Former teammates Russell Westbrook and James Harden are the frontrunners for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award this season.
Westbrook, averaging a triple-double, led the sixth-seeded Thunder into Houston to take on the Western Conference’s third-seeded Rockets this past Sunday.
He also entered leading the league in scoring – while shooting a career high in three-point percentage – and third in assists.
Harden came in leading the league in assists, and also averaging nearly 30 points and eight rebounds per game.
Westbrook’s season long tear is nearing its culmination. If he does finish the season averaging a triple-double, it will be the first time that has been accomplished in over 50 years.
Once the game tipped off, it went about as expected. Houston led at the end of the first, 37-31, and every other quarter of the game.
The Rockets shot the lights out, at 63 per cent for the game, and hit 20 threes on only 39 attempts – all without their sharp shooting power forward Ryan Anderson. The game ended 137-125, and showed the world how Russell Westbrook’s supporting cast compared to Harden’s.
It was no contest.
The Beard played well, racking up 22 points, 11 assists, and 5 boards, but based on his standards he didn’t have a phenomenal game. His teammates on the other hand, played about as well as they possibly could.
Trevor Ariza shot 9-11 and ended with 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. Lou Williams poured in 31 points off the bench, on 11-15 from the field and 7-8 from behind the arc. Not to mention Clint Capela and Nene combined for 28 points and 13 rebounds, while shooting 12-15.
The play of Harden’s supporting cast, elevated by his ability to draw the defence in before dishing to his teammates for open looks, lifted the Rockets to a victory which at times seemed all but guaranteed.
Russell Westbrook recorded yet another triple-double, with 39 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds, his teammates just couldn’t keep up with Harden’s.
OKC shot the three at a higher percentage than their season average, but still only converted 11 of 30 attempts. They even outrebounded the Rockets by six, with 16 of their 42 boards coming on the offensive end, but in the end this game drove home the notion that the Thunder just do not have the personnel to compete with the elite teams in the West.
Oklahoma City’s rotation lacks the element which drives the elite teams of the modern NBA, perimeter shooting.
Russell Westbrook can drive and dish with the best of them, but when he’s dishing to Andre Roberson and Victor Oladipo, there is only so much that can be done. In fact, the team’s best perimeter shooter – midseason acquisition Doug McDermott – played a measly five minutes in Sunday’s loss.
Meanwhile, James Harden is slicing through defences and finding the likes of a rejuvenated Eric Gordon, the ever-reliable Trevor Ariza, and Ryan Anderson.
Due in large part to that talent disparity, the Rockets are shooting a higher percentage and have shot a higher volume of three pointers than the Thunder for the season.
Many are quick to point out how teams that “live by the three” are forced to “die by the three” when the shots are simply not falling, but what we saw on Sunday is what happens when they are falling. Teams like OKC are forced to try and play catch up and hope that the Rockets have an off night, if they match up in the playoffs – which if the season ended Monday they would.
Houston is a better team than the Thunder, plain and simple. They have better shooters, which means better floor spacing, which means easier offense all around.
The Rockets, led by James Harden and the offensive guru that is Mike D’Antoni, are a fun to watch team which can thrive in today’s NBA.
The Thunder, driven on and off the court by a superstar scorned by the sudden departure of his former partner in crime and even by the all-star voting process, are a rough around the edges, inside-out team.
If Westbrook’s triple-double average isn’t enough to guarantee him the MVP, his ability to will his team bereft of shooting to the playoffs certainly should.
express34texas
Guest
Chris, who said Leonard doesn't have help? Read back through the comments, but not sure who you're talking to: me or McNaulty. McNaulty claimed I said Leonard doesn't have much support, but I never said that. All I said was that he doesn't have another AS teammate. If he thought I meant Leonard doesn't have much help, that's not what I was saying. I don't see Aldridge as an AS this season, though he's borderline and still a very good player. I think Leonard has the #2 or #3 cast in the league.
