NBA News & MVP Predictions: LeBron James Enters MVP Discussion With Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook & James Harden
There's still about 25 games remaining in this season for each team, but NBA fans everywhere are trying to predict who will win league MVP.
The favorite for the majority of the season has been Golden State Warriors shooting guard Stephen Curry. It's hard to argue against Curry, as he does lead the NBA in three-point shots made, and he currently has the Warriors in first place in the Western Conference. The biggest argument one could make against Curry is that he plays alongside Klay Thompson, who is having almost just as good of a season as Curry. Thompson has made just four less 3-pointers than Curry, while averaging two less points per game.
Nothing against Curry, but Thompson is the best second option in the league right now.
The Houston Rockets are in third place in the Western Conference thanks to James Harden. Harden is the leading scorer this season, averaging 27 points per game. Believe it or not, Harden has actually been improving his defense as well. With center Dwight Howard missing so many games this season, Harden has had to carry the team, and he's done just that.
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook has seen his MVP stock rise considerably over the last month. Sometimes he shoots a bit erratic, but that's expected because Kevin Durant has missed a lot of playing time. Despite being a point guard, Westbrook ranks second in the league in scoring this season.
But, we can't forget about the best player in the game. LeBron James, who has won four MVP awards, has the Cleveland Cavaliers quickly rising in the standings. The Cavaliers have won 17 of their last 19 games and are tied for second place in the Eastern Conference with 37 wins.
What makes James such a high possible MVP candidate is his value to the team. The Cavaliers are just 2-9 without James in the starting lineup this season but 17-2 since he returned. As good as many people believe Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are, neither one of those players have ever made the playoffs in their careers. Now with James by their side, they are one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference.
Incredibly, James has not only been the Cavaliers best scorer, but he's also been the team's best passer as well. While Irving has played 2,091 minutes and has 292 assists, James has played 1,778 minutes with 357 assists. James has actually been the Cavaliers ball handler this season more than Irving has. In comparison to Harden and Curry, James is by far the more complete player and better defender.
What hurts James's MVP chances is early season struggles and the fact he has already won the award four times, six times if you count Finals MVP Awards. Early in the season James and the Cavaliers struggled to find their groove in a weak Eastern Conference. Unfortunately for James, Harden and Curry have been far more consistent throughout the season. With the highest of expectations, this is what we envision from James year in and year out. For anyone else, it would be amazing.
There's still plenty of time remaining in the season. If Westbrook continues his tear without Durant on the floor, he could very well be the MVP. Even Marc Gasol could get the honor if the Memphis Grizzlies capture the No. 1 seed in the West. Only time will tell which player stands alone at season's end.
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