Race for the Regular Season MVP

Published 03/11/2017, 12:26 PM EST

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With the 2016-17 entering its final stretch before the playoffs, the race for the MVP award heats up. Many players were considered, but it has narrowed down to 4 players.

James Harden and Russell Westbrook have been touted as the frontrunners for the award with their incredible offensive displays. Together, they have even racked up 45 triple doubles this season, more than half of the league’s 82 this season.

Thrown into the MVP mix, LeBron James.  He may not be as prolific as it was, but he has made the Cavaliers a powerhouse in the East. The last name that’s really in contention is San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard. In the first season without Tim Duncan, Leonard has led the Spurs to within touching distance of the Western Conference summit.

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Let’s take a look into the 4 candidates for the MVP award

Russell Westbrook.
(32.1 points per game, 10.5 rebounds per game, 10.0 assist per game, 1.6 steals per game, 0.4 blocks per game)

Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Warriors surprised the NBA fraternity. This propelled Russell Westbrook as the undisputed leader of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The explosive guard has not disappointed. With minimal supporting cast, he has kept the Thunder in playoff contention. He might be the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple double over a season. He has grabbed an astonishing 31 triple doubles this season, with more to come. He’s also been in the discussion about his relationship with Kevin Durant, especially during the All-Star break and Warriors vs Thunder match ups. But both players avoided questions about each other with the press.

If there is a downside to Russell Westbrook, it is his field goal accuracy. He is shooting just 42% from the field overall and just 33% from 3-point range. He is also a large volume shooter this season, attempting 24.5 baskets a game, and leads the NBA in field-goal misses. He is also turning over the ball over 5 times a game, which is not a healthy thing in clutch games.

He has gained a lot fans, but not everyone is impressed. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been a vocal critic of Westbrook, and does not consider him worthy to be the MVP. According to Cuban, a superstar should be able to lift his team to over 50 wins, which the Thunder unlikely to accomplish.

Even if the Thunder can hold onto 7 in the Western Conference, would Westbrook singlehandedly be enough to take the Thunder past either the Spurs or Warriors? barring a couple of teammates, there are no reliable shooters supporting him. If he can pull out phenomenal numbers for his remaining games, Westbrook will be receiving quite a few votes for the MVP.

James Harden
(29.1 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, 11.2 assists per game, 1.5 steals per game, 0.4 blocks per game)

James Harden has been the most attacking player in the NBA since his trade to Houston. ‘The Beard’ has scored over 10,000 points with the Texas based franchise. However, the former shooting guard has been woeful in defence, and there were alleged bust ups between him and Dwight Howard. Come 2016/17, Howard signed for Atlanta and Houston signed Mike D’Antoni as their new coach. The former Suns coach slotted Harden into the point guard, giving him near free reign as the lead playmaker for the Rockets. A 6’5 Point Guard is not exactly what’s seen in the NBA, but this has allowed Harden to blossom into the devastating offensive talent that he is.

Along with Westbrook, he is seen as a leading candidate for the MVP, scoring just over 29 points a game, and leading the league in assists with 11.8 per game. His rebounding is not bad either, averaging just under 8 a game. With strong support from Eric Gordon (a devastating 3-point shooter), Ryan Anderson and Clint Capela, Harden has led the Rockets to 3 in the Western Conference. Along with Westbrook, Harden has his fair share of triple doubles and a league leading 50, double-double games. Some of his triple doubles are on the back of a great scoring night, as he has five 40-point triple doubles this season. He has been an efficient shooter, scoring 44% of his field goals (on just 18.6 attempts), and a healthy 35% from 3-point range.

The only downside for James Harden is his turnovers number. Averaging an astounding 5.8 turnovers a game, he beat the NBA record of turnovers in a season (374), with 376 and counting. He was the previous record holder. While it’s understandable for turnovers to occur as he dictates the Rocket’s fast offensive tempo, it could be his undoing. James Harden is not always present on the defensive end of the floor. While it works for the Rockets new system, it is not a good sign for a MVP player to play minimal defence.

Kawhi Leonard
(26.3 points per game, 6 rebounds per game, 3.4 assists per game, 1.9 steals per game, 0.7 blocks per game)

Leonard was an emerging leader for the San Antonio Spurs. In his first season as the leader of San Antonio, he has led the Spurs to a 50-14 record. Just like the franchise’s previous leader, Tim Duncan, Leonard is a quite player. He sets about doing his work effectively and has continued his ascent up the NBA since the 2012-13 Season. Leonard, is scoring a career high rate of 26.3 points per game, which is 7 in the NBA (and ahead of established scorers like Kevin Durant and Steph Curry), he is contributing solidly with 6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. He is an efficient shooter with a 49% field goal, 38% 3-point accuracy.

What really sets Leonard apart from the other candidates (apart from his quiet nature) is his defence. He is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league and is known for getting crucial blocks and steals. He is also a person you would trust with scoring the go-ahead basket in the dying seconds. His 3-point in the game vs Houston and subsequent block on a James Harden layup do show his immense contribution at both ends of the court, especially in the dying seconds.

He may not be the most vocal or explosive player, he works as the main cog of the well-oiled Spurs machinery. It would be foolish to not even notice him, as the Warriors are going to be pushed by the Spurs for the #1 seed in the West.

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LeBron James
(26 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, 8.8 assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, 0.6 blocks per game)

The King is yet to be slowed down by age or wear and tear. 1244 regular season and playoff games are not enough to slow him down. Despite taking a slight dip in scoring since his return to Cleveland, LeBron James is having his prolific year, with 26.1 points per game. While lower than his career average, his rebounding and assists are higher than his career average. With 8.2 rebounds and 8.8 assists, he is proving his all-round play once again. Together with Kyrie Irving, he has led the Cavaliers to the summit of the East and it’s likely they are going to be the Eastern Conference Champions once again. With Key players such as J.R. Smith and Kevin Love staying out for extended periods, James has shouldered the burden. He has racked up his fair share of triple doubles this season with 8. His most impressive stat is his accuracy. James is shooting nearly 54% of his field goals and 38% from 3-point.

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The only downside for James is his weak free throw shooting. Having never been a great shooter from the line, he is shooting a career low 68% from the line. While this is not likely to affect any regular season MVP credentials, LeBron has played the most minutes per game of the 4 players here. The others are going to be fairly well rested, and Cleveland will need all their best players when it comes to the crunch time during the playoffs

Another impressive stat, Cleveland are 0-4 in the games that James has not played and 42-16 otherwise. It just shows how indispensable the King is to the Cavaliers.

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