This has been one of the best MVP races in recent memories, and both James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo have had monster season, each good enough to win the MVP in most other seasons. So who is your pick to win the MVP?
Giannis: 28/12/6 on 58/25/73 shooting. 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. 3.7 turnovers per game. ORtg of 121 and a DRtg of 99. 72 games played, 2,358 minutes played. Team finished: 60-22, 1st in East.
Harden: 36/6/7 on 44/36/88 shooing. 2 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. 5 turnovers per game. ORtg of 118 and a DRtg of 108. 78 games played, 2,867 minutes played. Team finished: 53-29, 4th in West.
A lot of balls in the air. Harden had a truly special scoring season and has mastered the modern style of offense, averaging 13 3FGA and 11 FTA per game. Harden and Giannis both average 10 FGM per game, but Harden averages almost 10 more ppg because of his utilization of three point field goals and his superiority at both getting to line, and shooting from the line. He also handles the ball more on offense than Giannis and runs the offense, freeing up shooters and making the careers for guys like PJ Tucker, Austin Rivers and Gerald Green. His laughably bad defense has improved to the degree of being passable, and he has been able to force some turnovers while being hidden on defense.
Giannis has mastered the traditional style of offense, 57 percent of his shots come within 3 feet of the basket, and he is shooting 77 percent from that distance. His rebounding has been outstanding, giving him a definitive major edge over Harden. He isn't quite the passer that Harden is, but 6 apg for a wing player is nothing to sneeze at. He also is one of the best defensive players in the league and is a total force on that end of the floor. While some people question his lack of outside shooting, it hasn't hindered him or his team at all during the regular season.
An argument for Giannis is that his team was superior, won 60 games and is the one seed in the East. Harden put up bigger counting stats, but Giannis didn't have to do that because his team was healthier and deeper. Do you penalize Giannis for having better teammates? At the end of the day, he did everything he needed to do for his team to finish first.
The flip side of that is can you penalize Harden for having worse teammates, or being less healthy? I think it is fair to say that if Harden was on the Bucks this season, he would have put up smaller counting numbers but his team could have won 60 games (the inverse can probably be said for Giannis on the Rockets). Harden did everything he possibly could to get that team to 53-29, can you penalize him for Houston having injuries?
I think at the end of the day, I'm going with Harden by a slight margin. Giannis had a better all-around season and is the superior two-way player, but Harden's scoring season, mixed in with his playmaking and the burden he carried for Houston when Paul and Capela were injured is the most memorable aspect of the regular season. If there is a tiebreaker, the fact that Harden played six more games and 500 more minutes gives him the slightest of edges.
Giannis: 28/12/6 on 58/25/73 shooting. 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. 3.7 turnovers per game. ORtg of 121 and a DRtg of 99. 72 games played, 2,358 minutes played. Team finished: 60-22, 1st in East.
Harden: 36/6/7 on 44/36/88 shooing. 2 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. 5 turnovers per game. ORtg of 118 and a DRtg of 108. 78 games played, 2,867 minutes played. Team finished: 53-29, 4th in West.
A lot of balls in the air. Harden had a truly special scoring season and has mastered the modern style of offense, averaging 13 3FGA and 11 FTA per game. Harden and Giannis both average 10 FGM per game, but Harden averages almost 10 more ppg because of his utilization of three point field goals and his superiority at both getting to line, and shooting from the line. He also handles the ball more on offense than Giannis and runs the offense, freeing up shooters and making the careers for guys like PJ Tucker, Austin Rivers and Gerald Green. His laughably bad defense has improved to the degree of being passable, and he has been able to force some turnovers while being hidden on defense.
Giannis has mastered the traditional style of offense, 57 percent of his shots come within 3 feet of the basket, and he is shooting 77 percent from that distance. His rebounding has been outstanding, giving him a definitive major edge over Harden. He isn't quite the passer that Harden is, but 6 apg for a wing player is nothing to sneeze at. He also is one of the best defensive players in the league and is a total force on that end of the floor. While some people question his lack of outside shooting, it hasn't hindered him or his team at all during the regular season.
An argument for Giannis is that his team was superior, won 60 games and is the one seed in the East. Harden put up bigger counting stats, but Giannis didn't have to do that because his team was healthier and deeper. Do you penalize Giannis for having better teammates? At the end of the day, he did everything he needed to do for his team to finish first.
The flip side of that is can you penalize Harden for having worse teammates, or being less healthy? I think it is fair to say that if Harden was on the Bucks this season, he would have put up smaller counting numbers but his team could have won 60 games (the inverse can probably be said for Giannis on the Rockets). Harden did everything he possibly could to get that team to 53-29, can you penalize him for Houston having injuries?
I think at the end of the day, I'm going with Harden by a slight margin. Giannis had a better all-around season and is the superior two-way player, but Harden's scoring season, mixed in with his playmaking and the burden he carried for Houston when Paul and Capela were injured is the most memorable aspect of the regular season. If there is a tiebreaker, the fact that Harden played six more games and 500 more minutes gives him the slightest of edges.