2016-17 MVP Discussion Thread

[INKtastic]

Just saying in general, media switches their narrative against Harden however it suits 'em.

Just listening to the realgm MVP discussion released today. They pick Westbrook and then make an argument that sounds almost the opposite of the one the media used to argue in favor of Curry in '15.

The MVP award is so silly when you look at the historical results.

The way to choose your MVP is to set your (concrete, numerical) criteria before the season and vote for the guy who matches the criteria. Narrative-driven retrospective justification is a joke.

People who want a guy whose leading his team to 7th in the conference to be MVP shouldn't be taken all that seriously anyways.

Kareem once won MVP on a team that missed the playoffs.

[K_chile22]

Just listening to the realgm MVP discussion released today. They pick Westbrook and then make an argument that sounds almost the opposite of the one the media used to argue in favor of Curry in '15.

The MVP award is so silly when you look at the historical results.

The way to choose your MVP is to set your (concrete, numerical) criteria before the season and vote for the guy who matches the criteria. Narrative-driven retrospective justification is a joke.

People who want a guy whose leading his team to 7th in the conference to be MVP shouldn't be taken all that seriously anyways.

Kareem once won MVP on a team that missed the playoffs.

40 years ago on a team that won more games than 2 teams that made the playoffs, due to playoffs being decided by division not conference. Detroit and Milwaukee made it because the Midwest Division sucked

[K_chile22]

Just listening to the realgm MVP discussion released today. They pick Westbrook and then make an argument that sounds almost the opposite of the one the media used to argue in favor of Curry in '15.

The MVP award is so silly when you look at the historical results.

The way to choose your MVP is to set your (concrete, numerical) criteria before the season and vote for the guy who matches the criteria. Narrative-driven retrospective justification is a joke.

People who want a guy whose leading his team to 7th in the conference to be MVP shouldn't be taken all that seriously anyways.

Kareem once won MVP on a team that missed the playoffs.

40 years ago on a team that won more games than 2 teams that made the playoffs, due to playoffs being decided by division not conference. Detroit and Milwaukee made it because the Midwest Division sucked

[INKtastic]

People who want a guy whose leading his team to 7th in the conference to be MVP shouldn't be taken all that seriously anyways.

Kareem once won MVP on a team that missed the playoffs.

40 years ago on a team that won more games than 2 teams that made the playoffs, due to playoffs being decided by division not conference. Detroit and Milwaukee made it because the Midwest Division sucked

It was still on a sub .500 team

[red96]

Kareem once won MVP on a team that missed the playoffs.

40 years ago on a team that won more games than 2 teams that made the playoffs, due to playoffs being decided by division not conference. Detroit and Milwaukee made it because the Midwest Division sucked

It was still on a sub .500 team

That was a completely different NBA. The Nba just started to track steals, blocks, and offensive rebounds the year before. It was another 4 years until the 3pt shot was introduced. Much respect to the old greats, but that's not considered modern era basketball. Im sure the criteria for MVP has change. There's a reason why it's never been close to happening since.

[BallerTalk]

Prediction for seasons end -
Player A = 27/8/9 with 64 wins - no1 seed
Player B = 28/8/12 with 56 wins - no 3 or 4 seed
Player C = 31/10/10 with 46 wins - no 7 seed

Who wins it - I got A

A wise man once said statistics without context are worthless.
So let's add some context with their actual numbers and current winning %, plus a few pertinent details:

Player A = 26/8/8 with 63 wins - no 1 seed...playing along side 2 other All-Stars on a team predicted to win approx 57 gms.
Player B = 28/8/12 with 62 wins - no 2 or 3 seed...as the lone superstar directing a team that was predicted to win approx 41 gms.
Player C = 31/10/10 with 46 wins - no 7 seed...as the sole superstar carrying a team predicted to win approx 44 gms.

[red96]

Prediction for seasons end -
Player A = 27/8/9 with 64 wins - no1 seed
Player B = 28/8/12 with 56 wins - no 3 or 4 seed
Player C = 31/10/10 with 46 wins - no 7 seed

Who wins it - I got A

Let me guess.
A)KD
B)Harden
C)Westbrook

What do I win?!?!

[Michael Lucky]

Harden is currently the leader although i don't necessarily feel like he's playing better than Westbrook. Westbrook's offensive help and offensive system is just terrible. That team desperately needs some shooters to space the floor out. Lebron isn't in the discussion as far as i'm concern. Both Love and Irving are having great years. Same can be said for either Durant or Curry. Lebron's chances at winning an MVP are pretty much over. He's declining while Irivng is at the beginning of his prime. Wouldn't surprise me if Kyrie is a better player in two years.

[BallerTalk]

Prediction for seasons end -
Player A = 27/8/9 with 64 wins - no1 seed
Player B = 28/8/12 with 56 wins - no 3 or 4 seed
Player C = 31/10/10 with 46 wins - no 7 seed

Who wins it - I got A

Let me guess.
A)KD
B)Harden
C)Westbrook

What do I win?!?!

