NBA MVP Race
This season there are 5 legit candidates for this year's MVP award. TheSportsPack breaks down the pros and cons of each superstar
Russell Westbrook - The Oklahoma City point guard putting up once in a lifetime numbers for a team that lost its other superstar last summer in Kevin Durant. Westbrook's 32.1 points per game leads the league and his 10.5 rebounds and 10 assist a game puts him on a level only Oscar Robinson has achieved. The Thunder are still a playoff team so not only is Westbrook filling up stat sheets; he competing with the elite teams on a nightly basis. If Westbrook can average a triple-double at seasons end it was be almost
impossible to deny him the MVP award.
Outside of the triple-double rampage Westbrook is on, the OKC Thunder are currently 7th in the west. No MVP has ever finished lower than a 3rd seed. According to the trend of the award, your personal performance has to be reflected in your team's success. No doubt Westbrook is a top 3 talent but with OKC not being as good as they were in years past, it will be hard to award him with the MVP while barely making the playoffs.
Kawhi Leonard - The Spurs traded George Hill for Kawhi Leonard in the 2011 NBA Draft and haven't looked back. The reigning 2x Defensive Player of the Year has increased is scoring average from 21.2 to 26.3, which makes him the 7th leading scorer in the league. Being put in more of a leadership role this season, Kawhi and the Spurs still playing high level basketball with a record of 50-13 and only 1.5 back of the best record in the NBA. Leonard's signature moment came last month with a 118-115 overtime win against the Cavaliers while scoring a career high 41 points.
Leonard's scoring is up from last year but his field goal and 3-point shooting percentages are lower. Taking more shots and having more coaches game plan for Leonard's offense will have that effect. Kawhi's game has been consistent this season but 26, 6 and 3 aren't eye popping number when you talking the most valuable player in the league.
James Harden - Mike D'Antoni moving James Harden to the point has to be one of the best coaching moves in recent NBA history. 3rd in scoring, 1st in assist and has the Houston Rockets sitting strong in 3rd place has Harden looking like the consensus pick. The Beard's 15 triple-doubles and 9 40 point games are 2nd to Westbrook. Harden is also tops among guards in rebounding averaging 7.9 per game.
James Harden's 376 turnovers this season is a NBA record and the Rockets have 17 games left. Being that irresponsible with the basketball on top of being a non factor on defense can detour voters from naming him MVP. Having the 4th best record in the NBA is great when you look at the talent from top to bottom on the Rockets roster, but with other strong MVP candidates ahead of him in the standings it will be hard for voters not to consider others more worthy.
LeBron James - King James has the Cavs on top of the eastern conference once again and is poised to make a run at his 4th NBA title. LeBron's career high 8.8 assist per game is 4th in the league while shooting a career high 40% from 3-point range. Every season feels like the MVP is LeBron's to lose and this year is no different. At 32 years old, James is averaging a career high in rebounds and becoming more efficient as a passer.
The one flaw that LeBron has is the "superteam" moniker the Cavs have adopted with their roster moves. Playing alongside two all-stars will have an impact on LeBron's MVP votes. Kevin Love has been injured but the way Kyrie Irving has been playing this season has a few people wanting him to get MVP consideration as well. LeBron will always have MVP like numbers but rather or not he is more valuable to his team than other candidates is to their teams is very debatable.
Isaiah Thomas - The 5'9" point guard is lighting the league up averaging 29.4 points per game. Only Larry Bird has averaged more points in a season for the Celtics. 10.3 of those points come in the 4th quarter which leads the league. Isaiah's play has the Celtics 2.5 games out of 1st place in the eastern conference Despite Avery Bradley missing 24 games due to injury. The fearlessness Thomas plays with is the definition of a NBA MVP and winning in Boston will always put you in the race.
Despite being 2nd in the league in scoring, Isaiah Thomas doesn't do much else for the Celtics. There is enough defensive talent around to hide Thomas on that end of the floor and the assist come few and far in between. Making your teammates better is a major factor in MVP voting and besides scoring a lot of points Thomas doesn't do much else for Boston.
