Westbrook is a statpadder but James does it sometimes too. I dislike when both of them do it. I especially hate it when the Rockets have a 20 point lead in the 4th and Harden checks in with 8 assists and 8 rebounds just to statpad.
Agreed with this. Harden isn't getting screwed not winning MVP. In 2015, Curry won due to wins, but remember the Warriors finished 11 games ahead. I'm not sure the Rockets have had an 11 game lead on OKC this season, and it's currently 7.5. This season's lead is nice, but you have a guy averaging a tri-dub!! Sucks if he doesn't win this year too, but maybe just bad timing. His defensive rep has gone from horrible to bad, so there's that.
You think Jordan wasn't aware of his triple double streak in 89? Larry Bird would ask what the highest scoring performance was in an arena so he could beat it. Wilt lead the league in assists one year just because he wanted to. If you expect NBA greats to be entirely selfless, you're going to be disappointed. Most are ultra competitive and are well aware of their records and achievements. Westbrook is playing the same way he always has. I don't even know if he can play any other way. How many years has he led OKC in field goal attempts. Now that an MVP left you expect him to shoot less? I'm just impressed that he has the energy to stat pad like this.
Yea cause Westbrook is so elite on D... give me a break. Weestbrook had Durant and they couldn't get it done.
Harden has the talent, Westbrook needs the right situation as in another elite player to get it done. Seems pretty straight forward that I think Harden is the better player and could definitely lead a team to a trophy IF he is willing to commit to defense, study tapes and lead by example on that side of the court. If he's only worried about stats and just play on offense then he will not. I know the burden is high, but somehow we don't expect big things from star players anymore. Look at Olajuwon, the prime example of the guy who had to carry us on both sides of the court every single game to get us those 2 trophies. Sure he had some good role players, but didn't need a second star. I believe Harden doesn't either. Westbrook does.
Worth raisinh the point that Robertson's record is pretty overrated. Rebounds were trash back then. Ultra high pace plus horrific fg% = have a pulse and you average 10+ per 36 back in 61/62.
I don't have a problem with it. The thunder aren't going anywhere and if he's going to stay in the supposed MVP race then he has to keep his numbers up. It's incredibly impressive that he's maintained his averages this long. All star players pad every now and then. But he's not the MVP. You can't be the MVP and be in the 7th seed. That's just ridiculous. If the Rockets maintain a high seed, Harden is hands down the MVP.
Not only that, but Oscar played 44 minutes a game that season. Westbrook is getting his numbers in 34 minutes per game. That he's putting up the same unheard of stats in only 77% of the minutes is kind of ridiculous.