That's what I thought at first but the numbers actually match
Lebron
Harden
Westbrook

[MisterHibachi]

Lebron's chances at winning an MVP are pretty much over. He's declining while Irivng is at the beginning of his prime. Wouldn't surprise me if Kyrie is a better player in two years.

If you want to make it obvious you don't watch Cavs games, you can just say it out right.

[ThePersianFreak]

Harden is currently the leader although i don't necessarily feel like he's playing better than Westbrook. Westbrook's offensive help and offensive system is just terrible. That team desperately needs some shooters to space the floor out. Lebron isn't in the discussion as far as i'm concern. Both Love and Irving are having great years. Same can be said for either Durant or Curry. Lebron's chances at winning an MVP are pretty much over. He's declining while Irivng is at the beginning of his prime. Wouldn't surprise me if Kyrie is a better player in two years.

This is the most "I don't watch the Cavs" comment i've seen on realgm.

[Rastas]

Prediction for seasons end -
Player A = 27/8/9 with 64 wins - no1 seed
Player B = 28/8/12 with 56 wins - no 3 or 4 seed
Player C = 31/10/10 with 46 wins - no 7 seed

Who wins it - I got A

Let me guess.
A)KD
B)Harden
C)Westbrook

What do I win?!?!

Nope KD can be -

Player D - 26/8/5 with 67 wins and no 1 seed (but with a huge negative asterix)

[MaxRider]

Prediction for seasons end -
Player A = 27/8/9 with 64 wins - no1 seed
Player B = 28/8/12 with 56 wins - no 3 or 4 seed
Player C = 31/10/10 with 46 wins - no 7 seed

Who wins it - I got A

Let me guess.
A)KD
B)Harden
C)Westbrook

What do I win?!?!

That's what I thought at first but the numbers actually match
Lebron
Harden
Westbrook

Yeah, Player A is definitely not KD. KD plays with 3 all-star not 2

[Gibson22]

Can someone tell me a couple of good sites or blogs or something that write serious, trustworthy, entitled articles about the race to the mvp? Something like what the nba does with that kia race to the mvp ladder, but not about the mvps of the week, but week to week ranking evolution. Thanks. The bbref award tracker is good at mixing stats and team record but obviously has its limits, no way the ranking right now is 1) harden 2) kd 3)lbj 4)russ. No way.

[K_chile22]

Can someone tell me a couple of good sites or blogs or something that write serious, trustworthy, entitled articles about the race to the mvp? Something like what the nba does with that kia race to the mvp ladder, but not about the mvps of the week, but week to week ranking evolution. Thanks. The bbref award tracker is good at mixing stats and team record but obviously has its limits, no way the ranking right now is 1) harden 2) kd 3)lbj 4)russ. No way.

Bball reference has it like that because a 7th seed team having an MVP is unprecedented in the modern nba.

[nbafan38]

Harden in a landslide right now unless they collapse, NOBODY had the Rockets at 29-9.

[Gibson22]

Can someone tell me a couple of good sites or blogs or something that write serious, trustworthy, entitled articles about the race to the mvp? Something like what the nba does with that kia race to the mvp ladder, but not about the mvps of the week, but week to week ranking evolution. Thanks. The bbref award tracker is good at mixing stats and team record but obviously has its limits, no way the ranking right now is 1) harden 2) kd 3)lbj 4)russ. No way.

Bball reference has it like that because a 7th seed team having an MVP is unprecedented in the modern nba.

To me he's 3rd anyway (harden, lebron, him) but if the nba ended today I would not exclude that he'd upset the world winning it as a recognition of his historic 30+ points triple double avg.

[Goodfellaz]

Vegas Odds for MVP (as of today):
1. westbrook: 1.83x
2. Harden 2.25x

3. Lebron 9.00x
4. Kawhi 13.00x

I'd say they are more accurate than the columnists writing articles with their biases. When people were debating curry/harden, vegas odds had curry as a huge favourite the entire time (even though people on this board were convinced Harden had a good chance). Same thing with KD when he won, they had him as the favourite throughout the season.

Are they ever wrong? sure. But with hundreds of thousands of dollars being bet on this, I'd rely on their rankings a lot more than the random articles.

FWIW - I have harden as #1 right now, if i was deciding the MVP award.

[andrewww]

Vegas Odds for MVP (as of today):
1. westbrook: 1.83x
2. Harden 2.25x

3. Lebron 9.00x
4. Kawhi 13.00x

I'd say they are more accurate than the columnists writing articles with their biases. When people were debating curry/harden, vegas odds had curry as a huge favourite the entire time (even though people on this board were convinced Harden had a good chance). Same thing with KD when he won, they had him as the favourite throughout the season.

Are they ever wrong? sure. But with hundreds of thousands of dollars being bet on this, I'd rely on their rankings a lot more than the random articles.

FWIW - I have harden as #1 right now, if i was deciding the MVP award.

Which sportsbook are you looking at?

I agree that its between WB and Harden but with similar stats but a much better team record, its going to go to Harden. Of course circumstances can change throughout the season but its definitely trending towards Harden.

[Freighttrain]

If you'd swap james with harden which team would benefit the most?
If u'd swap james with westbrook which team would benefit the most?
who would be the most valuable of those 3?