James Harden is gonna get screwed over again in MVP Voting

can't defend, too busy patrolling for rebounds.

 

Not sure if it deserves it's own thread, but a nice article in WaPo today:

By almost any measure, Rockets’ James Harden is the NBA MVP

 

What say you @Os Trigonum? Deserves it's own thread or nah?

 

I used to think James should throttle back on the MVP thing. This was back during games when James was obviously worn out. Now, of course, I'm rooting for him again, even if I dread him losing the honor to Westbrook. And, if we're still in the playoffs when it's announced, the two-game collapse as the team deflates at the news (see also: Clippers Two Years Ago, The Series Against the).

I'd be happy (I'd be okay) with the two players winning co-MVP. I will not be thrilled if Harden is the Buffalo Bills again.

 

What's missing from that narrative is that the refs overlooked some rather egregious mistakes on Westbrook's part, especially the double-dribble towards the end. That would have changed the outcome of the game and his MVP chatter.

 

From yesterday to today the odds moved in Hardens favor. Yesterday: Harden -200 Westbrook +125 Today: Harden -300 Westbrook +150 (Kawhi also moved from +900 to +1200)

Do they know something we don't?

 

What are you kidding? That should be a STICKY!!

oh yeah. media conspiracy.

 

That the Thunder aren't very good, miraculous 4th quarter comeback aside.

And that it's going to be very hard for voters to overlook a 10 game difference in record, and a top 3 in the NBA team, with a guy who is putting up equally mindblowing numbers, and there's not a lot of season left.

 

Clearly they don't know about the #MediaConspiracy

 

btw, which one of you farmboys is farmer11?

farmer11
10:52 AM EDT
Nice article. It's unbelievable how many media personalities support Westbrook for MVP. Historically, even Harden being on a 3rd seed team is an uphill battle for winning the MVP award. But here we have Westbrook getting serious consideration despite not even being on a 50-win team, having the 10th best record in the league, and being 10 games behind the Rockets.

And the you factor in the preseason rankings where the Rockets were ranked to be just as mediocre as the Thunder by most media outlets, and many cases actually worse. The narrative has somehow changed to the Rockets having superior talent around Harden than Westbrook has. It's ridiculous.

Bottom line is the Rockets are over-achieving WAY more than the Thunder. Westbrook scores one more bucket a game than Harden on much less efficient shooting. Harden makes his teammates better than Westbrook does by giving them open shots, and he averages one more assist. And most importantly, the Rockets are a GOOD team that has a top five offensive production in NBA history, whereas the Thunder are just straight up mediocre and middle of the pack.

And then here's Westbrook's case: He averages two more uncontested rebounds per game than Harden that his teammates help him get by allowing him to stat pad. He also is dead last in the league in contesting shots on defense, because he wants to just hang around the basket and make sure he gets 10 rebounds. This allows him to get his triple double. So yeah, that is Westbrook's case for MVP over Harden...two extra uncontested rebounds per game.

The MVP race should be between Harden, Kawhi, and Isaiah Thomas.​

 

Argument against OKC having less shooters and less talented team around Westbrook, therefore deserves MVP:

Did everyone suddenly forget that Harden even led a less talented team with little to no shooters to 56 wins in 2015? Let me remind you who was on that roster...
No Dwight - injury
Ariza, Beverley, Dmo, Terrence Jones, Josh Smith, Brewer, Terry, Prigioni, Capela

Best shooter on this team was probably Harden, along with Beverley/Ariza, everyone else is either out of the league or barely even making an impact on their teams today. Yet somehow we still got #2 seed in West and 56 wins. And Harden still didn't win MVP. When Westbrook can barely even lead his team to 46 wins, it would be a travesty to see him when win MVP over Harden. Simply put, Harden makes everyone better around him, no matter the talent level. Please do not snub this man out of MVP 2 out of 3 years.

 

Haha, I was actually more impressed with the comment than I was with the original article!