Russell Westbrook - The Oklahoma City point guard putting up once in a lifetime numbers for a team that lost its other superstar last summer in Kevin Durant. Westbrook's 32.1 points per game leads the league and his 10.5 rebounds and 10 assist a game puts him on a level only Oscar Robinson has achieved. The Thunder are still a playoff team so not only is Westbrook filling up stat sheets; he competing with the elite teams on a nightly basis. If Westbrook can average a triple-double at seasons end it was be almost impossible to deny him the MVP award.
Outside of the triple-double rampage Westbrook is on, the OKC Thunder are currently 7th in the west. No MVP has ever finished lower than a 3rd seed. According to the trend of the award, your personal performance has to be reflected in your team's success. No doubt Westbrook is a top 3 talent but with OKC not being as good as they were in years past, it will be hard to award him with the MVP while barely making the playoffs.
Kawhi Leonard - The Spurs traded George Hill for Kawhi Leonard in the 2011 NBA Draft and haven't looked back. The reigning 2x Defensive Player of the Year has increased is scoring average from 21.2 to 26.3, which makes him the 7th leading scorer in the league. Being put in more of a leadership role this season, Kawhi and the Spurs still playing high level basketball with a record of 50-13 and only 1.5 back of the best record in the NBA. Leonard's signature moment came last month with a 118-115 overtime win against the Cavaliers while scoring a career high 41 points. Leonard's scoring is up from last year but his field goal and 3-point shooting percentages are lower. Taking more shots and having more coaches game plan for Leonard's offense will have that effect. Kawhi's game has been consistent this season but 26, 6 and 3 aren't eye popping number when you talking the most valuable player in the league.
James Harden - Mike D'Antoni moving James Harden to the point has to be one of the best coaching moves in recent NBA history. 3rd in scoring, 1st in assist and has the Houston Rockets sitting strong in 3rd place has Harden looking like the consensus pick. The Beard's 15 triple-doubles and 9 40 point games are 2nd to Westbrook. Harden is also tops among guards in rebounding averaging 7.9 per game.
James Harden's 376 turnovers this season is a NBA record and the Rockets have 17 games left. Being that irresponsible with the basketball on top of being a non factor on defense can detour voters from naming him MVP. Having the 4th best record in the NBA is great when you look at the talent from top to bottom on the Rockets roster, but with other strong MVP candidates ahead of him in the standings it will be hard for voters not to consider others more worthy.LeBron James - King James has the Cavs on top of the eastern conference once again and is poised to make a run at his 4th NBA title. LeBron's career high 8.8 assist per game is 4th in the league while shooting a career high 40% from 3-point range. Every season feels like the MVP is LeBron's to lose and this year is no different. At 32 years old, James is averaging a career high in rebounds and becoming more efficient as a passer.
The one flaw that LeBron has is the "superteam" moniker the Cavs have adopted with their roster moves. Playing alongside two all-stars will have an impact on LeBron's MVP votes. Kevin Love has been injured but the way Kyrie Irving has been playing this season has a few people wanting him to get MVP consideration as well. LeBron will always have MVP like numbers but rather or not he is more valuable to his team than other candidates is to their teams is very debatable. Isaiah Thomas - The 5'9" point guard is lighting the league up averaging 29.4 points per game. Only Larry Bird has averaged more points in a season for the Celtics. 10.3 of those points come in the 4th quarter which leads the league. Isaiah's play has the Celtics 2.5 games out of 1st place in the eastern conference Despite Avery Bradley missing 24 games due to injury. The fearlessness Thomas plays with is the definition of a NBA MVP and winning in Boston will always put you in the race.Despite being 2nd in the league in scoring, Isaiah Thomas doesn't do much else for the Celtics. There is enough defensive talent around to hide Thomas on that end of the floor and the assist come few and far in between. Making your teammates better is a major factor in MVP voting and besides scoring a lot of points Thomas doesn't do much else for Boston.
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