Of course it doesn't matter. Hell who you put 1st doesn't matter. And frankly many years from now, when Harden gets glorified as a many times better and less problematic version of Allen Iverson, the fact that he (numbers wise) probably should have 2.5 MVPs instead of 1 will probably help him insofar as the injustice of it all will make people take notice (provided our society makes it to such a point) But, these votes do tell you who is doing punishing for whatever reason (Rose over James after "The Decision" being the obvious example). Unsurprisingly, Harden has people lining up to punish him for various transgressions against canon. Such is life.
And no one will be talking about how many 4th or 5th place MVP votes Harden got this year. I think after like the top 2 or 3 on the ballot, for many voters it just becomes "Which player had a notable season that deserves recognition in my MVP ballot?" Harden will get left off for some of them because what he does individually in the regular season just doesn't seem as noteworthy when his team regresses to being worse than expected. That's how you get someone like Bill Simmons leaving him off the MVP ballot but still recognizing him as a top player at his position on the All-NBA team. It's far more interesting to me to discuss the merits of Harden's MVP case in relation to other players, and the various criteria that go into the MVP voting process more generally, rather than speculation over personal grudges held by media members. Hopefully this thread steers in that direction at some point.
So, Doris Burke put him in 3rd place on her ballot. Not a single voter had him any higher. I thought she hates Harden? Maybe where a voter puts a player on their MVP ballot has less to do how much they personally like/dislike a player than people are assuming here.
To be clear nobody's actually talking about his MVP case but his "probably top 5!"case which is, pretty solid. But you can't separate "mvp case" from "subjective bias" case... they're the same! MVP is not determined by WAR or BPM, they're determined by people, like Bill Simmons, who very definitely and unapologetically have a personal take that they seldom hesitate to share
These ****s probably put Steph curry above harden. Don’t matter harden is young rich and enjoying his life. These analysts are ugly low IQ wastes of space that cant die fast enough
I think the All the Media Voters look like Fools voting for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Getting destroyed by Jimmy Butler and being afraid to guard him as a Fake Defensive Player of the Year. These Awards are Rubbish. Especially getting voted by nobodies who never played NBA Basketball or Any High Level Basketball. Hall of Famers should have some Votes but the Players and Coaches should be Voting instead. It Feels like Nike is Bribing and Paying the Media Voters and Tarnishing Adidas James Harden.
Its unfortunate the way the media has become. Every group has a sensationalist that makes waves with hot takes. Where the journalists used to be partisan, now you have fans like Simmons and Skip and Ramona. Guys like Jay Williams and Richard Jefferson who spit hot takes to try and rile feathers instead of give concise analysis. These votes are just part of that.
So Lebron repeated the media biased narrative argument that Harden rightly called out last season .. Harden was right all along
Honestly, I'm more sick of the Rockets disappointing me than the media hasbeens has been. I hope Harden is working on being 4th quarter concussion proof. I hope our next HC knows how to make a damn adjustment that he doesn't rely on in the regular season. I hope FO knows how to give a decent playmaker or two and find the right ****ing personnel to do whatever gimmicky strategy they're pushing instead of this square brick fest into a round hoop so small you'd wonder if players are "gassed" or not used to shooting threes...wait what? I don't even directly consume their takes anymore. Going to their sites and holding my nose means adblock w/ filters. ┌П┐┌П┐
Exactly. Who cares what the national media is saying. Harden and the Rockets never prove them wrong. Harden always has crap performances in the biggest moments and we lose. Same story over and over again.
Let's say he won 2 or 3 instead of 1......wouldn't it be more pressure on him in the Playoffs given he has only made the Finals once, when he was 6th man? I could see him getting even more content with those awards in his bags. It's already happening to Giannis - Oh watch, 2 time MVP can't even get out of the East!