Who Is the NBA’s MVP?
Contents
The NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award is one of the most prestigious individual honors in professional basketball. It is given to the player who is considered to be the most valuable to his team.
The Case for LeBron James
If you ask anyone who the best player in the NBA is, they’ll probably say LeBron James. He’s been dominating the league for years and shows no signs of slowing down. He’s also a great leader and role model, something that’s often taken into consideration when awarding MVP. In this article, we’ll make the case that LeBron James is the NBA’s MVP.
His team’s success
LeBron James is having another spectacular season. He’s averaging 26.8 points, 8.6 assists, and 8.0 rebounds per game. He’s shooting 54.3 percent from the field, and he’s made 42.9 percent of his three-point attempts. In other words, he’s pretty much doing everything for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
And yet, some people still don’t think he should be the MVP of the NBA. They’ll point to other players like Russell Westbrook and James Harden, who are putting up similar numbers for their teams. But the fact is, LeBron’s value to the Cavs is much higher than either of those players is to their respective teams.
The biggest reason LeBron should be MVP is because of his team’s success. The Cavs are currently 51-27, which is good for second place in the Eastern Conference. They’re on pace to win around 60 games, which is quite impressive considering they started the season 11-17.
But it’s not just that the Cavs are winning; it’s how they’re winning that matters. LeBron has been carrying them through tough times, including injuries to key players like Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. He’s been their rock, and they would be lost without him.
So when you take into account everything LeBron has done for the Cavs this season, it’s hard to argue that anyone else deserves to be MVP more than him.
His individual stats
LeBron is averaging 27.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game. He is also shooting 54 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range. Those are all career-highs, by the way. LeBron is leading the league in Player Efficiency Rating (PER), Win Shares, and Value Over Replacement Player (VORP). He is second in the league in Real Plus-Minus (RPM). LeBron is on pace to have one of the best seasons ever by those measures, and he’s doing it at age 33.
The Case for James Harden
James Harden has been unbelievable this season. He’s averaging 36.1 points, 7.5 assists, and 6.6 rebounds per game. He’s also shooting a career-high 36.7% from three-point range. The Houston Rockets have the best record in the NBA, and it’s largely due to Harden’s play. He’s been the best player on the best team, and that’s usually a recipe for MVP success.
His team’s success
The case for James Harden as MVP comes down to his team’s success. The Houston Rockets have the best record in the NBA, and they’re on pace to win over 60 games. Harden is the leading scorer and playmaker on the team. He’s also one of the best defensive players in the league.
Other MVP candidates might have better individual stats, but Harden’s impact on his team’s success is unmatched.
His individual stats
In 2019-20, Harden is averaging a league-best 34.4 points per game to go with 6.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists. He’s also shooting 44.2 percent from the field, 35.8 percent from 3-point range and 86 percent from the free-throw line. Those numbers have led the Rockets to a 42-24 record, which has them in fourth place in the Western Conference standings.
The Case for Anthony Davis
When Anthony Davis entered the league, he was seen as the next big thing. A player with limitless potential, Davis has more than lived up to the hype. In his seventh season, Davis is averaging a career-high 28.1 points per game, to go along with 11.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. He is also shooting a career-best 53.7 percent from the field and 80.8 percent from the free-throw line.
His team’s success
The New Orleans Pelicans have had a surprising season. They were projected to finish near the bottom of the Western Conference, but instead they find themselves in the thick of the playoff race. A big reason for their success has been the play of Anthony Davis. Davis is averaging 28 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, and 2.1 assists per game. He is also shooting 50% from the field and 79% from the free throw line. These are all career highs for Davis.
His individual stats
This season, Davis is averaging 28.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from three-point range. He’s also averaging a career-high 4.8 assists per game, which is more than double his career average in that category. In other words, he’s been an all-around force for the Pelicans this season, and he’s been doing it on a nightly basis.
The Case for Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard is having an incredible season. He is averaging 27.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He is also shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from three-point range. Leonard is leading the Raptors to the best record in the NBA. He is also one of the best defensive players in the league. Leonard is deserving of the MVP award.
His team’s success
The reason Leonard should be the MVP is because of his team’s success. The Raptors have the best record in the NBA, and they are currently on a five-game winning streak. They have only lost four games in the last month, and Leonard has been a big part of that success. He is averaging 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, and he is shooting 49 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range. Leonard has also been impressive on the defensive end, averaging 1.8 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.
His individual stats
This season, Leonard is averaging 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from three. He’s also the league’s best defender, an elite level shooter, and has turned into one of the most clutch players in the NBA. Simply put, Leonard has been the best player in the league this season and has been the driving force behind the Raptors’ historic 57-22 record.
Who Should Win the Award?
There are many viable candidates for the award this year, but there are a few that stand out above the rest. Let’s take a look at some of the front runners and see who has the best case for the award.
A look at the numbers
The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual award given to the best performing player of the regular season. The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is named in honor of the first commissioner (then president) of the NBA, who served from 1946 until 1963. Until 1975, the MVP was selected by a vote of NBA players. Since its inception, the award has been given to 41 different players. The first recipient was Bob Pettit in 1956.
The most recent award recipient is Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, who won his second straight MVP in 2019. Other past winners include LeBron James (4), Michael Jordan (5), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Bill Russell (5), Wilt Chamberlain (4), Magic Johnson (3), Steve Nash (2), Dirk Nowitzki (1), Deron Williams (1)and Derrick Rose (1).
The Award was originally supposed to be given to the player who was deemed the “most valuable” to his team during the regular season but later changed to be given to “the best performing player of the regular season”. This list takes a look at both points and looks at some arguments for each case.
A look at the intangibles
While it is common for voters to focus on statistics when choosing the MVP, there are other important factors to consider. For example, leadership and sportsmanship are important intangibles that can help separate one player from the pack.
In terms of leadership, it is often said that the most valuable player is the one who makes his teammates better. This quality is hard to quantify, but it is easy to see when watching a game. A leader is someone who knows how to get the best out of his teammates and helps them execute on the court.
Sportsmanship is another important intangible. This quality is about more than just not getting angry or arguing with officials. A good sport is someone who keeps his cool under pressure, shows respect for his opponents, and abides by the rules of the game.
The MVP award should go to the player who not only puts up big numbers, but also displays outstanding leadership and sportsmanship.
