If Rockets fall to #4 seed, does Harden still deserve MVP?

Nope. Harden and Westbrook should be guaranteed for 1st team all-NBA though.

I feel like Rockets will hold onto 3rd seed. Bigger problem is that Spurs will probably beat out the Warriors for the 1 seed and Kawhi will take home DPOY and MVP if that becomes a reality.

Even if Spurs stay #2 and Rockets stay #3... from what it looks like voters are going to be eager to give it to Westbrook. Harden hasn't been his first half self...

We had a good chance to beat out the Spurs for the #2 seed this season and screwed it up.

 

You're the idiot. He had a terrible season? The only other players to ever match those stats that Harden put up from last year were Lebron (Won MVP the year his did it), Havlicek (1st Team All-NBA the year he did it), Oscar Robertson (Made NBA first team the year he did) and Jordan (Made 1st team All NBA when he did).

Harden? Didn't even make all NBA 3rd. Get your head out of your ass, mate. Dreamshook made a valid point. Look how quick the narrative has changed to make Kawhi the favourite for MVP. First everyone was dickriding WB, now that he is 7th seed and most people can see his stat padding, they're changing the narrative to give it to Kawhi. Any excuse to give it to someone other than Harden, he doesn't get the media love, but people couldn't deny his historic season this year, so it's was "close" between Harden and WB.

Similar situation as 2015, Steph's game is awesome and super fun to watch and he was top seed, so they gave it to Curry (had the higher seed, but easier task and less impressive stats). The media were all over him that season.

Harden has put up multiple eye-boggling games this year, but only gets front page stuff if he puts up a 50 point triple-double.

There's so much recency Bias in the media in these awards that who knows what will happen, but it's clear that Harden is not a media darling, so you never know how these dumb voters might shaft Harden. They've done it repeatedly.

They just don't like Harden's game and/or Harden. He's barely top #10 in Jersey sales, despite being a top 5 player in the league for some time now, and arguably MVP this season.

Public perception and media perception of him are just not as strong as guys like Steph, Kawhi, WB and LeBron. Just go on reddit on /r/NBA - lots of love for Kawhi, WB and Lebron, barely any love for the beard.

 

How the **** justifies Harden missing ALL NBA FIRST TEAM? based on the Rockets dramatic turnaround and his stats all indicate him being all first nba team.. No one is talking about the MVP. We are talking about all 1ST NBA TEAM. Harden has that locked up and no amount of media hate can undo that. He is now considerd as the best point nba by majority of pundits.

 

Wearing the Beard is not very sexy and his style of play isn't too sexy - midrange, drawing fouls, 3s and assists.

The Euro step and step back jumper are the only moves I think are watchable for other fans.

 

The point of the post is yeah he should be a lock for All-NBA first team, but he should have also been a lock for an all-NBA team last year but didn't make any.

No he isn't many pundits keep playing up the narrative of Dantoni and Dantoni's system. Believe what you want, but people find a lot of ways to discredit Harden's game, while others gush over WB's.

The point is it doesn't justify him missing First team All-NBA, but it doesn't mean it can't happen based on how these awards, whenever it's a toss up, go against Harden.

So don't go around calling people Idiots, because of how certain you are of something. People were certain a particular person would be president and look how that turned out.

 

I would find it hard to believe Harden will not make NBA's first team from here as he has been the most productive Point Guard in the NBA thus far .

 

No, he doesn't. Because for the Rockets to fall to the 4th seed, they probably have to finish with a 53-29 record or worse. And while that does top preseason expectations for this ballclub, it ain't that great of a win total especially when compared to what the Spurs are on pace to finish with.

Looking at the schedule, I still think the Rockets can reach 56 wins without too much of a struggle if they don't have any serious injuries and actually show up mentally for all of their games. That should be enough for the 3rd seed, the 3rd or 4th best record in the NBA, and the same win total as 2015 when Harden came in 2nd in the MVP voting to Curry whose team was 67-15.

 

Let's see first how the Spurs and the Dubs finish this season.

 

That's the other factor in the MVP race. I think Westbrook may be out of it now with this recent 4-game losing streak(which could be even longer with the Spurs and Jazz on deck). And if the Spurs top the Warriors in the standings, that may give Kawhi a late push and put him over the top.

At this point, it comes down to winning games. The Thunder aren't doing it. The Rockets are losing as many as they're winning. And the Spurs have won 9 in a row. It's only natural that the media starts to gravitate towards Kawhi.

 

You are missing the option "Even if we remain 3rd seat will Harden be MVP?" I would say currently no.

 

He always has the players choice to fall back on.

 

Where's the choice "Don't care"?

 

He will not get MVP over Kawhi. I hope losing MVP will boosts his desire for the bigger trophy. He can still get the final MVP in my opinion

 

Russell Westbrook is straining with every ounce of his being to get the MVP. It's like the All Star games. He takes every shot, goes for every rebound. His teammates even know to get out of his way.

While Harden obviously wants it, too, But I think it's more taxing on him. Westbrook is like that Energizer bunny. Harden not so much.

The media can waste their time debating this, but unless the team quits with this mediocre bulls***, Harden will be in the conversation but not in the reality. And he won't win it, anyway. Even if Harden deserved to win MVP, the sports media and pundits branded him awhile ago and won't entirely walk back that little core of dislike they sometimes have for him.

 

absolutely not.

 

At some point you must give credit where it's due, i think if the Spurs finish first but maybe even second, Kawhi needs to be really considered the front runner.

A lot of people (myself included) were not sure at all about them being as good as always after Duncan retired but yeah, here we are, they're doing a terrific season, they have a great record (i think the best actually) against the best teams (of their 13 losses 7/8 are against trash teams when they often rested some of the main guys), and Kawhi is the main reason, he has not the same burden of James on offense, but as we saw two days ago he does win games by himself for them, he's super efficient, and he plays hard on both ends every night, guarding Lebron, Durant, Harden, George, Paul etc so yeah...he definitely needs to be considered as an MVP at this point.

 

No. Even now his chances are diminishing, since the team has been slumping.

 

Harden ain't getting MVP even if we finish the 3rd seed. Kawaii Leonard took firm control of the MVP on Monday night, its over. And even before Kawaii stuck a dagger in the Rox, no one was trying to give it to Harden anyway. It would take them running the table for the rest of the season in order for Harden to even get back in the conversation at this point.

 

Finishing 4th seed? No way Harden gets MVP

As it is, I would have Kawhi for MVP favorite right now.

It's not how you begin but how you end. Harden started strong but now momentum ahs shifted towards Kawhi Leonard.

Harden and Rockets have to finish the season strong esp with games on National TV. Too often we have laid an egg on national TV.

One thing for sure - Westbrick doesn't deserve to be in the conversation right now. My top 3 candidates:

1. Kawhi
2. Harden
3. LeBron

 

With the Spurs only 1.5 games back of the Warriors, i'd bet on Kawhi at this point.