The NBA MVP Race

Writer: David Seastrunk

A little over midway through the 2017-18 NBA season there’s a battle among a few players as to whom the MVP will be crowned.

 Notable performers in the MVP race that aren’t in the top 3 include:

	Points	Rebounds	Assists
Russell Westbrook	25.5	9.4	10.1
Steph Curry	28.1	5.1	6.5
LeBron James	26.7	7.9	8.8
Kyrie Irving	24.9	3.7	5.0

 

3. Kevin Durant 25.8 Points, 7 Rebounds, 5.6 Assists, & 2 Blocks per game.

With 3 other all stars on his team and 2 time MVP Curry as his teammate Durant is still putting up great numbers and has also elevated his defensive effort to another level. This is Simply Kevin Durant being Kevin Durant. Another year of the warriors being dominate as the only hope for the rest of the league is for one of them to sustain an injury.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo

28.5 Points, 10.3 Rebounds, 4.7 Assists 1.5 Steal 1.7 Blocks

Although the Bucks are not one of the premiere teams in the NBA what The Greek Freak is doing is phenomenal. He is having a breakout year this year up 6 points per game from last seasons totals. Winning aside Giannis is carrying the Bucks to even where they are right now. Not many pieces around him and with the recent firing of Jason Kidd they are in need of a new Head coach. Some good potential hiring would be Mark Jackson who I believe doesn’t get enough credit of a lot of the Warriors success. Rick Pitino is another good candidate after everything that has happened with him and the NCAA violations. This will be a key component for Giannis and his growth moving forward in his career as well as the success of the Bucks.

1. James Harden 31.6 Points, 5 Rebounds, 9 Assists

Coming off the highest scoring triple double in NBA history with a 60-11-10 line, James Harden is putting his down in the MVP race. Carrying the load when Chris Paul is injured and being able to be off the ball more when Paul is there he is have his best season of his career. If Harden is able to continue to play at this level he is going to win the MVP and it shouldn’t even be close.

Seven Must See NBA Games

Writer: Caleb Apkan

h/t SB Nation

Time is flying, and the NBA season is less than a month away. If you’re hungry enough for games that you’ll watch preseason, there’s only twelve days of waiting. With that, it’s time to dive into the upcoming season’s schedule and look at the most intriguing matchups each month.

Tuesday, October 17th

Celtics at Cavaliers

TV: TNT

Opening night is always a big deal in the league, but this game seems to have a bit more weight to it following a crazy offseason. Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas have switched teams following Irving’s trade request from Cleveland. Irving’s reasoning for the request has been debated, and Kyrie himself has only confused fans further when trying to explain why he chose to leave his great situation in The Land, but many point to him no longer wanting to be Robin to LeBron’s Batman. Will Kyrie show out to prove he can be the leader? Will LeBron take offense and try to destroy his former partner? You’ll just have to watch and find out.

Honorable Mentions: Pelicans at Kings (Oct. 17; Cousins’ return to Sacramento), rookie and new team first games

Thursday, November 16th

Warriors at Celtics

TV: TNT

 

Speaking of Kyrie, expectations are rather high for him and his Celtics. Many expect Boston to be in the mix for a Finals appearance at the least, and a major test will be given on their home floor early in the year. The juggernaut Warriors will come to T.D. Garden in mid-November, for a matchup that could possibly be seen in the summertime. The key will be if Boston can contain Golden State’s offensive firepower, but Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Gordon Hayward dueling at their respective positions makes this an interesting matchup to watch whether the C’s are able to do so or not.

Honorable Mentions: Rockets at Knicks (Nov. 1; Carmelo returns to the Garden?), Warriors at Spurs (Nov. 2; WCF rematch), Warriors at Thunder (Nov. 22, KD back in OKC)

Monday December 25th

Cavaliers at Warriors

TV: ABC

Many see Christmas Day as the official start of the NBA season, with a marathon of marquee matchups highlighting the league’s best early on in the year. Like an holiday event, NBA Christmas Day has a few traditions: the Lakers almost always are playing, as are the Knicks, and rivalry games tend to take place as well, which is the case for the newest holiday hoops staple: a rematch of the Finals between the Warriors and the Cavaliers. There’s not much else to say besides that, but with new faces in both places, this matchup is once again as intriguing as ever, and in front of the amazing Oracle Arena crowd, fans could be in for a classic.

