Before making a few points on the MVP race, it should be noted the debate has been nothing short of fantastic.
The methods used by a variety of writers to reach a conclusion have been wildly different, but whether voters rely on analytics, old school observation or something in between, the passion for the subject has been unsurpassed and a joy to read.
The Players Association has announced that it will have its own set of awards after the season, and it will be interesting to see if the players take the responsibility of voting as serious as the media. You can bet that 100 percent of the writers and broadcasters who received ballots from the league will return them. We already know the players will be unable to match that.
As I have read the thorough analysis, however, I have wondered:
1. Why isn’t LeBron James getting more support? It is evident that he is still the best player in the league. The Cavs improved from 33 wins last season to 53 this season, and if you’re telling me the reason is Kevin Love – which I’m sure you are not – I’ll point out that his six years in Minnesota translated to an average of 25.5 victories per season.
2. Is it possible for a player to miss nearly 20 percent of the season and still be considered for MVP? Russell Westbrook was spectacular – when he was on the floor. He missed 15 games, however, and I believe that is a huge negative for him. You can’t be valuable in street clothes.
3. The Thunder won 59 games last season and were the No. 2 seed in the West. This season, they won 45, did not make the playoffs and Kevin Durant missed 55 games with injuries. Despite Westbrook’s Oscaresque performance, I think the Thunder’s win totals may make more of a point about Durant’s value than Westbrook’s.
4. If games not played are going to be held against Westbrook, however, then we have to remember that LeBron missed 13 games. That’s about 16 percent of the season. The Cavs were 3-10 in those games. When James Harden is leading the league in minutes played, it’s difficult to overlook games competitors have missed. So I guess I understand the relative apathy towards James.
5. The Warriors went from 51 victories last season to 67 this season and that is the primary reason Stephen Curry is the favorite of many to win MVP. His numbers, however, aren’t that much different from last season, although he has averaged almost four minutes less playing time per game. Still, his scoring average was 24.0 ppg last season; 23.8 this season. His assists have fallen from 8.5 to 7.7 and his rebounds are the same at 4.3.
6. Harden had a huge burden with the large number of minutes the Rockets lost because of injuries this season. But his shooting percentage of .440 would be the eighth worst in the 70-year history of the MVP, and seven of those were in the first 10 years of the award. (Allen Iverson’s .430 in 2000-01 was the second-lowest in history behind Bob Cousy’s .378 in 1956-57).
7. Some have pointed out that the worthiness of Chris Paul has been overlooked, which is probably true. Paul has been in Los Angeles for four years and the Clippers have won 60 percent of their games each season. In the 45 years of the Buffalo/San Diego/Los Angeles franchise, those are the only four seasons they have accomplished that.
But in the last three seasons, the Clippers have won 56, 57 and 56 games, respectively. Under Paul’s direction, they have become steady, which is how you are taken for granted. Plus the MVP the last three years has been LeBron twice and Durant once.
Jerry West played his 14-year career in LA and never won an MVP. Paul may be headed for the same fate. Good company, but in a frustrating sort of way.
8. One of the key elements in MVP voting should be how a team finished compared to what was expected. The Warriors won 51 games last season and entered 2014-15 with a nucleus of four players 25 or younger who would finish as the top four scorers. They were expected to get better, although no one imagined 67 victories.
9. The Rockets had a rugged offseason. They fantasized about LeBron James, made a pass at Carmelo Anthony and were so sure they would sign Chris Bosh that they made several moves, trading or not re-signing players to clear cap space.
They ended up losing three of their top six scorers and two of their top four rebounders from a team that won 53 games last season. At best, they looked like a 45-win team that would be a lower playoff seed. Instead, they won 56 games, tying for the third most in the league.
10. Of all the numbers that go into various media members’ reasons for voting, it seems only one really matters – 41. That’s how many games Dwight Howard missed with injuries. The five starters for the Warriors missed a combined 27 games. Yet the Rockets were still better than the previous season. That’s a big reason why Sheridan went for Harden over Curry.
Curry was great, Westbrook was electrifying, James was the premier franchise player and Paul was extraordinary but under-appreciated.
No one, however, had more value than Harden. The MVP award should be his.
(RELATED: Sheridan’s Awards Ballot: Toughest MVP Choice Ever)
Jan Hubbard has written about basketball since 1976 and worked in the NBA league office for eight years between media stints. Follow him on Twitter at @whyhub.
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