April 12, 20179 yr Russ and it shouldn't be close. Take Russ off of OKC and they're bottom dwellers. Take Harden off HOU and they're still a playoff team. Of course using that criteria you have to put LBJ in the discussion.
April 12, 20179 yr Also, with the way the game is now it seems hard for someone other than a PG to win MVP. Even guys like Lebron who isn't a true PG still dominates the ball and usage percentage. I'd imagine that 6-8 of the top 10 choices for MVP are PGs. When I was a kid it was always a big man that won, next we'll probably see a run of Stretch 4's dominating.
April 12, 20179 yr My top 5: 1. Russ 2. Harden 3. Wall 4. Steph/LeBron 5. Isaiah Thomas I like that list, but Wall won't get that much love from the voters.
April 13, 20179 yr I like that list, but Wall won't get that much love from the voters. I don't think he will either but he should. He's been outstanding this season.
April 18, 20179 yr It's between Russ and Harden, it's unfortunate that Hardens best season crossed paths with the first triple double season in 50+ years. Haven't read this whole thread, so pardon me if this is a repeat, but Oscar finished third the year of his triple-double. Wilt finished 2nd while leading the league in points (some ghastly # like 55+ per game) and rebounds with a crazy 28+ per game. The MVP that year was Bill Russell who led the Celtics to another NBA title with his vintage D and strong rebounding. He was not a stat stuffer, but a champion. This award has migrated totally away from the Team achievement. Not sure if this is good or bad.
April 18, 20179 yr Haven't read this whole thread, so pardon me if this is a repeat, but Oscar finished third the year of his triple-double. Wilt finished 2nd while leading the league in points (some ghastly # like 55+ per game) and rebounds with a crazy 28+ per game. The MVP that year was Bill Russell who led the Celtics to another NBA title with his vintage D and strong rebounding. He was not a stat stuffer, but a champion. This award has migrated totally away from the Team achievement. Not sure if this is good or bad. How has the award migrated totally away from team achievement?
April 18, 20179 yr Probably when it migrated from a full season award to just a regular season award. So the frontrunner this year is Westbrook who led his team to the 10th best record for the season (6th seed in West) and accomplished the first season avg a triple/double in 50 years....of which the last time it was done didn't earn Oscar any better than a 3rd place MVP finish. IMO this award should be voted on after the playoffs and the full body of work is in. Winner doesn't have to come from finalists team, but probably not from a team that has marginal playoff success. To digress, assists today are totally different from what was considered an assist in Oscar's day. Plus, Westbrook's stats were too often padded by teammates with the objective of getting him a triple-double.
April 18, 20179 yr Probably when it migrated from a full season award to just a regular season award. So the frontrunner this year is Westbrook who led his team to the 10th best record for the season (6th seed in West) and accomplished the first season avg a triple/double in 50 years....of which the last time it was done didn't earn Oscar any better than a 3rd place MVP finish. IMO this award should be voted on after the playoffs and the full body of work is in. Winner doesn't have to come from finalists team, but probably not from a team that has marginal playoff success. To digress, assists today are totally different from what was considered an assist in Oscar's day. Plus, Westbrook's stats were too often padded by teammates with the objective of getting him a triple-double. OKC was 34-9 when Russ has a triple double. That isn't stat padding. That is doing everything it takes to win. If you take Russ off of that OKC team they are one of the worst 3 teams in the league by far so IMO when it comes to individual play boosting team achievement Russ signs off on that big time. Same for James Harden although I do think Houston is close to a playoff team without James Harden they definitely wouldn't be a 3 seed without Harden. To further digress, with the way the game was played in Oscar's time it was easier for him to average a triple double because they had more possessions per game back then and Russ is 6'3" averaging double digit rebounders against a higher quality of athlete as well. I feel like when people say that Russ was stat chasing that they didn't watch OKC play that much this year. Russ has an unbelievable motor and he didn't take off any games for rest until after OKC's spot was solid and it was only one game. Their 81st game. Harden also didn't take off games in February for rest either. Anyone who took off games for rest before their 80th game should be disqualified from MVP contention in my book. Who would your choice for MVP be?
April 18, 20179 yr Haven't read this whole thread, so pardon me if this is a repeat, but Oscar finished third the year of his triple-double. Wilt finished 2nd while leading the league in points (some ghastly # like 55+ per game) and rebounds with a crazy 28+ per game. The MVP that year was Bill Russell who led the Celtics to another NBA title with his vintage D and strong rebounding. He was not a stat stuffer, but a champion. This award has migrated totally away from the Team achievement. Not sure if this is good or bad. I could be wrong but I believe the last time a person won the MVP Award and their team didn't make the conference finals was in 2006-7 when Dirk Nowitzki won MVP. If anything the MVP Award has been a team achievement award every single season.
April 18, 20179 yr OKC was 34-9 when Russ has a triple double. That isn't stat padding. That is doing everything it takes to win. If you take Russ off of that OKC team they are one of the worst 3 teams in the league by far so IMO when it comes to individual play boosting team achievement Russ signs off on that big time. Same for James Harden although I do think Houston is close to a playoff team without James Harden they definitely wouldn't be a 3 seed without Harden. To further digress, with the way the game was played in Oscar's time it was easier for him to average a triple double because they had more possessions per game back then and Russ is 6'3" averaging double digit rebounders against a higher quality of athlete as well. I feel like when people say that Russ was stat chasing that they didn't watch OKC play that much this year. Russ has an unbelievable motor and he didn't take off any games for rest until after OKC's spot was solid and it was only one game. Their 81st game. Harden also didn't take off games in February for rest either. Anyone who took off games for rest before their 80th game should be disqualified from MVP contention in my book. Who would your choice for MVP be? Could not feel good about voting today. The regular season is nothing more than preparing for the playoffs, or non-playing for the draft. When the full body of work is over, I think the time to vote has arrived.
April 18, 20179 yr ^So basically if the team doesn't win it all, or at least make the conference finals, they don't get consideration?
April 25, 20179 yr Lebron this year was 26.4 8.6 8.7, you think he couldn't do a triple double if he wanted to? He's about ships versus meaningless stats
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