After reading Alex’s article claiming that there’s no way that James Harden could win the MVP it’s only right that I respond and defend Harden’s case against the slander. As of right now, James Harden is the NBA MVP because he is the most valuable player on one of the best team’s in the league. Currently, the Brooklyn Nets have a 7-8 record in games where Harden does not play so that already eliminates his claim that ” Harden isn’t Valuable to this team”.
Yes, The Brooklyn nets are a stacked team featuring a high-scoring duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving but that doesn’t mean anything if they aren’t available on a regular basis. Harden and Durant have only played in 9 games this season, and in two of the games, Kevin Durant wasn’t able to finish because of the Health and safety protocol versus the Raptors and an injury in the warriors game that has kept him sidelined since mid-February.
The Brooklyn Nets would be a mess without James Harden who is currently leading the team in both rebounds and assists. Harden’s mere presence on the court is making players like Bruce Brown and Nicolas Claxton look like above-average NBA players. While Kyrie Irving comes and goes as he pleases and Kevin Durant has only played in 18 games. Just look at the players on the court during this Nets game versus the Wizards, there needs to be context on who harden is really playing with every night.
Historical Context On The MVP
Alex also claims that you cant be MVP and play on a stacked team but that has happened Multiple times in NBA history. It happened in the 90s with Micheal Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, it happened in 2013 and 2014 with LeBron James and the Miami Heat, and it happened twice with Stephen Curry and the 2014 & 2015 Golden State Warriors. So if we just pretend those years don’t exist then sure the MVP cant play on a stacked team. There is a historical precedent for MVPs on stacked teams whether you like it or not.
However, there is another point that Alex made in his rant against James Harden’s argument for MVP that does not have a historical precedent. Outside of Russell Westbrook who has a historically great season breaking the record for triple-doubles in a single season. The MVP award has gone to at least a top-three seeded team dating back to 1975. So while Alex may feel that Nikola Jokic or Damian Lillard deserves more MVP consideration. History is definitely on James Harden’s side because those two players are currently tied for the fifth seed.
The James Harden Disrespect is tiring
The James Harden disrespect is getting out of hand at this point, who cares if he forced his way off one of the worst teams in the league. He gave them ample warning when he requested for a trade before the season started. It’s not his fault they forced his hand so that he got what he deserved after years of carrying that franchise. Why should he be punished for putting himself and his career first when we know that NBA teams are never loyal to the majority of players.
James Harden is doing everything for the Brooklyn Nets in the absence of his two teammates. He is averaging near a triple-double, leading the team in rebounds and assists, leading them to be one game behind the first seed while Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving breeze through the regular season on the sideline. What if Kevin Comes back? or what happens when Kyrie returns? are just speculation at this point, nothing but hypotheticals. As things currently stand James Harden is the MVP of the NBA because he is the most valuable player on one of the best teams in the league.
If you can’t get past your hate for James Harden because he is confident enough to speak his mind to get what he wants, I’m sorry you’re just a hater. Every year Harden shows us he is one of the best offensive players in the league no matter who you surround him with so he absolutely deserves MVP consideration.
