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Russell Westbrook beats out Leonard and Harden to take home 2016-17 MVP crown

Russell Westbrook, the former MVP. (Wikipedia Commons)
Roar Guru
27th June, 2017
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Russell Westbrook has won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for the 2016-17 season, narrowly beating the other two finalists, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard.

Westbrook had a historic season, setting a new record for the most number of triple doubles in a season, with his 42 beating Oscar Robinson’s previous record of 41. Westbrook joined Robertson as the only two players to average a triple-double in a single season.

Westbrook also led his Oklahoma City Thunder to the Western Conference Finals with a record of 47 wins and 35 losses, good enough to secure the sixth seed in the tough Western Conference. This achievement is especially impressive considering the departure of former MVP Kevin Durant through free agency prior to start of the season.

While the other two finalists had strong seasons, especially Harden who averaged almost 30 points and 11 assists per game, Westbrook was an instrumental figure in his team’s success this season.

He played with his trademark aggression and intensity every night and recorded some historic statistics. Most notably was his performance against the Denver Nuggets, where he recorded his record-breaking 42nd triple-double.

He finished the game with a stat line of 50 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists.

His ability to make tough plays late in the game, along with the fact that the Thunder’s offensive capabilities are sub-par without him on the court, helped him to the hotly-contested MVP award.

The year’s MVP race has been reported as the closest and most exciting since the famous 1989-90 season, where superstars such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing and Charles Barkley were in the running to win the award.

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Other winners from the NBA awards night include Malcome Brogdon from the Milwaukee Bucks, who became the lowest-drafted first-year player to win Rookie of the Year in over 60 years, Eric Gordon from the Houston Rockets (6th Man of the Year), the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (Most Improved Player) and Golden State’s Draymond Green (Defensive Player of the Year).

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