Honorable Mentions: Wizards at Celtics (Dec. 25; possible playoff preview), Rockets at Thunder (Dec 25; Harden vs Westbrook)

Monday, January 15th

Rockets at Clippers

TV: TNT

One of the best parts of a new NBA season is seeing a player who moved in the offseason don their new team’s jerseys for the first time, and what’s usually even better is seeing that player return to their old stomping grounds. This is especially the case for stars like Chris Paul, who will have to wait until the calendar turns to 2018 before he can go against his old teammates on the Clippers. The LA franchise has been surprisingly optimistic about the team’s future despite Paul’s exit, but you know fans can’t be too happy about arguably their biggest talent jumping ship. Expect the boos to flow all game long.

Honorable Mentions: Warriors at Cavaliers (Jan. 15, Finals rematch pt. 2), Cavaliers at Spurs (Jan. 23; LeBron vs. Kawhi)

Friday, February 9th

Timberwolves at Bulls

TV: ESPN

A recent NBA trend has seen the flipside of the player movement reaction: fans honoring a player who left against their own will. Jimmy Butler seems to fit this category perfectly, as the All-Star was always loyal to the team that drafted him, despite constantly appearing in trade rumors, ultimately actually leaving during the lottery of the 2018 draft. Chicago fans are likely to show Butler lots of love when he makes his return to United Center just before the All-Star break, but it seems unlikely Butler will take it easy on his old home. When a team handles a situation like the Bulls did Butler’s, a revenge game is usually on hand when the two sides meet again.

Honorable Mentions: Wizards at Cavaliers (Feb. 22, possible playoff preview), All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles

Sunday, March 11th

Cavaliers at Lakers

TV: ESPN

Other than whether or not Carmelo Anthony is being traded or anything weird Kevin Durant is doing, the biggest NBA offseason storyline seemed to be about the next offseason and whether the L.A. Lakers would return to prominence by recruiting a superstar: sometimes this rumored star was Paul George, but many insiders have brought LeBron James’ name into the mix. Just this week, James practiced at UCLA with teammate Kevin Love while his wife, Savannah, seemed to scout an LA high school, possibly for their son LeBron Jr., who will soon be entering ninth grade. If LeBron is indeed headed for L.A., this March 11th game will be his last at Staples Center as a visitor. Not only will it be a great opportunity to sum up the rumors that will likely continue to develop during the season, but it will also be a chance to see arguably the league’s best player on one of the league’s most interesting stages, surrounded by stars from all places and facing one of the most hyped rookie players ever, Lonzo Ball.

P.S. Don’t be shocked if ESPN has a “Lavar Cam” for this and other big Laker games

Honorable Mentions: Celtics at Jazz (Mar. 28; Hayward heads to Utah), Raptors at Cavaliers (Mar. 21; playoff rematch)

Tuesday, April 3rd

Thunder at Warriors

TV: TNT

April is basically the dead week of basketball, everyone is really just preparing for the next big event in the NBA playoffs and other than playing for some playoff seeding, not much else seems to matter. A matchup where Kevin Durant has to play his former team not too long before he may see them again where the game really matters should be enough to pull fans to their TVs before the road to the Finals begins.

Honorable Mentions: Rockets at Spurs (Apr. 1st; rivalry game and possible playoff matchup), any games that could be the last for retiring players

Arguments For Every MVP Candidate

Writer: Elliot Adway

The year is 2017. Kevin Durant has a championship, Derrick Rose teamed up with LeBron, and Kyrie Irving plays for the Boston Celtics. In other words, anything is possible in the NBA. The most explosive offseason of all time has resulted in the most anticipated MVP race in recent memory. Here’s a look as the cases for and against every potential MVP candidate.

