Throughout his career there were a few seasons in which many believed Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant deserved to win the NBA MVP Award but lost out. Over the last couple of seasons that same sentiment has applied to Houston Rockets guard James Harden.
Harden finished second in 2015 to Stephen Curry, and then once again last season to Russell Westbrook despite having some of the same arguments that many used against him when debating the Curry race two years prior. It now looks as if it is finally his year, and Bryant agrees wholeheartedly.
In an interview with Sam Amick of USA Today, Bryant argued why Harden absolutely deserves to be named MVP this season:
“It’s got to be James,” Bryant said. “I really don’t understand the debate about picking somebody else. I don’t get it. Like, what the hell does this guy have to do? I mean for the last three years, the guy has been absolutely lights out, and now you still want to sit here and debate who should be MVP when he leads the league in scoring (30.4 points per game), his assists numbers (8.8 per) are off the charts, they have the best record in the league (65-16).
“If he doesn’t win MVP this year, what the hell is he supposed to do to win MVP, average 40 (points), 15 (assists) and 15 (rebounds)? I mean, come on now. Enough is enough.”
Harden has been the MVP favorite for the majority of this season, and with the Rockets pulling away from the Golden State Warriors for the NBA’s best record, the award is all but sealed.
Harden’s closest competition will likely come from Cleveland’s LeBron James, who has put up historic numbers in his 15th year, and New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, who has taken his game to yet another level in the wake of DeMarcus Cousins’ season-ending injury.
Nonetheless, it would come as a complete surprise if anyone other than Harden walked away with the award.
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