Who’s Going to Win the NBA MVP?
We’re taking a look at the leading contenders for the NBA MVP award and making our predictions for who’s going to take home the trophy.
LeBron James
LeBron James is one of the most dominant basketball players of our generation. He’s a physical specimen with unparalleled athletic ability. He’s a surefire Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players of all time. There’s no doubt that he’s the favorite to win the NBA MVP this season.
Averaging a triple double
LeBron James is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in NBA history. After winning championships with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron joined the Lakers in 2018. He immediately led them to the playoffs, where they lost to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.
This season, LeBron is averaging a triple double with 27.4 points, 10.6 assists, and 8.5 rebounds per game. He is also shooting a career-high 49.8% from the field and 36.7% from three-point range. On top of all that, he is leading the league in minutes played (37.4) and ranks second in steals (1.8).
On pace to break NBA records
LeBron James is widely considered to be the best player in the world and is on pace to break numerous NBA records. In the past, he has spoken about his desire to eventually become the greatest player of all time. Below are some of the records he currently holds or is close to breaking.
-Most points in a career: LeBron currently ranks 7th all-time in points with 34,241. He is less than 1,000 points behind Karl Malone (35,134) for 6th place and is 1,582 points behind Michael Jordan (32,292) for 4th place. At his current pace, he will pass Malone sometime during the 2020-21 season and Jordan sometime during the 2021-22 season.
-Most assists in a career: LeBron currently ranks 8th all-time in assists with 9,346. He is just behind Jason Kidd (9,391) for 7th place and is 1,294 assists behind Magic Johnson (10,640) for 5th place. Given his current pace, he will pass Kidd early in the 2020-21 season and Johnson during the 2021-22 season.
-Most MVP awards: LeBron has won 4 MVP awards so far in his career, which ties him with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell for the most all time. He is widely expected to win his 5th MVP award this season, which would give him sole possession of the record.
There are many other records that LeBron James could potentially break in the coming years. With 16 seasons already under his belt, he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. It will be exciting to see what he accomplishes next!
Russell Westbrook
It’s been an amazing season for Russell Westbrook, and he’s been putting up some historic numbers. He’s averaging a triple-double, and he’s on pace to break the record for most triple-doubles in a season. He’s also been extremely efficient, shooting over 50% from the field. Westbrook is also a great defender, and he’s been carrying the Oklahoma City Thunder on his back. There’s no doubt that he deserves to be the MVP.
Averaging a triple double
In the 2016-2017 season, Russell Westbrook became the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1961-1962 to average a triple double over the course of an entire season. He accomplished this feat by averaging 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game. This incredible feat led many to believe that Westbrook was deserving of the MVP award. However, he ultimately lost out to James Harden, who had a historic season himself.
On pace to break NBA records
Entering the 2018-19 season, Russell Westbrook had already established himself as one of the best players in the NBA. He was the reigning MVP, and he had led the league in scoring in two of the previous three seasons. But nobody could have predicted that Westbrook would be on pace to break several NBA records this season.
Westbrook is averaging a triple-double for the third straight season, and he’s on pace to break Oscar Robertson’s single-season record for triple-doubles. He’s also on pace to break Robertson’s career record for triple-doubles, and he could become the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for more than one season.
In addition to his historical statistical accomplishments, Westbrook is also leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to one of the best records in the Western Conference. The Thunder are currently tied for third place in the conference standings, and they appear to be lock for a top-four seed in the playoffs.
With all that said, it’s fair to say that Westbrook is having one of the best seasons in NBA history. And if he continues playing at this high level, he will undoubtedly win his second MVP award.
James Harden
James Harden is one of the best basketball players in the world and he is having an incredible season. He is averaging 36.1 points, 7.5 assists, and 6.6 rebounds per game. He is also shooting 44.2 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from three-point range. He is the clear frontrunner for the MVP award.
