2016-17 MVP Discussion Thread

[Roddy B for 3]

Pretty much the Westbrook triple double is a big sham. This guy just sags off of his man, do not play defense, and completely just goes for defensive rebounds to get his rebound total up. Because everyone is praising his feat of triple double, he will continue to play selfish basketball to get his stats.

I saw a stat yesterday saying they are 26-2 in Westbrook's triple double games the past two years.

[bondom34]

http://fansided.com/2016/12/06/russell-westbrook-triple-doubles-unprecedented/

While his teammates may be helping Westbrook pad his rebounding totals with uncontested defensive boards, it’s a strategy that actually helps their transition game. The Thunder superstar is doing everything in his power to help his team win, and it’s working. It just so happens that Westbrook’s greatest basketball skills happen to be ones measured by the game’s most popular counting stats. Westbrook scores, creates for teammates and rebounds; this is what he does. It always has been. His go-to move is to attack the basket; when presented with a chance to score, he takes it. When denied, he dishes to the open teammate and prepares to snag the rebound if he misses. He’s proven by now this is a winning formula; the gaudy individual numbers are just a happy byproduct.

As for the rebounds, it’s not like Westbrook is stealing them from teammates for the sake of himself. The whole Thunder team is better when he’s around; Oklahoma City snags 53.8 percent of all available rebounds when Westbrook is on the floor and 47.6 when he’s off, per NBA.com, a pretty sizable difference. These aren’t just empty boards, either — with his court vision and aggressiveness, Westbrook has an uncanny knack for turning rebounds directly into scoring opportunities. He does this frequently on the offensive end, even when careening in from 20 feet away:

http://giphy.com/gifs/12tTU57Uchv57y?utm_source=iframe&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=tag_click

[bondom34]

^^^

That "stat padding" idea needs to stop. Not sure who started it but its flatly incorrect and has been proven so.

[bondom34]

Pretty much the Westbrook triple double is a big sham. This guy just sags off of his man, do not play defense, and completely just goes for defensive rebounds to get his rebound total up. Because everyone is praising his feat of triple double, he will continue to play selfish basketball to get his stats.

I saw a stat yesterday saying they are 26-2 in Westbrook's triple double games the past two years.

And they're 5-6 this year when he doesn't. Man that's just a bad argument (not you the other guy).

[Mr. E]

I am not a fan of Scotch, but oh, it will taste so sweet when my Thunder buddy has to pay me that bottle after Westbrook takes the MVP title.

Moral of the story - don't make bets in fits of emotion. I'm holding that over this dude with the most cruelty possible!

And again, if Harden wins, I win. If Westbrook wins, I win. If someone else wins, I win (because I made him cheer against his own dude in some way).

Being the Devil is awesome!

[inquisitive]

Pretty much the Westbrook triple double is a big sham. This guy just sags off of his man, do not play defense, and completely just goes for defensive rebounds to get his rebound total up. Because everyone is praising his feat of triple double, he will continue to play selfish basketball to get his stats.

If they win 50 games and he ends up with triple D avg...he certainly is deserving of the award.

[10DayContract]

^^^

That "stat padding" idea needs to stop. Not sure who started it but its flatly incorrect and has been proven so.

Why do you care so much about this? I'm no expert on what Westbrook is thinking, but what if he IS stat padding and winning? What if doing both for him is possible? And what if many don't see a problem with that?

I would like him to continue to do whatever possible to get triple doubles. We have entire websites dedicated to statistics, there's nothing wrong with trying to get triple doubles. You think guys don't want to get their stats? Do you think Michael Jordan didn't want to win scoring titles?

[bondom34]

^^^

That "stat padding" idea needs to stop. Not sure who started it but its flatly incorrect and has been proven so.

Why do you care so much about this? I'm not expert on what Westbrook is thinking, but what if he IS stat padding and winning? What if doing both for him is possible? And what if many don't see a problem with that?

I would like him to continue to do whatever possible to get triple doubles. We have entire websites dedicated to statistics, there's nothing wrong with trying to get triple doubles. You think guys don't want to get their stats? Do you think Michael Jordan didn't want to win scoring titles?

Because stat padding is not something good? It is chasing individual accomplishment over the importance of team, which he isn't doing? Everyone wants to get stats but "stat padding" isn't that.

Why do people want to tear him down by calling him a stat padder is the better question when its clear he's not and there's such a drastic drop without him? Because doing that makes zero sense to me.

[bondom34]

^^^

That "stat padding" idea needs to stop. Not sure who started it but its flatly incorrect and has been proven so.

Why do you care so much about this? I'm not expert on what Westbrook is thinking, but what if he IS stat padding and winning? What if doing both for him is possible? And what if many don't see a problem with that?

I would like him to continue to do whatever possible to get triple doubles. We have entire websites dedicated to statistics, there's nothing wrong with trying to get triple doubles. You think guys don't want to get their stats? Do you think Michael Jordan didn't want to win scoring titles?

