Jalen Rose & Paul Pierce on NBA MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo or James Harden?

Put James Harden on any lottery team and they will make the playoffs.

Could you put Giannis on the Pelicans and they make the playoffs?

It really is that simple to me.

 

I used to think that way too. But, Westbrook changed my view on that being the single question to ask.

Westbrook, for example, could turn a weak team into a playoff team. But, he can also turn a really good team into a bad team really quick. I also having a hard time seeing Westbrook taking a good team to greatness (really, what we are looking for in an MVP). Both Giannis and Harden are doing that this year.

 

But you have to give credit to the Bucks coach for that one. Since Giannis has been there they've been pretty much an average side. This is the first year where they've looked good. It isn't a coincidence since the coach came in they've turned into a really good consistent team.

 

Most "Valuable" Player.

The Westbrook led Thunder got in to the playoffs with defense.

Harden drives teams offensively.

Looks at the Thunders trends. When they play bad defensively they lose.

 

You can go wrong.

There's guys accomplishing what Giannis has every single year.

There's nothing like what Harden has done

 

BEARD IS MVP! THATS A FACT!

 

I understand all that.

It’s called a hypothetical. If LeBron had averaged 36 ppg last year for the Cavs, and in doing so led them to 50+ wins, Harden still would have been a deserving MVP candidate last year (as would LeBron) because the Rockets were so good and he was so good. Same thing applies here.

Feel free to disagree.

 

**** no, Bucks are a very well coached team.

 

GuyAnus Anypoopoo has not played at historic Super Saiyan level like the Beard! It’s annoying as *ell to hear anyone trying to put a spin on the facts to fit an agenda!! Pierce is spot on on when he says you can’t talk about Hardens historic year without mentioning the ALL-TIME greats!! The Beard is literally sitting at the the table with the pantheon of basketball players!!!

Poopoo can’t even carry Beards jockstrap!!

Go Rockets!!!
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Yes, if Lebron had the same season Harden has had this year, he would have deserved MVP last year. Quite clearly. But he didn't, so it's pointless bringing up things like that.

You can't even compare Giannis season to Harden's. Harden is having an historic season, where you can compare his season to Jordan's or Kobe's best seasons. Giannis is having a pretty much similar season to last year.... with a slight increase in certain areas. Those slight increases to his stats don't make you a 7th place team to a dominate 1st place team in the space of a year.... it just doesn't add up. There's a reason they've gone from an average team to a good one this season..... and that reason isn't Giannis. Big credit goes towards the coach and his teammates, but mostly towards the coach.

 

Who in the history of the league has averaged as many points and rebounds per game as Giannis while scoring as efficiently?

Who has averaged as many points, rebounds, and assists per game as him?

Who has averaged as many points and rebounds per possession as him?

You can’t go wrong either way.

 

And I’m saying Harden would have also been deserving last year in that scenario, despite LeBron scoring 36 ppg. Apparently you don’t think so, which is fine.

Again, I have to wonder. Is that how you would characterize Harden’s season last year versus his season two years prior? “Pretty much similar”?

 

The thing is, if Lebron had the season has had this year, he would have been unanimous MVP.

When Harden is clearly the unanimous MVP, the media always makes excuses of why he shouldn't be.

 

I really doubt that. But I suppose you wouldn’t have a problem with it if that’s what happened, since in that scenario a vote for Harden would be clearly wrong in your eyes (based on what all you’ve told me so far). I don’t agree.

 

Of course Lebron would have been unanimous MVP this season if he had Harden's numbers. Don't be so naive now.

 

Not naive. Just reality-based and informed about how MVP voting has gone down historically.

Are you aware that for the top 10 seasons in PPG other than Harden this year, historically, only 3 of them resulted in an MVP? Of the 6 scoring seasons higher than Harden's this year, only one of them resulted in an MVP (Wilt's rookie season when he averaged 38 ppg, blasting away the previous scoring record, and helped elevate his team to the second best record in an 8 team league, and even then he received only 62% of first place votes).

Are you aware that LeBron was never a unanimous MVP selection, and in the years he was anywhere close to that his teams had the top record?

Are you aware that Michael Jordan, the league's most popular player historically, never received a unanimous MVP vote despite breaking all scoring records not owned by Wilt Chamberlain over the course of his career? And that the only time he came even close to a unanimous selection, his team set a record for most wins in the regular season?

There will always be a sizable share of voters who will prefer the superstar on the best team in the league when voting. There's never been such a player who hasn't received significant MVP consideration, let alone been shut out completely from the MVP vote.

 

Reading this thread, and elsewhere in the GARM, the consensus seems to be that James won't be MVP. Heck, this is easily the #1 Rockets fan site in the world. In the whole Solar System! Color me surprised. I still think Harden is going to win it. I really do.

 

1 stop it already the bucks arent the best team..they are playing in the league of its own and its called the leastern conference for a valid reason even the Don has acknowledged that much...cant compare records if you are a rational person

2 giannis stats are not even in the same stratosphere as hardens and even if they were
they shuldnt count because they are done in the statpadding conference

3 imagine if the situation was reverse and harden is playing in the east.... we would never hear the end of it...and there would be a BIG asterix all over it ....

4 and imagine if the situation was reverse and harden is featuring giannuses stats and giannus is featuring hardens stats.... harden supporters would be laughed out of the building and you would get harden is having a good season but what giannis is doing is something historic!!

 

Hard to believe that there are more than a few who prop up Poopoo over the BEARD! Do my eyes deceive me or am I watching a different Harden than everyone else?? NO ONE mentions Poopoo with Wilt/Jordan/Kobe ect.

I TRULY DIGRESS and go back into my inner sanctum....
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They are the best team by every measure, even when adjusting for conference and schedule. They have a higher win% against WC teams than any WC team.

More facts for you:



I think I’ll pass on responding to the rest.