James Harden: Fear the beard. D’Antoni seems like a coaching genius after switching the former shooting guard to the point. Averaging 28.8 ppg and 11.5 assists per game, Harden is showing why the coach trusting him with the ball every play is the right move. Despite not averaging a triple double, he is bringing his team to what could be a third place finish in a very difficult West conference and that is where his value comes. Not only does he put up these great stats, he propels his team to perform, even after the loss of former All-Star big man Dwight Howard.
Russell Westbrook: He is actually averaging a triple double this season. Honestly, I could probably stop there. On course to be the first to accomplish the feat since Oscar Robinson in the ’64-65 season, the Oklahoma City point man is seemingly superhuman this year. It seems the departure of former MVP forward Kevin Durant has motivated, and enabled, Russ to put these insane numbers up. He has also helped turn two young centers, Adams and Kanter, into experienced big men. His season averages of 30.8 ppg, 10.6 rpg and 10.2 apg, in addition to the efficiency of his front court when they’re linking up, make a strong case for Westbrook.
LeBron James: He’s the best player in the NBA right now. He has been for a while, and probably will be for a while. This doesn’t mean he’s the MVP. Not to say he couldn’t win the award every season, but dealing with a lax East and still having two All Stars on the roster makes it a little tough. A poor run of results throughout January show even with James playing well they aren’t unbeatable. You can make the case the Cavs have suffered injuries and have a shallow roster, but still being surrounded by two All Star starters on a usual basis hurts the argument. He’ll make his full skillset known around playoff time and possibly take finals MVP, but I think his modest showings this season will leave him waitting until then for the “most valuable” tag.
Kevin Durant: Despite also being surrounded by All Stars, including the first unanimous and reigning MVP, KD somehow has still managed to shine in Oakland. Say what you want about his decision to move away from OKC, he is a phenomenal player. The 6’11” forward has the touch and movement of a guard and the reach of a big man. Durant is averaging 26.3 ppg and 8.4 rpg and shooting a career high 54.6% from the field, showing he impacts the game in multiple way despite the level of his teammates. His numbers might not be insane, but he is making quite the impact on an already championship-caliber team and that carries some weight.
Kawhi Leonard: The Defensive Player of the Year showed his game goes 2 ways this season. Bringing up his ppg average by over four points, Leonard is 10th in the league in scoring. He is shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and an impressive 41.1 percent from the 3-point line, proving he is far from a one-dimensional player. Despite the talent and experience that he shares a roster with, it’s still clear that the Spurs are Leonard’s team. His finesse, athleticism and defensive prowess drive a strong case for the forward as MVP, especially when considering San Antonio’s record.
Isiah Thomas: The All-Star starting spot snub seems to have gotten to IT4 as he has exploded recently. Scoring 35 or more points in four of his last six games, the Celtics guard has done his best to show why he thinks he should be a starter. The Celtics are second in the East, due in no small part to the performances of the Association’s leading fourth quarter scorer. The only problem I have with his game is his assist count on big scoring nights, but even that has been improving as of late. If he can keep up the 32.9 ppg he averaged in the month of January, the least valuable pick in the 2011 draft might prove to be the most valuable player in 2017.
My pick: James Harden. He may not be the best all around player in the league, but he is the best offensive player and he is leading his team to a possible 60-win season. He’s third in the NBA in scoring, while taking less attempts than anyone else in the top 5, and 1st in assists. He’s the only All-Star on his team, similar to Russ, but the difference shows in how much he helps his team. The Rockets could look very threatening as the playoffs approach and almost all of it can be attributed to The Beard.
