superior team, but in terms of value, I don't think it's really arguable that Curry's more important for his team's success than Harden is. Having said all that...I do agree that it's Curry's award to lose. The MVP is rarely voted on the criteria Harden's relying on. The best player on the best team thing is the primary thought for most voters.
Which is why I hope Atlanta finishes with the better record because then technically they would be the "best team".
The narrative will just change to "best player on the best team in the West". It's not untrue, and still very impressive, but that's what will happen.
Curry has a ridiculous +/- differential for the Warriors this year. This and the eye test make me think that he is responsible for a lot of their wins, similar to Harden for the Rockets.
I think you can definitely say the Rockets are a contender. A team with a .66 winning percentage is certainly in the mix and one that is garnering the 3rd seed in a stacked conference has a shot. There were people picking the Warriors to be very good this year. It's not that much of a shock. The Rockets weren't expected to make the playoffs by many pundits. So I think we have that one there. Harden leads the league in win-shares. I think Harden is as much of an MVP candidate as Curry. Frankly right now it's a tie.
Curry has been better this year, across the board. It isn't even close. He's playing 3 1/2 less minutes a game, because he and his teammates are blowing out the opponent when he's on the floor, so his numbers may superficially look the same. But he's more efficient from the field, from the line, he's scoring 2 points more per 36 minutes, his steal rate has jumped up considerably, and his turnover-rate has fallen down considerably. Put it all together, and his PER has gone from 24.1 to 27.9, his BPM has jumped from 7.4 to 9.8, his WS/48 has increased from .225 to .285, and we can go on and on.
Durvasa, its kind of unfair of you to actually use facts and stats to make your argument, when a lot of these posters are simply using conjecture and opinions in making their claims.
Right??? I mean it's an individual award? I never cared for who wins the MVP award. It's what the team can do in the post season that counts for me. Let's focus on the 1st round and please god let it be the Blazers. We want revenge dammit!!!
I mean...hey, I'm not saying Curry isn't a worthy candidate. He most certainly is. I'm just saying that Harden is the more valuable player to his team, and his numbers have shot up across the board as well. Whether or not the award is voted based on that criteria remains to be seen. It's obviously very close between the two, plus Westbrook/Lebron.
I don't think many people thought the Warriors would have HCA, let alone the best in the west. Even when they were blowing out people in the first 1/3 of the season, people were still saying that they would not be able to sustain. Now 3/4 of the season is done and they are still looking good, and people now say that they can't win in the playoffs. The Rockets were expected to be very good, not no playoffs with Howard and Harden? Where did you see that? Morey did a couple of acquisitions in Brewer and Smith, plus DMo's emergence. This is a very different team than when the season starts. Both teams have been surprising so far. Anyway, the MVP is very ill-defined. Is it... 1. The best player? 2. The best player on the best team? 3. The player who his team needs most? The OP seems to assume that it is #3.