 

Russell Westbrook

Bleacher Report

Case for:

When you are a threat to post a triple double night in and night out, how can you not be an MVP candidate? Russell accomplished a feat that only Oscar Robertson obtained in averaging a triple double for the whole entire season. He also did that while leading the association in scoring, his team in rebounds, and his team in assists. In other words, what the hell can’t he do?

Case against:

Most of Westbrook’s historic season was due to the lack of playmaking around him. More often than not, he was tasked with making all of the plays, which resulted in a very high usage rate. Add in All-Star forward Paul George and all of sudden his usage rating is more human like. That could very well cost him his scoring title, and maybe even cut his rebounding totals due to PG13’s ability to grab boards.

 

James Harden

Hollywood Life

Case for:

James Harden would be the reigning MVP if Westbrook didn’t average a triple double. Having averages of 29.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 11.2 assists while leading your team to the number 3 overall seed in the gladiator-type Western Conference would result in an MVP any other season. Look for Harden to be a frontrunner for this year’s race, hopefully captivating the award that has eluded him his entire career. (Also, shout out to James Harden for donating 1 million dollars in wake of Hurricane Harvey. Prayers out to Houston from The Drive.)

Case against:

Unfortunately, there is a team in the Bay area that scares the living hell out of GMs across the league. Due to their fear, teams are now vying to team up superstars in hopes to have a chance against the Warriors. Exhibit A? The Houston Rockets. Chris Paul is now in the H and will share the ball with James Harden. Odds are that will impact Harden’s numbers, and could very well cost him another MVP.

 

Kawhi Leonard

USA Today

Case for:

The sad fact that Kawhi Leonard’s greatness is often shadowed by the plays of other great superstars across the league should scare the NBA. He’s smiling in the off-season, which alone indicates that he’s about to go Super Saiyan on his opponents. His ability to dominate both sides of the ball is easily unmatched by any player in the association. Look for Leonard to average north of 25 points per game, while still bringing the once in a lifetime versatility back in full force.

Case against:

I mean let’s be honest, who can really imagine Kawhi Leonard as league MVP besides yours truly? He won’t put up the numbers like Westbrook, be as efficient while scoring as much as Harden, and definitely won’t be raining threes like Curry. Those factors alone can hinder his MVP chances, which is absolutely ridiculous in my opinion. The team first style that Gregg Popovich preaches will likely result in another Defensive Player of the Year award for The Claw instead of an MVP.

 

LeBron James

Sporting News

Case for:

Tell me a year LeBron James isn’t in the Most Valuable Player discussion, I’ll wait. The King rightfully gets all the respect from the voters due to his all-around greatness, and largely due to the fact that he’s in the Finals literally every year. Subtract Kyrie Irving and his shots, and now you have a motivated, and scary LeBron James. When you’re in the gym making Instagram videos lip syncing to Tee Grizzley, that is never a good sign for the opposition.

Case against:

The only thing that stops LeBron from having 9 MVPs is the competition around the league. Year in and year out, new superstars come from the shadows and assert themselves among the elite of the NBA. Voters are used to James being his dominant self, which results in them falling in love with the new “face of league”. Ultimately this hurts LeBron’s MVP chances, and might be the beginning of the passing of the torch.

 

Kevin Durant

Mercury News

Case for:

Snake, cupcake, traitor, NBA champion. Call him what you want, but you could very well be calling him MVP next season as well. The always efficient Durant will be looking to repeat and possibly better his numbers from last season while Golden State presumably continues its dominant play. With one year of chemistry to build in with his teammates, Durant will likely raise his 25 points per game, and improve his defensive numbers as he showed in the playoffs. KD was the difference maker in this year’s Finals, expect him to ride the momentum of this June into next season and beyond.

Case against:
With a team as loaded as the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, the question KD is probably asking himself at home is “Do I even have to be the MVP?” I mean come on, he already plays alongside 2 time MVP Steph Curry, Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, the only mixed man I’ve ever seen with perfect waves. Kevin should definitely take some pointers from Klay about that, then he’d for sure be a runaway to secure his 2nd MVP award.