James Harden of the Houston Rockets plays against the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills on November 21, 2016 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. (Photo : Getty Images/Gregory Shamus)
The 2016-2017 National Basketball Association's Most Valuable Player race has been mainly dominated by Houston Rockets' James Harden and Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook. There is still a large debate on who deserves to win since Westbrook is averaging a triple-double while Harden is the main reason why the Rockets are a success. Here are the top five MVP contenders:
1. James Harden, Houston Rockets
Although 'The Beard' is edged by Westbrook by averaging a triple-double, Harden's average of 28.9 points, a league-leading 11.6 assists and 8.3 rebounds is just as impressive. Houston has no All-Star players other than Harden but is on a track to 60 wins largely because of Harden's MVP-caliber performance. In NBA.com's Race to the MVP Ladder, Harden has maintained his place at the top spot.
2. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Westbrook is norming a league-leading 30.6 points, 10.6 boards and 10.4 boards and is on his way to duplicate what has not been done since Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double in the 1961-1962 season. However, the Thunder are hanging for dear life at seventh place in the Western Conference and should add another asset if they want to advance to the playoffs.
3. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
At 32 years old, 'The King' is still playing at a high level. Since the return of James to the Cavs, Cleveland has turned to an instant title contender and it still is today at it is touted to win the East for the third straight year. He is averaging 25.6 points, 8.1 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game.
4. Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
Aiming to be the best small man to play in the NBA, the former 60th pick is exceeding expectations. Not only is he having the best career of his life averaging 28.7 points, 6.0 assists and 2.7 boards but his Boston Celtics are considered the best dark horse team in the East. He has scored 20 points or more in 26 consecutive games according to ESPN Stats.
5. Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
When KD came back to Oklahoma City for the first time since joining the Warriors, he showed what the Thunder are missing after dropping 40 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks on Wednesday. He is averaging 26.2 points, 8.6 boards and 4.7 dishes to help Golden State retain the top spot in the league with a 36-6 record.
Watch the video below for Chris Broussard's comments on the NBA MVP race:
