The 2017-2018 NBA season has been historic with the athleticism and skills developing within the league. The question is, who deserves the MVP award? Many of the teams with MVP candidates - Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers - have aspirations of competing in the NBA Finals.
Who deserves the MVP award in 2017-2018?
Many are saying James Harden is the MVP, with his consistent, magnificent, and flashy offensive play. James Harden is averaging an astounding 31.2 points, 8.9 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 44.7 percent shooting per game.
Just the other night, James Harden [VIDEO] brutally embarrassed Wesley Johnson with this exhilarating play. With the addition of Chris Paul, the Rockets have solidified their chances of making it past the Warriors to the NBA Finals. If James Harden can continue to execute at this level, the sky is the limit for the Rockets.
Others are saying LeBron James should be MVP, a candidate almost every year, with his excellent two-way play. He is averaging 26.8 points, 9.0 assists, 8.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 54.4 percent shooting per game. There is no doubt that LeBron James makes everyone around him better, almost always finding his way to the NBA Finals. For every great player, there is always someone to criticize, most recently Skip Bayless.
Anthony Davis is emerging as one of the best two-way players in the league, proving to be another worthy NBA MVP candidate. He is averaging 28.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.2 blocks, 53.5 percent shooting per game. During the New Orleans Pelicans current win streak, he is averaging an unbelievable 39.3 points, 15 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks on 53.5 percent shooting per game.
There are only four other players: Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Abdul-Jabbar and Moses Malone in NBA history to average at least 35 points and 15 rebounds over a seven-game span. There are many other sleepers as possible candidates including Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, DeMar DeRozan, and Kyrie Irving.
Offensive juggernaut or two-way maestro for MVP?
While James Harden has been the most dominant offensive player statistically, the question remains should the best offensive, or the best two-way player receive the award? History tends to favor the offensive player, in an offensively charged NBA. This was made extreme with the formation of the Golden State Warriors, who became offensive juggernauts when Kevin Durant joined last season.
Because of his uniqueness, athletic ability, and two-way prowess, Anthony Davis should be seriously considered. He is doing things that no big man has done. Just today, the big man received big praise from First Take's Max Kellerman, stating, "he may be the best player in the world by the beginning of next season." The problem is that Anthony Davis is operating at an unbelievable level below the radar, while James Harden is known by most as this year's MVP with his offensive flash and finesse.
With all of these great players executing at a high-level, who deserves the MVP award? The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors, both teams with MVP candidates, are making moves to increase their chances of reaching the NBA Finals. The Warriors may even be working to recruit Anthony Davis to their team, making them practically unbeatable. The NBA has grown in ways no one could have anticipated, with the best yet to come.