Chris
Guest
Leonard doesn't have help!? He has Gasol and Mills who have been top 3 scorers at the past 2 Olympics. He has Lee and Aldridge, Parker and Ginobili, Green and Simmons. All bedded down in the most structured franchise in NBA history. That's years of finals experience and international winning all combined with selflessness and hard work. You cannot claim Leonard doesn't have help. That's just blatantly wrong.
express34texas
Guest
McNaulty, for the record, I'm not saying Leonard doesn't have help. I just said he doesn't have another current AS teammate. I actually think he does have a lot help, and SA is more about the sum of the parts than individual parts, always has been. With that said, Leonard is absolutely amazing. He's much better than George ever was. James has 2 other AS teammates with a bunch of solid role players. CLE is able to go 10-11 deep. SA has a much better record than CLE while playing in the stronger conference. There's more to it than this, but it's easy to see why someone would put Leonard ahead of James for MVP if it was between those two.
express34texas
Guest
McNaulty, there's 12 players who made the AS team in the West, and Lillard/Conley were most likely 13th and 14th men. Aldridge is having a down year this year. He might make the AS team in the East, but he'd hardly walk in the game. He'd be one of the last reserves if he did make it. He's in the 25-35 range this year.
mushi
Guest
Sorry it was a rhetorical question for the author. If we're using the historical context to anoint him then we’ve got to give the information that previous voters didn’t. I always feel the "double" is a somewhat arbitrary cut off that we use and if we don’t see the world that binary there are strong arguments for other candidates for MVP. This is a year where I feel for the guy who wins as there are going to be a slew of articles and talking heads pulling the decision apart regardless of whom it is (unless it’s Thomas in which case the pull apart will be deserved..)
McNaulty
Guest
I agree with most of that except that inference that Leonard doesn't have much support. Aldridge is arguably a top 15 player. He would walk into the AS game if he was on the East. He is also playing for the best coach ever.
express34texas
Guest
George is a similar comparison, but not quite. George's best season he only made 3rd team all-nba, and he's only finished in the top 10 in MVP voting once in 2014(#9). Maybe he deserved better than this, but at his best he was a fringe top 5 guy. Leonard is a reigning 2x DPOY winner, much better defensively than George ever was. Leonard also averages 26ppg on a very efficient TS% of .613 with only 2.1 TO/game. He's a phenomenal offensive player, while leading SA to the 2nd best record in the league without another AS as a teammate. He definitely should be in the top 3 in MVP. Leonard has led SA to great regular season success each of the past 3 seasons after outplaying James in the 2014 Finals. His postseason success as the #1 guy isn't good yet, though, for sure.
express34texas
Guest
Oscar averaged a triple-double overall through his first 4 seasons, and rounding up, he did it each of those 4 seasons. The only year he actually reached 10 in 3 categories, Wilt averaged 50 and 25 and didn't win the MVP either. Oscar wasn't the best player in the NBA in any of his first 4 seasons though still great, but he was lucky to win one. This is much different than what's happening this season.
Mushi
Guest
Did the Big O win MVP that season?
McNaulty
Guest
A few years back people loved saying Paul George was the best 2 way player in the game. Its a way of saying he has awesome D and his O is competent. Leonard's O is better than competent, but its a long way from making him the best player in the league. I like him, but god he is boring.
express34texas
Guest
Tom, that's a different question than choosing the 'regular season' MVP. James is more of a proven winner than RW or anyone else even though he has had a lot of puzzling playoff performances during his career. I'd probably take James barely over RW for the playoffs; however, if they each play like they have during the regular season in the playoffs, RW easily. Chris, mostly agree. You're right about Leonard in the playoffs the last 2 seasons; however, Leonard is the best two-way player in the league right now. SA has overachieved this regular season, while CLE has underachieved. I'd go with RW, too, but I don't think he's easily the best player in the game. Leonard, Harden, KD, and James are still close. RW has had a special season, but he isn't averaging 50 and 25 like Wilt did once.
