The NBA season is nearing its halfway mark, which means it’s worth checking in on what’s shaping up to be perhaps the most interesting MVP race the league has seen in years. Multiple young players have made the leap to superstardom this season, while others who have been stars for years have taken their games to a new level so far in 2016/17.
Two of those young players that have taken a leap this season likely won’t receive a ton of MVP votes, given their teams’ middling performances. But Anthony Davis is blowing away his career highs in PPG and RPG, with 29.2 and 11.7, respectively, while also contributing a league-leading 2.6 BPG. Giannis Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, is doing a little of everything for the Bucks, with an eye-popping stat line of 23.8 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 5.9 APG, 2.0 SPG, 2.0 BPG, and a .536 FG% in 32 games. Davis and Antetokounmpo are 23 and 22 years old, respectively, so even if they don’t get serious MVP consideration this season, they’ll have plenty more chances to compete for the award in the future.
Two former MVP winners have been as good as ever this season for the two teams expected to meet again in the Finals. In the East, LeBron James had been expected to play a slightly lesser role during the regular season in order to make sure he’s fresh for the playoffs, but the veteran forward has actually seen his MPG increase to 37.1, and his numbers this year are the best they’ve been since his return to Cleveland — 25.6 PPG, 8.7 APG, 7.9 RPG, and a .511 FG%, including 38.4% on three-pointers.
In the West, Kevin Durant has been the best player on a Warriors team that already featured three All-NBA stars, including last year’s MVP. While Stephen Curry‘s production has dipped a little, Durant’s efficiency has gone through the roof — he’s shooting a career-best 53.7% from the field, and has also emerged as a solid rim protecter and rebounder for a team lacking a traditional impact center. His 8.9 RPG and 1.6 BPG are career highs.
At this point though, the MVP race may come down to two of Durant’s former teammates. James Harden, who is coming off an astonishing 53-point, 17-assist, 16-rebound showing on New Year’s Eve, has led the league in assists with 12.0 per game, and has also averaged 28.5 PPG and 8.1 RPG for an overachieving Rockets team that won 15 of 17 games in December.
In a season full of incredible statistical achievements though, it has been Russell Westbrook who has arguably put off the most impressive stat line so far. Through 34 games, the Thunder point guard continues to average a triple-double, having scored a league-leading 30.9 PPG to go along with 10.7 APG and 10.5 RPG. As has been mentioned often this season, Westbrook would be the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double if he can keep up the pace.
With so many worth candidates this season, including a few I didn’t mention, who do you like so far in the NBA’s MVP race? Do you expect one player to take hold of the race in the second half, or will it be a toss-up at season’s end? Jump into the comments section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Isaiah Thomas should be in the discussion, top 5 in PPG, excels in 4th quarter. Just dropped 52 vs Heat and 44 vs Memphis. Overall though, this is Westbrook’s award hands down
Honestly if you put IT in the discussion you should put Kemba Walker in too
Westbrook is doing the most with the least.
Lebron is the MVP. He has been the MVP for the last decade but we keep finding reasons to give it to someone else because of what they do in the regular season.
Probably because that’s how it is supposed to work. The MVP award is literally supposed to be for the regular season only, that’s why there is a separate one for the playoffs.
Okay let’s look at the last couple times a regular season MVP has played Lebron. 2011 Derek Rose won the MVP then got obliterated in the conference finals by Lebron. 2014 KD won, KD’s all time record against Lebron is 4-18. Then steph has one the last two years. He wasnt even the MVP in the finals when Lebron was minus Kyrie and Kevin love. Iggy came of the bench and stop the bleeding in and four and won the MVP for the finals. Then last year Steph was the first unanimous MVP on the greatest regular season team of all time. He and his team then preceded to be the only team in NBA history to blow a 3-1 finals against Lebron, who by the way lead the finals in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Oh and by the way curry played terribly down the stretch of the finals last season and he wasn’t particularly good in the finals before that. It’s a joke there is even a regular season MVP because what a player or team does in the regular season doesn’t matter once they reach the playoffs. Lebron has been to six straight finals and been the best player on the court in all of them regardless of his team won or lost. So it’s ridiculous to even insinuate that anybody else is the MVP.
The season MVP award is used to determine the most valuable player during the nba regular season.
Lebron for sure is at his best in the Playoffs and does spectacular things. Nevertheless it was 100 percent correct to hand the MVP award to Steph last season as he clearly was the best player of the regular season.
By the way: Lebron has chocked against the Mavs and Dirk in the Finals while playing on the far more talented (Wade, Bosh) team. For sure Lebron already is one of the best to ever play the game. This year my vote until now goes to either “the beard” or “westbrook”, because they are going to get their teams to the playoffs with a less talented squad and are averaging spectacular stat lines (except turnovers)
So Westbrook and harden are going to get there teams into the playoffs. I get that but where exactly are those teams going in the playoffs. The 2nd round maybe because the Spurs and warriors are going to be in the western conference finals. I’ll take the guy that is going to give me a shot to win the chip. For the last six years Lebron has done that. Lebron left Cleveland and they from no 1 seed in the east with 60 wins to 19 wins and having 3/4 no 1 picks in the years he was gone. He lead the heat to 4 straight finals. When he left the heat they went from 4 straight finals appearances missing the playoffs the next season and what looks like a top 10 pick this year. He returns to the cavs and takes them from a 30 win team to the finals and would have won if Kyrie and Love were healthy. Finally last year he beat a 73-9 team with the first ever unanimous MVP. I don’t understand how the MVP can be anybody else.
No arguing that.
It’s a regular season award. lol
DarkGhost c’mon man
It’s Westbrook if he finishes with a Triple-Double. Otherwise, it’s Harden’s turn this year. Lebron would be 3rd.
Jan. 3 – My top 10
10. D.Cousins
9. J.Butler
8. K.Lowry
7. L.James
6. J.Butler
5. C.Paul
4. K.Durant
3. G.Antetokounmpo
2. Harden
1. Westbrook
LeBron is down at 7 because Cleveland’s success has been largely been a 3-way story. James is their best player, but Love and Kyrie have been huge. Similar thing going on with Golden State (I have Durant #4 and Curry #11)
whoops K.Leonard should be #9. Butler jumped to number 6 after last night’s explosion
If your going to knock Lebron down for having Klove and Kyrie, how do you put Durant up there when his success is tied to a 4 player story?
Harden should win it. he’s playing good basketball for the first time in his life, he has great numbers and Rockets win and win big. Westbrook has great stat line but for some reason everytime am trying to watch a Thunder’s game my brain hurts. seriously they make me take pain killers… and a quiz for you, i challenge you to tell me the last time Westbrook play some defense (not a time he make a steal but a time he play a defense, just a pure old time defense), thats difficult i know
Will he is a much better defender than harden. Are you serious saying Westbrook can’t play defense?