It would have made much more sense if they chose Kawhi, Westbrook or CP3 instead of Harden (if team record is a factor), but George Hill? yeah, that's crazy
Interestingly Steve Nash's career high in assists was 8.8 through his 8th season. Entering his 9th season & first year under MDA, his assists increased to 11.5. He won MVP with 15.5 points, 11.5 assists, 3 rebounds. (They were 1st seed though) Harden entering his 8th season, first under MDA. Assist are up to 12.7 from 7.5. 31.6 points. 12.7 assists. 7 rebounds
I think Nash was a product of the MDA system to some degree, but I'm not so sure about Harden because he already averaged 7.5 APG as a SG, so averaging 10+ APG playing as a full-time PG was always possible, regardless of MDA's influence.
Harden drops to #4 in this week's MVP watch. #mediaconspiracy http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...-mvp-westbrook-durant-lebron-harden/94535382/
Media's love affair with Westbrook is hilarious; inefficient (chucker), overrated defender, lesser playmaker when compared to almost all the MVP candidates, and inferior team record
damn, Harden falls to #3 this week. MEDIA CONSPIRACY. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...tbrook-durant-harden-lebron-leonard/94983840/
Harden back in the #1 spot. http://www.nba.com/article/2016/12/23/mvp-ladder-week-7-chris-paul-crucial-la-clippers
Harden drops back down to #2. media conspiracy http://www.nba.com/article/2016/12/30/mvp-ladder-week-8
At what point is team record going to factor into this or was that just a thing for one season two years ago
Thunder are (currently) 6TH in the standings yet Russ is 1st... must be nice.. They will find a way to give it to him.. they are thirsting for a Westbrook MVP.
Westbrook is leading the league in scoring and averaging a triple-double, and almost single-handedly elevating his team to playoff contender. Harden was good two seasons ago. But he wasn't Russell Westbrook good, and this Rockets team wasn't as good as GSW two years ago either. I guarantee if the Rockets lead the league in wins by a wide margin by the end of the season (very unlikely) and Harden is putting up MVP-type numbers, he'll win it regardless of what Westbrook is doing. All that said, both Harden and Westbrook are deserving this year and if the vote was for real I think the vote would be really close and Harden might win it. This MVP ranking is just one guy's opinion, and I'm sure he had Harden at the top of his MVP list at times during that season as well.
Winning should matter. They keep telling us it matters. It just seems now winning doesn't matter as much as long as the numbers are there. Westbrook is doing things many haven't achieved and is getting the appropriate amount of consideration despite sitting in an undesirable 6th position. What I'm angry about is the Hypocrisy. Harden too was doing things many hadn't accomplished last year and was not getting the appropriate amount of consideration. He was left off the All-NBA team because the Rockets sucked despite having numbers only 3 other people achieved in the history of the NBA.
The logic used for Westbrook to win MVP over Harden will be the opposite of what was used to give the MVP to Curry over Harden Oh well. Like Curry before him, Westbrook is now the Golden Boy.
Winning and individual play both matter. Voters will take into account if a team greatly exceeds or falls short of expectations. The Rockets were a .500 team last year. All the guards who got on an All-NBA team were on much better teams and putting up very good if not career numbers. That's why he lost out (nevermind his highly publicized shoddy defense and poor chemistry with Dwight Howard).
The narrative is set for Westbrook and if not for Lebron, Harden is not going to get it. I'd bet $1000 on that.
Unfortunately I agree with you. LeBron will only need a solid 'Lebron year' (26,7,8) to get it. The media guys feels they owe him for the finals last year and not giving him the title in 3 years. Westbrook with his current stats and 5th place in the west will also be in front of Harden because it is an historic year stats wise. Harden deserves it, for sure. But he never really got the respect from the media, and his stats, although amazing, and although making his team much better than Westbrook are not sexy enough (and let's be honest- doesn't have Nike behind him).
