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This season’s MVP race is shaping up as a photograph end. Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo all have a case. And, sure, so does James Harden. It is a distinctive case for Harden, who can be the primary participant in NBA historical past to win MVP after switching groups midseason, but it surely’s unimaginable to disregard how nice he has performed since he was traded to Brooklyn in mid-January.
After posting 44 factors, 14 rebounds and eight assists in Brooklyn’s win over Detroit on Friday, Harden pulled no punches when he was requested whether or not he belongs within the MVP dialog.
“I really feel like I’m the MVP,” Harden mentioned. “It is simply that easy.”
There are in all probability voters who’re going to carry towards Harden the way in which he compelled his means out of Houston, however you possibly can additionally argue what Houston has was in Harden’s absence is without doubt one of the strongest indicators of his worth. One other factor working towards Harden is the super-team stigma. If Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant successfully cancel one another from consideration for taking part in on the identical crew, certainly the identical will be mentioned for Harden and Durant, proper?
However the factor is, Durant hasn’t performed since February thirteenth, a span of 15 video games, 14 of which Harden performed in, main Brooklyn to a 12-2 file with a 118.4 offensive score. That registers a degree higher than Brooklyn’s 117.4 score for the yr, which in flip leads the league. Since arriving in Brooklyn, Harden is averaging 26 factors, 11.4 assists, 8.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals over 31 video games.
Fairly merely, you can also make a official argument Harden has been one of the best participant within the league since he went to Brooklyn, and with LeBron and Embiid in the course of prolonged damage absences, and Antetokounmpo preventing excessive voter fatigue, abruptly the items are falling into place for Harden to turn out to be an actual candidate.
For my part, he is fifth proper now. I feel Lillard has been the MVP for his insane clutch performances, and finally for maintaining the Blazers within the thick of the Western Convention playoff race regardless of his second- and third-best teammates, CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic, lacking greater than 60 mixed video games. Jokic has been completely good, too. He owns the superior stats and Denver has been actually good since a troublesome begin. Embiid hasn’t been out lengthy sufficient but to cancel out what he is finished by way of nearly all of this season. Watching the Lakers go within the tank with out LeBron speaks to his worth, and I might have him fourth.
However sure, Harden is completely within the dialog regardless of defecting to a super-team midseason. And there is nonetheless a protracted technique to go. Durant remains to be out. So is Kyrie Irving. If Harden retains the Nets rolling like they’re, his case will solely get stronger.
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