Chris
Guest
You would never pick Lebron first. You'd pick Irving over him, let alone Westbrook or Harden. And Leonard? How did he look last season when he was finally given the reins of the Spurs team? They got handled by OKC easily. Leonard is yet to prove he's a winning superstar, and Lebron has only ever won with the superteams he puts together. Westbrook is by far the best player in the NBA right now, and this regular season has been the best regular season in NBA history. The fact that anyone is willing to even argue this issue is ridiculous.
Tom m
Guest
Express, if you were drafting a team to win the playoffs this year who would be the first player you would pick? Lebron 1. and Leonard 2. Westbrook wouldn't come close for mine
express34texas
Guest
Agree Steve. Harden has better stats overall with superior shooting efficiency. If they swapped teams, Harden would be leading the league in scoring, not RW, though RW would probably be leading the league in assists. HOU is the 3rd best team in the league, only trailing an AS GS team and another stacked team in SA, with a bunch of role players playing alongside Harden, good role players but still role players. With that said, RW is a better overall player than Harden. I could care less how good each of their teammates are, that should have no affect on who wins MVP.
express34texas
Guest
Right on Steve. CLE isn't in 1st in the weak East anymore, too. RW/Harden have both clearly outplayed James for the regular season so far. KD was as well before he got hurt. I'd probably say Kawhi, too. CLE definitely underachieving. Tom M, RW has been a 1st team all-nba caliber player for at least 4-5 years now. Harden has been a top 10 player at worst for 4-5 years now, too. KD has been there even longer. I don't see Kawhi/Curry moving far from top 5ish status for awhile. These aren't flash in the pan type players.
express34texas
Guest
I don't know why the performance of your teammates has anything to do with the MVP, which isn't a team award. Actually having worse offensive teammates helps players more usually like RW to have more opportunities on offense. He should have better stats than Harden given OKC needs him to score more. And bringing TS% into play, I'd actually take Harden's stats over RW's for the season. RW does do some stat padding. He's MVP for me, but not for the reasons you're mentioning. I wouldn't say it was completely stat padding and that the outcome wasn't in doubt last night, but both close to what happened in the 4th last night. RW finished with 39, but 19 in the 4th when the game was more-or-less in the books. HOU's defense is actually middle of the pack, not that terrible. RW has had several subpar games lately with OKC still winning. His teammates aren't that bad. In fact, he has arguably 2 teammates(Adams/Oladipo) better than any teammate Harden has.
Steve
Guest
I would agree with your triple double argument Nikolai if there wasn't another guy in the league putting up similar numbers while having a better record. Does Westbrook's extra rebound or two really mean that much more, is it just because we like Base 10 figures.
Steve
Guest
Stop with this Lebron best player nonsense. He just got manhandled for the 2nd time this year to Kawhi, just as he did in 2014 Finals.
Tom M
Guest
MVP should be awarded to the leagues best player, clearly by some margin Lebron James is the leagues best player. Every year we give the award to some flash in the pan player only for them to be found out in the playoffs.
Steve
Guest
Couple of things. Yes his game was very much about the Houston players knocking down threes. Harden plays a key element here by driving the lane and kicking in it to a teammate for an open 3. Also, how often was the Houston player who drained the 3 a Westbrook defensive assignment? You cannot ignore defence in this, which is half the game. Westbrook contests a ridiculous low number of threes defensively because he is down low chasing rebounds (for the triple double) that his bigs would've gotten anyway. Harden, while no Leonard or Draymond, is a much better defender and has improved significantly since he was Shaqtin MVP last season. I'd definitely put Harden above Westbrook this season. At the start of the year they were projected to perform similarly, and the reason Houston is outperforming Westbrook is because he is playing better and smarter all round basketball. I would still have Harden 2nd though, behind Kawhi. His offensive output has increased significantly while still being one of the top 3 defenders in the league and holding the 2nd best record w/o any All Star teammates. Kahwi Harden Westbrook Wall Thomas Then LeBron Durant Giannis Curry Lowry