Flashback a few seasons ago, the general perception about James Harden was that he was a one-dimensional player. Not only did he seemingly not care about the defensive end of the court, but on offense, he was regarded as a ball-stopping, selfish, and a bit of a ball hog type of player.

Harden Slowly Evolving through the Years

Fast forward to now, and Harden has not only matured and transformed his game, but he has also transformed that previous false perception. According to GiveMeSport, under the leadership and guidance of first-year Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni, Harden is putting up an impressive number of 29.1 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, and an NBA-leading 11.3 assists per game.

Defensively, he's also averaging 1.5 steals per game, which is the same exact number as LeBron James and just 0.3 below Kawhi Leonard, who is highly regarded as the league's best defender. With that in mind, there is no doubt that he is currently one of the elite players in the NBA this season.

Harden's Leadership & Efficiency

Not only has Harden led the red-hot 40-17 Houston Rockets to one of the best records in the West, but he has also done it so incredibly efficiently. For example, his 29.1 points per game are slightly below Russell Westbrook's 31.2, but Harden takes only 18.9 field goal attempts per game, compared to Westbrook's 24.0.

Due to his personal success, impressive leadership ability and his team's current place in the standings, it seems just right that James Harden is currently the one at the top of the MVP race. According to BleacherReport, Harden is given a 38.9 percent probability to win the award, followed by Westbrooks 26.2 percent.

Harden vs. Westbrook

These numbers might change as the second half of the season approaches, but as of now, the MVP race is likely between James Harden and Russell Westbrook. The 82-game regular season is truly a long, tough road, and the second half of the season will similarly be as exciting as the first half.

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