As the National Basketball Association season ends this next week, the race for the Most Valuable Player is between five players.
Breakout star Anthony Davis averages 24.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. However, he plays for a team fighting for an eight seed, the last open position in the postseason. There is not a guarantee New Orleans will make it to the playoffs. For this reason, he does not warrant MVP consideration.
Throw out LeBron James’ candidacy after his two-week in-season sabbatical in Miami, and he already has four MVPs. He does not need another trophy on his cluttered shelf.
Next is Russell Westbrook. While he has 11 triple-doubles on the year, Westbrook’s team has struggled mightily at the end of the season. The Thunder are 1-5 in their last six games while currently owning a three game losing streak. This poor play costs Westbrook’s chance at the MVP.
After whittling off these three players, two NBA stars are left. The first one is James Harden. At the ripe age of 25, Harden has led an injured Rockets team to second place in the Western Conference with a 53-24 record. He leads the league with 27.7 points per game, with the highest win shares of all players at 15.7.
A win share is the estimated number of wins contributed by a player to his team. He has also played the most minutes in the league while ranking second in made field goals and first in field goal attempts. He also leads the league in getting to the free throw stripe with 777 attempts and 672 made free throws.
The offensive prowess James Harden has exerted this year is impressive. His skills have vaulted the Rockets to one of the top contenders for the NBA championship.
Unfortunately for “The Beard,” a sharpshooter from the Bay Area is going to take home the MVP.
Stephen Curry is the MVP of this NBA season. He is the best player on the best team in basketball. The Golden State Warriors sport an NBA best 63-14 record while Curry leads the team with 23.6 points, 7.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game.
While being undoubtedly the best player on the team, Curry is one of the best players in the NBA. He leads the league in made three-point field goals and three-point field goal attempts. Curry also leads the league in steals with 152 and a free throw percentage at 91.4 percent.
These skills helped him lead the Warriors to the best point differential in the league with a +10.4. While he may not be the best player in the league, the influence on his team’s success, the Warriors’ high win total and his offensive efficiency are reasons why Stephen Curry is this year’s MVP.