 

As I mentioned before in this thread you have to go back 35 years to Moses winning with the Rockets to find a MVP winner on a team that won less than 50 games. Jordan's Bulls in 88 won 50 games when he won his first MVP. In fact going all the way back to the 67-68 season when the NBA expanded to an 82 game schedule only 4 MVPs had teams that won fewer than 50 games (Moses x2 with Houston -79,82, Bob McAdoo with Buffalo - 75 and Kareem in 76) McAdoo's Braves won 49 games, the weirdest is Kareem's Lakers that year he won was 40-42 I think it maybe the only time an MVP won with a below .500 record.

Thunder would have to go 8-1 in their last 9 games to reach the 50 win mark. I am not sure if they will be able to do pull that off. If the media decide the triple double mark to be the criteria this season then they will basically throw out decades of basketball tradition. To be honest I would not mind that if it was thrown out to give Westbrook MVP IF Harden wasnt having a crazy historical season of his own. If Harden was putting up the numbers Kawhi is (forget Kawhi's defense) I would say I am happy with the wins but Westbrook is doing something historical. To me Harden is doing something just as historical, depending on who you ask maybe even more historical and leading his team to a much better record.



Also something that I see consistently overlooked when it comes to the teammates situation: Harden didn't participate in the Olympics last summer to work on his game and work with the front office in getting players he felt would help his game. He played a huge role in the formation of the team with Anderson, Gordon and then as we learned recently the trade for Lou Williams. That is leadership in action and getting involved and playing an active role. He had a huge part in getting the teammates he wanted there to suit his game and style of play. Maybe its not in Westbrook's nature to get involved but if he just stands by upset that he has no help thats also his fault. And its not like the Thunder didnt make any moves they had a huge steal in Gibson and McDermott for Payne (who is not in the D-league WTF Bulls?)

 

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19023644/playing-82-games-matter-mvp-race

James Harden: Playing in all games should matter in MVP race
12:17 PM CT

• 
  Calvin WatkinsESPN Staff Writer

HOUSTON -- With a big emphasis on rest dominating the NBA the past few weeks, Rockets star James Harden is proud that he has played in all 73 games thus far and missed just one practice.

He thinks the fact he hasn't missed a game this season should matter to MVP voters.

"Yeah, because you're not leaving your teammates out there to dry, " Harden said Tuesday morning, before the Rockets' game against the Warriors. "For me, I worry about always having my teammates' back and always being out there."

James Harden, right, and Russell Westbrook have played in all of their teams' games this season. AP Photo/Michael Wyke
Harden has played more minutes (8,772) than any NBA player in the past three seasons. He's currently second in total minutes (2,666) played -- behind the Timberwolves' Andrew Wiggins -- and tied for sixth in minutes played per game (36.5) this season. He's also playing through a jammed left wrist, suffered March 18.

Harden isn't the only MVP candidate to participate in every game, Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook has played in all 73 games, but Kawhi Leonard (66), LeBron James (67) and Isaiah Thomas (68) have all missed games.

Harden is averaging 29.4 points, 11.3 assists and 8.0 rebounds for the Rockets (51-22).

"I'm going to have [my teammates'] back and they know that they have mine as well," said Harden, who is second in the league in points and first in assists. "For the coaching staff and the fans, especially here in Houston, the front office, I'm here to play."

 

This is 1 thing I like about Harden. He doesn't cheat the fans. You can count on him to be there every night. If u buy a ticket to a Rockets game, u don't have to worry about him not playing because he wants to rest.

 

The only problem is he's backed himself into a corner. Now he almost has to play every one of these last 9 games even if there's no playoff seeding or homecourt advantage at stake.

 

Howard Beck's Harden for MVP take on Fox Sports Radio was pretty damn compelling. That is REQUIRED viewing if you have not seen/heard it yet.



Saw Michael/Jamele on TheSix yesterday and they have been pro-Westbrook for a while, particularly Jamele. The fact they switched to Harden was interesting. That Rockets over Thunder game helped. It put a spotlight on "winning" and the Rockets OVERALL team record. Wasn't as much about that "specific game" as it was symbolic of the season. Winning.

Thanks for the post about Kevin Arnovitz going with Harden as MVP. Like Beck, Arnovitz is pretty with it. They both know their stats.

 

The wise guys watched the Howard Beck segment.