Averaging a triple double
James Harden is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected with the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 2012, he was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year with the Thunder, and he helped the team reach the NBA Finals.
In 2015, Harden was traded to Houston. In his first season with the Rockets, he helped lead them to a playoff berth. He became only the sixth player in NBA history to average at least 25 points per game, 7.5 assists per game and 6.0 rebounds per game in a single season.
In 2017-18, James Harden averaged 30.4 points, 8.8 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range. He also became only the third player in NBA history to average at least 25 points and eight assists while shooting better than 35 percent from three-point range in a single season.
On pace to break NBA records
In just his eighth NBA season, Houston Rockets guard James Harden is already one of the most prolific scorers in league history. And he’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Through the first 50 games of 2018-19, Harden is averaging 36.3 points per game, which puts him on pace to become just the sixth player ever to average 35 or more points per game for a full season. He’s also averaging 7.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game, making him just the fourth player ever to average at least 35 points, seven assists and six rebounds per game over the course of a season.
If Harden can keep up his torrid scoring pace, he could end up breaking several NBA records before the season is over. Here’s a look at some of the marks he couldthreaten:
-Most points in a season: Kobe Bryants currently holds the record with 2,832 points scored in 2005-06. Harden would need to average 36.7 points over Houston’s remaining 32 games to surpass that mark.
-Most points per game in a season: Wilt Chamberlain holds the record with a 40.6 point-per-game average in 1961-62. Harden would need to average 34.7 points over Houston’s remaining 32 games to surpass that mark.
-Most 30-point games in a season: Michael Jordan holds the record with 40 30-point games in 1986-87. Harden has already had 38 such games this season and would need just three more to tie Jordan’s mark.
Kawhi Leonard
Leonard has shown that he is one of the best two-way players in the NBA. He can score, shoot, defend, and do it all at a high level. He is the best player on the best team in the league, and he has been the most consistent player this season. Leonard is the MVP.
Averaging a triple double
Kawhi Leonard is averaging a triple double this season with 29.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game. He is also shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range. This is an incredible accomplishment and he is one of the favorites to win the MVP award this season.
On pace to break NBA records
Kawhi Leonard is one of the best players in the NBA, and he’s only getting better. The 27-year-old small forward is averaging a career-high 27.8 points per game, and he’s on pace to become the first player in NBA history to shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 90 percent from the free throw line.
Leonard is also a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and he’s currently leading the league in steals (2.3 per game). He’s a rare talent who seems to have it all, and he’s putting up MVP numbers for a San Antonio Spurs team that is once again one of the best in the Western Conference.
There are a lot of great candidates for this year’s MVP award, but Leonard has to be considered the front-runner at this point. He has everything you want in an MVP: He’s an elite scorer, an excellent defender and he plays for a winning team. Leonard is also playing at an incredibly high level right now, and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis is the current favorite to win the NBA MVP award. He’s been putting up monster numbers all season, and he’s been doing it on a team that’s been one of the best in the league. Davis is a big reason why the Lakers have been as successful as they have, and he deserves to be in the conversation for MVP.
Averaging a triple double
In the 2017-2018 NBA season, Anthony Davis averaged a triple double. He is the only player in the history of the NBA to do so. Davis is a power forward for the New Orleans Pelicans. He was drafted first overall in the 2012 NBA draft by the Pelicans. In his seven seasons in the NBA, Davis has been selected to five All-Star teams and has been named an All-NBA player three times. He is also a two-time blocks leader and a one-time steals leader.
On pace to break NBA records
In just his seventh season, Davis is on pace to break numerous NBA records. He’s averaging 27.7 points, 12 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game, and according to Basketball Reference, Davis is on track to become the first player in NBA history to average at least 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks per game in a season.
Davis has already been named an All-Star starter for the second straight year and is the front-runner to win the MVP award. He’s helped the Pelicans post a 28-21 record and they currently occupy the sixth spot in the Western Conference standings.
