NBA MVP Discussion 20/21 (Fresh poll ➥ Vote)

[mademan]

Giannis is at the very least in the 2 spot gunning for the #1. This is a REGULAR SEASON award folks.

Yeah but historical context looms large when it comes to Giannis. Only twice in NBA history has there been a 3x in a row award winner and I think the media will be hesitant to have Giannis do something that some of the league's greatest players never achieved especially since he doesn't have a Finals appearance yet. I think they're also afraid of what happens if they give Giannis the award again and the Bucks don't reach the Finals again. The award and voters would face unprecedented scrutiny.

That’s the dumbest reasoning there is since it’s a regular season award. Plus Giannis was 24-25 those seasons he won and the great Michael Jordan wasn’t to the finals at that age or even at 26 which Giannis just turned in December. If Giannis keeps up this shooting 75 plus from free throw line that’s all I care about everything else will fall in place including mvp and playoff success.

Narrative is obviously a part of MVP consideration. You can hate it, but it's always been there, and Giannis would need to do something absolutely ridiculous to get that 3rd MVP. Statistically playing worse than last year on a worse team isnt gonna be it

[Packbuckman]

Yeah but historical context looms large when it comes to Giannis. Only twice in NBA history has there been a 3x in a row award winner and I think the media will be hesitant to have Giannis do something that some of the league's greatest players never achieved especially since he doesn't have a Finals appearance yet. I think they're also afraid of what happens if they give Giannis the award again and the Bucks don't reach the Finals again. The award and voters would face unprecedented scrutiny.

That’s the dumbest reasoning there is since it’s a regular season award. Plus Giannis was 24-25 those seasons he won and the great Michael Jordan wasn’t to the finals at that age or even at 26 which Giannis just turned in December. If Giannis keeps up this shooting 75 plus from free throw line that’s all I care about everything else will fall in place including mvp and playoff success.

Narrative is obviously a part of MVP consideration. You can hate it, but it's always been there, and Giannis would need to do something absolutely ridiculous to get that 3rd MVP. Statistically playing worse than last year on a worse team isnt gonna be it

We are not as deep as a team but also without our 2nd or 3rd best player depends how you rank Middleton and Jrue for 3 weeks. With Holiday playing like he did before he went out for health protocols we were playing very well.
Now Giannis stats are creeping closer to what he averaged last year. So what if we get the top seed again and Giannis averages 30-14-6 plus shooting 75% from the line.

[Jurassic_Park]

That’s the dumbest reasoning there is since it’s a regular season award. Plus Giannis was 24-25 those seasons he won and the great Michael Jordan wasn’t to the finals at that age or even at 26 which Giannis just turned in December. If Giannis keeps up this shooting 75 plus from free throw line that’s all I care about everything else will fall in place including mvp and playoff success.

Narrative is obviously a part of MVP consideration. You can hate it, but it's always been there, and Giannis would need to do something absolutely ridiculous to get that 3rd MVP. Statistically playing worse than last year on a worse team isnt gonna be it

We are not as deep as a team but also without our 2nd or 3rd best player depends how you rank Middleton and Jrue for 3 weeks. With Holiday playing like he did before he went out for health protocols we were playing very well.
Now Giannis stats are creeping closer to what he averaged last year. So what if we get the top seed again and Giannis averages 30-14-6 plus shooting 75% from the line.

Unless Giannis is able to walk on water, he is not winning the mvp this year. Its just not happening.

[Blaze94]

hi

Didn't Giannis recently come off a 5 game losing streak? At full strength?

.. and the tool in your avi is on a 4 gamer right now, your point?

I mean that is my point... LeBron on a 4 game L streak and Giannis was just on one, but "that tool" is salty Giannis isn't on the list and LeBron is. Hurrr durrrr.

Didn't Giannis recently come off a 5 game losing streak? At full strength?

Hell no Jrue has been out 3 weeks and is still out.

Fair enough! Seems pretty comparable then.

are you lebrons sidepiece? lebum has been garbage shooting..Giannis is playing way better than him..lebum should be out the top 5 at this point..AD carries his ass

[MindState]

The two MVP point guards of the west face off tonight. Whoever wins tonight is going to move up the ladder.

Lakers cant win without their MVP, they were 5-1 with Schroeder.
Dame has been winning without his 2nd and 3rd options all year. Going to be must see TV.