Because stat padding is not something good? It is chasing individual accomplishment over the importance of team, which he isn't doing? Everyone wants to get stats but "stat padding" isn't that.

Why do people want to tear him down by calling him a stat padder is the better question when its clear he's not and there's such a drastic drop without him? Because doing that makes zero sense to me.

[10DayContract]

^^^

That "stat padding" idea needs to stop. Not sure who started it but its flatly incorrect and has been proven so.

Why do you care so much about this? I'm not expert on what Westbrook is thinking, but what if he IS stat padding and winning? What if doing both for him is possible? And what if many don't see a problem with that?

I would like him to continue to do whatever possible to get triple doubles. We have entire websites dedicated to statistics, there's nothing wrong with trying to get triple doubles. You think guys don't want to get their stats? Do you think Michael Jordan didn't want to win scoring titles?

Because stat padding is not something good? It is chasing individual accomplishment over the importance of team, which he isn't doing? Everyone wants to get stats but "stat padding" isn't that.

Why do people want to tear him down by calling him a stat padder is the better question when its clear he's not and there's such a drastic drop without him? Because doing that makes zero sense to me.

This is the point I'm trying to make. What if I'm not tearing him down? What if I'm just acknowledging that I think that he is actually trying to get a triple double? Who am I to bad mouth a man that's the best at something? If he wants triple doubles, I say go get them. I'm not tearing him down, I'm giving him props.

[bondom34]

Why do you care so much about this? I'm not expert on what Westbrook is thinking, but what if he IS stat padding and winning? What if doing both for him is possible? And what if many don't see a problem with that?

I would like him to continue to do whatever possible to get triple doubles. We have entire websites dedicated to statistics, there's nothing wrong with trying to get triple doubles. You think guys don't want to get their stats? Do you think Michael Jordan didn't want to win scoring titles?

Because stat padding is not something good? It is chasing individual accomplishment over the importance of team, which he isn't doing? Everyone wants to get stats but "stat padding" isn't that.

Why do people want to tear him down by calling him a stat padder is the better question when its clear he's not and there's such a drastic drop without him? Because doing that makes zero sense to me.

This is the point I'm trying to make. What if I'm not tearing him down? What if I'm just acknowledging that I think that he is actually trying to get a triple double? Who am I to bad mouth a man that's the best at something? If he wants triple doubles, I say go get them. I'm not tearing him down, I'm giving him props.

I mean, sure? I'd say Harden is trying to score points too. The difference is the stat padding term. Everyone "tries" to get a triple double.

[Larry David]

Cant decide between KD and Lebron but they are 1 & 2

followed by Westbrook then Harden then Curry thus far in my view

[Young_Star11]

Houston at OKC on Friday

Rockets will want to avenge a horror finish to their first meeting, when they went scoreless for almost the entire final six minutes of the game to let a win slip.

[bondom34]

Houston at OKC on Friday

Rockets will want to avenge a horror finish to their first meeting, when they went scoreless for almost the entire final six minutes of the game to let a win slip.

Good luck man, they're always fun games.

[Triples333]

Reality check: OKC's living that cupcake life right now. But the month of January is coming, and that is not looking like a pretty sight for Westbrook and the Thunder (Take a peek. I'd enjoy the home games now my OKC dudes, because you have 15 games in Jan and 12 are on the road; @MIL/@CHA/@UTH/@LAC/@GSW/@SAS/@CLE to name a few. I see a 0% chance they walk out with a winning record that month).

At that point, we will be going into the All Star Break and the MVP talk will be ramping up with the talking heads. That's when Harden begins to own the narrative, I virtually guarantee it. Westbrook will also probably fall slightly short of the 3x2 as the road trips wear on him (truly hopefully he doesn't get injured which I gotta be honest seems tough to imagine he won't at this pace), the Thunder will be a 6/7/8 seed and Harden will likely win the MVP as a 4/5 seed. Book it.

[AussieBuck]

How many more wins than OKC do the Bucks need for Giannis to take the MVP? Five enough?

[Impuniti]

CP3 & Griffin had a good run for this conversation.

[Gil]

Lol, at the CP3 hype lasting 5 minutes.

MVP is between Harden & Russ.

LeBron is doing nothing special this season & KD automatically disqualified himself with his B**** move this summer. Not sure why their fanboys keep posting their names on here.

[mihail_petkov]

LeBron is coasting too much and his advanced stats are not very good (for his level).
Clippers will finish with at least 10 wins less than Warriors so I don't see a chance for Chris Paul.
Leonard is playing for a good team with good record but his defensive impact is worse then latest two years. Also his numbers are not so impressive.

There are 3-4 candidates - Harden, Westbrook, Durant and maybe Curry.

If Warriors win 70, one of Curry and Durant will win the MVP.
If they win less than 70, it's between Harden and Westbrook and who is having a better record.
Dark horse - Leonard.

[The-Power]

There are 3-4 candidates - Harden, Westbrook, Durant and maybe Curry.

Kawhi?