Stephen Curry? James Harden? Russell Westbrook? LeBron James? All four candidates have made their case. Curry and Harden have been the top two players in the NBA all season, while Westbrook and James overcame injuries only to come back and heat up the discussion.
They are all top-five scorers to this point. Harden, Westbrook, and James comprise the top three, averaging 27.1, 26.5, and 26.2 points-per-game, respectively. Curry is fifth with an average of 23.9, but also leads the league in steals (2.1). His ability to assist remains strong, although it is often overshadowed by the Golden State Warriors' ability to move the ball well as a team. Nonetheless, Curry dishes out 7.8 assists per game. He is on the best team in the league and has certainly made his case for MVP. The Warriors would not be where they are today without their five-year point guard. He is shooting 41.2 percent from three-point range and nearly 50 percent from the field. His 37-point performance against the Boston Celtics gave the Warriors a come-from-behind victory after being down 26. He dropped 51 points against the Dallas Mavericks last month, hitting 10 of 16 shots from three-point range. While it was just the second time Curry scored over 40 points in a single game this season, it was the tenth time he went over the 30-point mark. Curry is a lock to score in double figures each time he takes the court, but has only recorded 13 double-doubles this season. One of the more exciting players in the league, the smooth-handed baller has made his case.
James Harden has been steady all season, while the Houston Rockets have played extraordinarily well without Dwight Howard. Harden is the league's leading scorer and has been a top candidate for the MVP throughout the season. He has played well all around, averaging 6.9 assists and 5.8 rebounds-both career bests. Harden is a uniquely shifty player who specializes in driving the lane and drawing contact. The Beard goes to the line more than any player in the league, but he does not need to rely on that to be successful. His scoring ability has been on display from all over the court. Harden has surpassed the 30-point mark 23 times in 59 games this season and dropped over 40 points on six separate occasions. The Rockets are flying like astronauts in the Western Conference mostly due to their bearded captain.
A four-time NBA MVP, LeBron James has battled many of the same issues in his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. While the team boosted their roster, four years away from home did not result in as much change as James may have expected. The Cavaliers have been a much different team without him on the floor. Out of 11 games James missed this season, the Cavaliers won only two. The 30 year-old has visibly aged but, while he has not recorded a triple-double all season, he has 17 double-doubles in a variety of ways. James has scored 30 or more points 18 times and three of those were part of a double-double effort. The Cavaliers continue to rely on him heavily and he has continued to produce, much like he has his entire career.
Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook has recorded three triple-doubles in a row, making his total five for the season. In the month of February, Westbrook averaged 31.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 10.3 assists. He has six games to go before catching Wilt Chamberlain for most consecutive games with a triple-double, but Westbrook put himself next to Oscar Robertson with his performance in February. He began his triple-double streak in a win against the Indiana Pacers-a game in which he played 28 minutes. Westbrook sat out the last game for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but scored 40 points while tallying 13 rebounds and 11 assists against the Portland Trail Blazers in his last game played. The All-Star MVP has silenced any critic who doubted his ability as a point guard. Although he is averaging over 20 shots per game, Westbrook has shared the rock. A lot. He is averaging 8.1 assists per game and approached 20 assists in a single game on several occasions. The six-year veteran tallied 17 against the Denver Nuggets at the end of February and dished out 16 against the Warriors in a 17-16-15 triple-double effort. Without Kevin Durant, Westbrook has taken the reins by storm, moving right to the front of the MVP conversation. He will attempt to record his fourth consecutive triple-double against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.
Each of these players leads their team in points as well as assists. Out of the four, Westbrook averages the most assists and also grabs the most rebounds. Playing without the reigning MVP by his side, Westbrook has carried the Thunder back into the playoffs after missing an early portion of the season. To this point, he is the most fitting candidate for the award. You may think his recent explosion is deceiving, but check the stat sheet-Russ has been doing this all season.