James Harden is gonna get screwed over again in MVP Voting

I honestly don't give 2 squirts for MVP, give me a RING - that is it.

But I get that in today's day and age of branding it matters.

And clearly HARDEN wants it....so I hope he gets it.

DD

 

Just got through watching NBA Countdown and Jalen was asked if Westbrook drops to 9.9 assist is he still his MVP. Jalen responded to no and he would vote for Kawhi. He said this right after ranking 1) WB 2) Harden 3) Kawhi. Billups and the other blonde chick were like "WTF?, you just had Harden at 2 and now Kawhi is MVP even though you just said he was behind Harden. The media bias is real folks.

I use to think Jalen was actually pretty good as an analyst but the more I watch him, the more I realize he is ****ing r****ded.

 

The perfect media response

1) Inconsistent criteria
2) Inconsistent rankings
3) Contradiction of one's self.

 

Broussard has now flip flopped and says Westbrook will get his vote if he averages a triple-double

 

I watched this too, but to be clear before Rose gave his comment he said, "if the Spurs move to #1 seed" then Kawhi.

Rose never actually answered who would be MVP if Westbrook got to 9.9 assists. He added the qualifier with the Spurs and then answered.

Too bad Beadle is a crappy journalist and did not press him before the additional qualifier. But of course she is a Spurs fan so what does she care? She is horrible.

 

It's so ridiculous... he says harden is losing ground because the rockets win total projection is now 55 wins... so does team wins not apply to westbrook?

 

Broussard:

MVP?

Toughest race in years. I've been with Harden all season long but they have fallen to a 55-win pace. Right now, Westbrook. What he's doing...it's amazing so many people are belittling the triple-double, like it's easy to get. If he does this, they're on a 45-win pace, which I don't love but that's the talent level around him.

 

This is what it's gonna come down to. People who, in the end, can't get past the stats. People who, in the end, can't past the extra 2 rebounds per game. And Broussard isn't the only one. There will be many who change their tune.

2 rebounds are more important than 10 wins. Gotta remember that.

 

This dude keeps waffling. He literally had Harden #1 like 2 days ago. I can't believe he just said that the Rockets being on a 55 win pace is hurting Harden. Are u kidding me? All Westbrook has to do is win 45 games now? Smh, all because he averages 2 more rebounds than James...

So 2 rebounds a game can make up a 10 win difference. The most ridiculous thing about all of this is that if Westbrook's assists fell to 9.9 he'd have no chance to win MVP.

 

media conspiracy

 

He may have said it in the video above but on Cowherd now.

Also just added Russ is not MVP if no triple-double.

If he averages 9.9 assists?

It's a triple-double. He won't be MVP then in my opinion.
​

Jalen this morning on Mike & Mike.

(14min) http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=18871527

When you have a great player, the other 14 guys are built to suit his strengthes & weaknesses. That's why that argument doesn't hold water if you take him off one team & put him on another. That's how you construct your roster in the NBA: around your best player.

Who is MVP?

Right now, Russell Westbrook. Hasn't been a guy since 1962 to average a triple-double. Leading the league in scoring, 10 rebounds & team is in the playoffs. Something to be said for the way he's leading that team, losing Kevin Durant. I appreciate he never changed. He's this year's MVP. 2nd is Harden. Why they are MVP candidates 1-2 is because they're having historic seasons. Harden has had 50 pts-15+ assists & rebounds. Rockets are outplaying expectations. They are in a different stratosphere right now. Kawhi is coming. They have a chance for #1. He gives it to you on both ends. LeBron will be in the conversation. Best player, best team.

Best players in the league: LeBron & Kawhi. They don't have holes in their game.

Make an argument against one of these 4? I can't against these two. I can say Harden doesn't play defense. Russell is not efficient.

Any argument to be made against him the way we would against the Colorado Rockies? He's playing in this D'Antoni system & analytic team and the numbers would be inflated.

You can say that but it didn't hurt Steve Nash. You can't overlook who is voting. The media. Ask Terrell Owens. They vote for the people they like & vote against the people they don't like. That's how it works. Look at Joel Embiid. He has a magnetic personality, twitter following & makes the media happy. Look at Jokic. He's had 4 triple-doubles. People don't know who he is. He's on the 8th seeded Nuggets. Because Embiid is liked more, he'll get discussed more. The media really likes Westbrook. I think he'll win MVP.

(Stephen A. says Harden is MVP.)

He just did a interview with Harden two weeks ago.​

 

"but that's the talent level around him." So the TALENT is holding OKC back? Or is it Westbrook's play? Look at how the TALENT played in beating the Spurs. Westbrook played like Harden plays every night and shared the ball.

This BS narrative that OKC doesn't have talent is annoying.

Oladipo - young emerging scorer
Steven Adams - one of the best young bigs in the game. Remember his playoffs last year?
Enes Kanter - a top 6th man, scorer and rebounder
Sabonis - promising young post player with range shooting.
Then they added Taj Gibson and McDermott for flotsam at the deadline

This team has good role players. Read the Simmons Westbrook article. These guys are playing WORSE this year because of how Westbrook dominates the ball. But the Spurs game shows you what they are capable of doing.

At the end of the day, the "campaign slogan" the "marketing" of "TRIPLE DOUBLE", the buzz word, will be enough to push voters. They won't take into account all of these other factors. They have the campaign slogan ringing in their ears.

 

There it is

 

Yup!

Fact is, the aesthetic of Harden's game is lost on most. He is efficient but not sexy. Media wants sexy.

 

This always kills me. Does Westbrook play any better defense than Harden? No. They are about the same which is slightly below average. There are plenty of scorers in this league that play average to below average defense.

 

Come on, we know everyone stills goes off that video from 3 years ago. That, unfortunately, will stick with James forever.

No, he'll never be Tony Allen. But they'd make you think they gotta sub him out at the end of [close] games.

 

That video was the worse thing to ever happen to him. I hate whoever made it.

 

Yup, it is a rep that will stick with Harden forever unless he makes a deep playoff run and makes key defensive plays.

Thing is, I get it with twitter dummies. But really expect a little more from analysts. I expect them to rise above the parroting.

 

Nah, media is bunch of group thinkers. All it takes is for a Zach Lowe or Howard Beck (or whoever) to say or opine something & everyone else will agree.

 

Most sports talk is irrational and just saying something to get others to talk about their comments / statement or whatever. I take nobody on these shows seriously, and you shouldn't either. MVP being a media award in itself makes it a bogus award. Go for the championship instead, that's something you earn regardless of opinion.