[SeniorWalker]

James Harden will be in the discussion by the end of the week as a serious contender for MVP if he continues putting up the numbers he's been doing.


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By the typical standards of MVP, neither Harden or Giannis have a shot at wining this year. They just won't win, no matter what they do. The narrative aspect is just massively against them. Its not 'fair' but since its historically a big part of the equation, it is fair.
(Tbh Harden impresses me the most this year and I've been a Harden hater forever. He looks fantastic right now.)

It'll be between Embiid, Jokic, LeBron, Lillard, Curry, and Kawhi likely. There's no clear frontrunner, everyone is struggling atm in some factor.

As long as there is no clear separation the media will try as hard as they can to gift it to LeBron. Unfortunately he has the "I'm old and chasing MJ, so gimme it" narrative on his side.

I do think Embiid will likely win it if the sixers can stay in 1st, but there is some doubt as to whether or not they can maintain.

[JoeyLightYears]

Some of you seem to have no idea how the MVP is awarded. Jokic, Lillard, and Curry have no chance if their teams stay mediocre. LeBron, Kawhi, and Embiid are the favorites if their teams stay around where they are. I doubt any of the Nets players has a chance since it's not even clear who the MVP of the team is.

[Openheimer]

Some of you seem to have no idea how the MVP is awarded. Jokic, Lillard, and Curry have no chance if their teams stay mediocre. LeBron, Kawhi, and Embiid are the favorites if their teams stay around where they are. I doubt any of the Nets players has a chance since it's not even clear who the MVP of the team is.

Didn’t Lebron win MVP with a prime Wade and Bosch right?. Harden is doing all this WITHOUT KD.

[JoeyLightYears]

Some of you seem to have no idea how the MVP is awarded. Jokic, Lillard, and Curry have no chance if their teams stay mediocre. LeBron, Kawhi, and Embiid are the favorites if their teams stay around where they are. I doubt any of the Nets players has a chance since it's not even clear who the MVP of the team is.

Didn’t Lebron win MVP with a prime Wade and Bosch right?

Neither was in their prime (Bosh averaged 17ish ppg those two seasons for ex) and LeBron was far and away the best player on the team and in the league those two years. It's not the same situation in NJ. Heck, Harden has already sat out over 1/3rd of the season.

[mademan]

Some of you seem to have no idea how the MVP is awarded. Jokic, Lillard, and Curry have no chance if their teams stay mediocre. LeBron, Kawhi, and Embiid are the favorites if their teams stay around where they are. I doubt any of the Nets players has a chance since it's not even clear who the MVP of the team is.

Didn’t Lebron win MVP with a prime Wade and Bosch right?. Harden is doing all this WITHOUT KD.

It was pretty clear Lebron was the best player on that team. When kd plays, you don’t know who the best on the nets is

[Openheimer]

Some of you seem to have no idea how the MVP is awarded. Jokic, Lillard, and Curry have no chance if their teams stay mediocre. LeBron, Kawhi, and Embiid are the favorites if their teams stay around where they are. I doubt any of the Nets players has a chance since it's not even clear who the MVP of the team is.

Didn’t Lebron win MVP with a prime Wade and Bosch right?. Harden is doing all this WITHOUT KD.

It was pretty clear Lebron was the best player on that team. When kd plays, you don’t know who the best on the nets is

We know who the most important piece is. Harden is the guy who runs the show

[Openheimer]

Some of you seem to have no idea how the MVP is awarded. Jokic, Lillard, and Curry have no chance if their teams stay mediocre. LeBron, Kawhi, and Embiid are the favorites if their teams stay around where they are. I doubt any of the Nets players has a chance since it's not even clear who the MVP of the team is.

Didn’t Lebron win MVP with a prime Wade and Bosch right?

Neither was in their prime (Bosh averaged 17ish ppg those two seasons for ex) and LeBron was far and away the best player on the team and in the league those two years. It's not the same situation in NJ. Heck, Harden has already sat out over 1/3rd of the season.

What? Harden has missed like one game as a net

[JoeyLightYears]

Didn’t Lebron win MVP with a prime Wade and Bosch right?

Neither was in their prime (Bosh averaged 17ish ppg those two seasons for ex) and LeBron was far and away the best player on the team and in the league those two years. It's not the same situation in NJ. Heck, Harden has already sat out over 1/3rd of the season.

