NBA MVP race is still up in the air
I usually try to keep this column related to USC sports or at least college sports, but with the NBA postseason just around the corner, there’s so much to talk about. Although the top seeds in both conferences are set, there’s so much mystery surrounding the upcoming playoffs.
Five teams are competing for the last two spots in the Eastern Conference, while seeds 2-7 in the Western Conference are anyone’s guess at this point. All of these mysteries will be solved by next week, but there is one debate that won’t end for at least another month: NBA MVP.
The way I see it, the MVP race is centered on Houston’s James Harden and Golden State’s Stephen Curry. Sorry Russell Westbrook: Your numbers have been great, throwing up triple-doubles like an Ice Cube song, but Curry and Harden have just been more consistent throughout the season.
With Westbrook out of the picture as his team fights for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West, we are left with a true two-headed race for the first time since Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant back in the mid-2000s. Similar to those MVP races, this year’s boils down to the best statistical player (Harden/Kobe) against America’s favorite player on America’s favorite team (Curry/Nash).
To get a sense of how close this MVP race is, we have to look at what each player has accomplished on paper.
Curry, who plays for the league-best Warriors, has been on an absolute tear this season. The two-time All-Star averages 23.6 points, seven assists and four rebounds and is on the cusp of a 90-50-40 season despite shooting eight three-pointers a game. Curry has done all of this while playing a career-low 32 minutes per game, often sitting out fourth quarters because his team is blowing out the opponent.
Meanwhile, Harden is in the midst of his best NBA season. The six-year veteran is averaging a career-best and league-leading 27.6 points, with 6.9 assists and 5.8 rebounds.
Statistically speaking, Harden is having a superior season, even challenging Curry when it comes to getting his teammates involved in the offense. However, let’s dig a little deeper and see what each player brings to his respective team.
Curry has been by far the best point guard in the league this season, a savvy passer with unlimited range who always looks to get his teammates involved. The Warriors’ offense hinges on Curry’s ability to break into the lane and find a teammate or get off a screen and hit a 3-pointer. It’s no secret that Curry is a defensive liability, with the Warriors often hiding him on shoot-first shooting guards while having Klay Thompson guard Curry’s opponent.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have James Harden, arguably the league’s best player in a position lacking stars. Harden’s a player who loves to attack the rim and has no problem getting bail-out calls. Unlike Curry, Harden will often hold the ball for a majority of the shot clock before attacking, and more times than not, he’s bailed out by the refs. Though he has been called out for his lack of defensive effort in the past, Harden has made strides this season, avoiding many SportsCenter “Not Top 10” highlights.
Everything up to this point seems pretty even — two guards who pace their teams are having fantastic statistical seasons and play for the top two teams in the Western Conference. It isn’t until you look at their surrounding casts that you notice a large discrepancy.
Curry has had the privilege of playing with fellow All-Star Thompson — arguably forming the best backcourt in the NBA — along with former All-Stars Andrew Bogut and Andre Iguodala. On top of that, Draymond Green has had the biggest jump in the NBA and finds himself in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation.
Meanwhile, Harden has played three-quarters of the season without Houston’s best supporting players in Dwight Howard and Terrence Jones. Harden often finds himself surrounded by Trevor Ariza, Patrick Beverley, Donatas Motiejunas and Joey Dorsey. Somehow the Beard has carried that team to 2-seed in the Western Conference.
Take Harden off the Rockets and they are a lottery-bound team. Take Curry off the Warriors and they are still fighting for a top-5 seed. Harden might not be the best player, or America’s favorite player, but he has been by far the most vaaluable player on his team.
Unfortunately for Harden, Curry is almost surely going to win the MVP. People love to watch Curry drain impossible, off-balance 3s and don’t care so much for the whining, foul-searching Harden and his cast of villains.
Sometimes the most valuable player doesn’t win the award, and that’s how life is. Just ask Kobe Bryant.
Nick Barbarino is a junior majoring in business administration. His column, “Beyond the Arc,” runs Fridays.