Who is your NBA MVP?

Who is your mvp of the 2016-2017 season?

Mine would have to be Russell Westbrook, although I'm starting to have some regret in that decision. I think it's amazing that he is able to accomplish the feat of averaging a triple double, especially in this era, but he's also doing it in such a way that incriminates himself. He is second to worst in turnovers per game (James Harden leads) and he is shooting 42% overall (this is not good), and his team is a 6th seed.

- Oscar Robertson did not win MVP the season in which he averaged a triple double while scoring 30+ ppg.
- No MVP has ever won while being a 6th seed.
- No MVP has ever won while averaging such a low shooting percentage.

These reasons give me cause for pause. James Harden is having a great season as well, but he's slipped significantly following his wrist injury. The next following candidates would most likely be Kawhi Leonard, then Lebron James.

 

Bump.

 

I haven't really followed Harden/Leonard enough to compare them in an educated fashion but I think I read OKC is 30-11 or around there when Westbrook records a triple double, so while he expends a lot of resources (to a detriment) at times to attain these triple doubles, they are winning a high percentage of the games he gets a triple double in. So that would seem to show that without Westbrook on OKC, there's zero chance in hell that is a playoff team (obvious but it's relevant in MVP type discussion). OKC has been pretty horrendously managed. It's pretty laughable how many pieces they have let get away for virtually nothing in return. I also think the 6 seed gets a little bit of a pass given it is in the Western Conference. OKC is probably good enough with Russ to get a much higher seed in the Eastern Conference.

There's a big difference between the best player in the league (Lebron, obviously) and the most valuable player (Westbrook IMO). Though..in all honesty this Cavs team would be a complete joke without Lebron. Lebron literally transcends a team and franchise IMMEDIATELY (Westbrook is very good but not transcending a franchise good IMO). So I don't even know. I've never been a guy that gets too upset by the individual awards in sports. Would be cool to see Russell get rewarded for his loyalty to OKC, loyalty in this age of the NBA is pretty much gone.

 

Westbrook pretty much sealed the MVP race with his performance at Denver.