What? Harden has missed like one game as a net

Yes but the MVP is for the entire season. If he ends up playing 3/4 of the games that's not gonna cut it. Especially considering that his numbers aren't blowing away the league (like LeBron did most seasons) nor is his team even the best in the league. He really has no argument. Best player, maybe. But that's not what the MVP is.

Giannis technically should have a chance if the Bucks get to #1 but as others have noted there is a narrative factor and a 3x MVP that most don't consider the best player in the league probably rules him out.

[scrabbarista]

Since the Nets got Harden, Joe Harris has a .730 TS% on 15.4 ppg with just one FTA per game over 21 games.

I don't think I have Harden in my top five quite yet, but that's at least a small point in his favor.

Before that, Harris was at 14.5 ppg on a measly .655 TS%. (Great, I know, but still a huge jump with Harden.)

[Openheimer]

Neither was in their prime (Bosh averaged 17ish ppg those two seasons for ex) and LeBron was far and away the best player on the team and in the league those two years. It's not the same situation in NJ. Heck, Harden has already sat out over 1/3rd of the season.

What? Harden has missed like one game as a net

Yes but the MVP is for the entire season. If he ends up playing 3/4 of the games that's not gonna cut it. Especially considering that his numbers aren't blowing away the league (like LeBron did most seasons) nor is his team even the best in the league. He really has no argument. Best player, maybe. But that's not what the MVP is.

Giannis technically should have a chance if the Bucks get to #1 but as others have noted there is a narrative factor and a 3x MVP that most don't consider the best player in the league probably rules him out.

his team is playing better anyone currently in the nba.The Nets have won 8 straight including three straight wins over the Suns ( without KD or Kyrie) Lakers and the Clippers all on the road. Harden is the one running the show of the currently best offense and yes probably the best team in the NBA without KD! What are you talking about?

He has elevated the Nets offense and players to a higher level of efficiency since his arrival. They have gone 16-6 since the trade and every statistical category shows he has improved them. Common dude

[JoeyLightYears]

his team is playing better anyone currently in the nba.The Nets have won 8 straight including three straight wins over the Suns ( with KD or Kyrie) Lakers and the Clippers all on the road. Harden is the one running the show of the currently best offense and yes probably the best team in the NBA without KD! What are you talking about?

The MVP is based on the entire season. Also, the MVP is defined as the not the best player in the NBA (or else LeBron and MJ would both have several more).

You should write this over and over until you comprehend it.

It is not based on how a player does for a few weeks, or only on the team he was traded to. It will go to a player on one the top two or three teams in the league, and that player must have played the majority of the season and be clearly the best player on his team. Harden will most likely fail in several of these criteria, especially when Durant returns. I get that you are a fan of his but it is simply not going to happen.

[Openheimer]

his team is playing better anyone currently in the nba.The Nets have won 8 straight including three straight wins over the Suns ( with KD or Kyrie) Lakers and the Clippers all on the road. Harden is the one running the show of the currently best offense and yes probably the best team in the NBA without KD! What are you talking about?

The MVP is based on the entire season.

You should write this over and over until you comprehend it.

It is not based on how a player does for a few weeks, or only on the team he was traded to. It will go to a player on one the top two or three teams in the league, and that player must have played the majority of the season and be clearly the best player on his team. Harden will most likely fail in several of these criteria, especially when Durant returns. I get that you are a fan of his but it is simply not going to happen.

Harden has played more then enough to qualify

[JoeyLightYears]

Harden has played more then enough to qualify

He has played a little over half of the possible games. And he's not even the clear cut best player on the team, and when Durant returns that will only get solidified more.

Anyway, believe what you want. You can get +1800 odds on him if you want to throw away your money.

[Big J]

All of the Harden MVP cases in the world aren't going to wipe away what happened in Houston, and voters will be looking at that.

[mademan]

Didn’t Lebron win MVP with a prime Wade and Bosch right?. Harden is doing all this WITHOUT KD.

It was pretty clear Lebron was the best player on that team. When kd plays, you don’t know who the best on the nets is

We know who the most important piece is. Harden is the guy who runs the show

Nets have played 30 some odd games. Hardens been the most important for what, 10 of them?