It's always difficult, if you going with the best player of the whole season your discussion will probably be: Davis, Westbrook, Harden and Curry. If you go by most valuable to the team: Westbrook, Harden and Curry. If you go by who is doing most for his team on all levels translating to wins: Harden and Curry. If you go by who has done most with the least amount of help, putting his team on his back night in and night out and has dealt with so many different line-ups, key guys out etc: it's Harden, simple as that. Some might overrate Harden or try to underrate Curry, but truth is, Curry is doing a lot for that Warriors team to keep them winning. Yes he has a lot help but he's rebounding, assisting and even top 5 in steals. And let's be honest for a second: it's not like we have a bad team because that would be disrespectful to the TJ's, the Brewer's, the Smithes, Ariza's etc. They are stepping up just like Barbosa, Speights, Bogut and Greene. It's only Klay and Greene who are balling out of control and give them a lot on a consistent basis, something we have not had. Curry carries them, but he can afford to have off nights, not so much for Harden which is where the injuries but also coaching comes in. It will never be as clear cut as some fans try to make it to be. Even if players value Harden a lot, that is still not saying he should win it. They just appreciate what the guy is doing, going from OKC and becoming the man and basically doing everything he possibly can to put this team on his shoulders and lead this team to maybe even the division title! That does not take away that Westbrook is balling, though his stats do not translate to wins so that guy is out imo. It also does not take away anything from Curry, because while Harden may need to put up 30-40 points a night to have us barely win, Curry can just have a 25 and 10 assist night and sit at the end of the game because the team are winning by 10+. That being said: Harden as an individual and purely based on what the MVP should stand for in my opinion, you just cannot give it to anyone else.
Wish I could edit but one more thing to consider in Harden vs. Curry. Harden has played 53 games with 35+ minutes vs. Curry has played only 24 or one better: Harden has played 24 games with 39+ minutes vs. Curry with only 4! In games under 35 minutes played: Harden has 5 games with +30 points, one over 40 vs. Curry 7, one being 38. Harden has 0 games with double digit assits vs. Curry 20 times. You can interpret these in different ways: one is that Curry has a lot of help so he doesn't need to play big minutes which is evidenced by his many 10+ assists. While the assists comparison is slightly skewed due to Harden not being a PG, he handles the ball so much, he was and is basically our playmaking guard While the help is true, you do not get that many double digit assists with being a freaking good player and creating for your team mates. So just another interesting thing to consider, I think.
It was to show that Curry is not just a great facilitator, but getting so many double digit assist games with under 35 minutes played, says something. It it just another thing to consider on Curry's behalf, nothing more, nothing less. I didn't say anything about Harden not being an amazing facilitator.
It's a convoluted way to make that argument. Who cares how many Xs he has in games with Y minutes played? Let's just keep it simple - he plays less minutes and has per-minute advanced stats that equal or top Harden's, so he wins the "efficiency" part of value and the "team performance" part. Which is fine, and a good notch in his belt. Harden clearly wins the "cornerstone" and "total stats" parts, and from there it's all how you weight the various aspects.
I was just giving the stats, it's up to others to interpret them. Why try turn this into a negative, it boils down indeed to efficiency and I just provide the stats to back that up...Charles Barkley, is that you? Harden wins total stats, want to back that up?
I dont think he turned it into a negative at all. He gave props to Curry. If he wanted to be negative he would of just said Curry is questionable mvp of his own team thanks to thompson
Can we all agree that the MVP is Harden's to win at this point and not Curry's to lose? If Harden leads the Rockets to the 2nd seed while soundly beating playoff teams to end the season, he's essentially earned himself the MVP, regardless of what Curry does. If Harden doesn't come through and the Rockets suffer a late collapse heading into the playoffs. It doesn't matter if Curry wins out, or if the Warriors suffer a setback, the MVP award will be Curry's. So essentially the ball is in Harden's court when it comes down to the MVP this year, and we all know what Harden can do with the ball.
^ yup. Curry has to make a big push and start scoring 40-50 a few times. Harden and Westbrook have raised the bar.
Ramona Shelburne calling it a "1a/1b race between Curry and Harden". "leaning towards Curry" Harden has the player support. not the media. could you argue that the NBA first team "voted by players/coaches" will put Harden/Westbrook as the two guards?
CBS Sports: The MVP Debate: Who's a better scorer, James Harden or Steph Curry? Looks like this will be an ongoing discussion going over different arguments and comparisons for the next two weeks.
Harden I believe has the cool factor over Curry. An icon for the league. And that will play a part in this too. It's going to be close. Getting that 2 seed gives him a big bag in his pocket as that closes off the winning thing quite a bit.
OMG. Is the question "who is the better scorer?" Between Harden and Curry really being asked? The media has hyped up Stephen Curry so freaking much it's unreal. I can't think of a more overrated player
