RealGM

Pt I:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1604471&start=2020#start_here

Harden

James

I think it's neck and neck at this point. Chris Paul is making an argument too, thereby hurting Harden's case.

MisterHibachi wrote:I think it's neck and neck at this point. Chris Paul is making an argument too, thereby hurting Harden's case.

its not actually... every online vegas sportsbook has harden as the current favorite, as he should be with 4 less L's.

1. Harden
2. James.

doesn't matter after this.

MisterHibachi wrote:I think it's neck and neck at this point. Chris Paul is making an argument too, thereby hurting Harden's case.

If that's the case then shouldn't Kevin Love be hurting LeBron's chances?

King

I'd say

Harden
James
Durant
Irving
Antetokounmpo

would be my top 5. Really Harden & James are 1a & 1b. & there's a drop off.

jg77 wrote:

MisterHibachi wrote:I think it's neck and neck at this point. Chris Paul is making an argument too, thereby hurting Harden's case.

If that's the case then shouldn't Kevin Love be hurting LeBron's chances?

Why, has Kevin Love been out playing LeBron and making a case for MVP?

James has been great.

Harden has been great.

With Harden finishing runner-up 2x in the last 3 years I wouldn't be surprised to see the media give it to him.

I know that shouldn't be a consideration but the voters are human and you would think they would think about Harden's near misses and if him and James are that close they would give him the deserved break.

HotTubMike wrote:James has been great.

Harden has been great.

With Harden finishing runner-up 2x in the last 3 years I wouldn't be surprised to see the media give it to him.

I know that shouldn't be a consideration but the voters are human and you would think they would think about Harden's near misses and if him and James are that close they would give him the deserved break.

This is a pretty good point, and though I personally have LeBron edging James Harden by a bit, this is one of those races where (if it ended today), I don't think anybody could be upset at the results. Both of these guys are playing some of the best basketball we've ever seen.

James Harden if I had to cast my vote in today.

LBJ

James Hardon

there isn't a narrative catcher yet this year. Like Westbrook averaging a triple double dominated the media all season so you knew he was getting MVP.

the MVP is not awarded to the league's best player. It is awarded to the player the media votes as MVP. and that is the one who captures the imagination of the people spinning the stories that come out of professional bball.

Harden's story so far is that he's continued to improve his game after being 2nd on the podium twice in the last 3 years. And Houston's offense is a ridiculous thing we've never seen before. Harden's in the driver's seat just like Nash used to be. He's the best player on, right now, the league's best team.

Lebron story is essentially still being King into his mid 30s. His legacy as the league's as the league's clear cut best player of his generation deserves to be peppered with MVPs.

People love Kyrie's story. The guy who left Lebron and immediately became the most marketable player on a much improved Boston machine. but numbers wise, he's really not in the conversation for anything besides getting some 4th or 5th place votes.

People got hype about Giannis' takeover as a never before seen combination of center length and point guard speed. But with the Bucks being a little meh, the enthusiasm is tempered.

Durant could get back into this if Curry is kept out for a longer period of time than expected. Being already the league's deadliest scorer and now becoming a center level rim protector is pretty cool.

That's probably it for the guys most often mentioned, but if a specific team goes on a a huge run in the second half of the season, they could grab the story. I'm thinking Jimmy Butler or Towns, Westbrook or George, John Wall, Porzingis. That's about it. Guys like Kawhi and Isaiah will have missed too many games.

I think the rationale for Harden above LBJ at this point is team record - without that, I think he loses the argument. So to me it comes down to, can HOU maintain separation in the standings. If they don't, I think LBJ gets it.

If the level of play remains I think we'll finally see a Co-MVP.

They can't make Harden a bridesmaid yet again and the LeBron MVP in Year 15 is just too good of PR for the league to miss out on.

Lebron is getting his 5th MVP this season, it has been written.

jg77 wrote:

MisterHibachi wrote:I think it's neck and neck at this point. Chris Paul is making an argument too, thereby hurting Harden's case.

If that's the case then shouldn't Kevin Love be hurting LeBron's chances?

Love is complimenting James well but his impact is not on the same level as CP. CP allows the Houston offense to still run seamlessly as the floor general while Harden sits and he is truly our defensive leader (tactically, and emotionally), he is really irreplaceable.

Honestly at this point I hope CP 'hurts' Harden as much as possible. That means the duo of CP+Harden are performing well, and with that being translated to post season success, I couldn't care less if James wins the MVP over Harden, especially that James would be a worthy MVP anyway.

I don't know why Harden finishing second twice is even relevant. KD finished second to LeBron *three* times, yet no one was using that as an argument for him in 2014. It was just based on the merits of his play that he won.