Harden's narrative has been slowly getting better. I am starting to see him placed in the top 3-4 players in the league consistently. He is one ring away this year from taking over Durant and Curry. Can't wait to watch it all unfold.
The AS MVP is the kick-off to the LeBron 4 MVP campaign. If the Cavs go on a huge run with the new players and Harden starts dipping, I could see some voters deciding to vote for LeBron.
http://www.espn.com/fantasy/basketb...-hoops-anyone-unseat-james-harden-fantasy-mvp Fantasy hoops: Can anyone unseat James Harden as the fantasy MVP? James Harden tops the Player Rater (averages) thus far, but which players are capable of unseating him? Jesse Johnson-USA 10:51 AM CT ESPN.com staff Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, we pose a question to a panel of ESPN fantasy basketball experts to gauge their thoughts on a hot topic. Today's contributors are ESPN Fantasy's Joe Kaiser, Jim McCormick and Kyle Soppe. As we get set for the stretch run of the fantasy season, James Harden sits atop the Player Rater (averages). Which player is most likely to unseat Harden as the most valuable fantasy option for the remainder of the season? Joe Kaiser: Anthony Davis is that guy for me. In the final three games leading up to the All-Star break, he averaged 41.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 1.3 steals and 1.7 3-pointers per game. We know he's capable of huge nights as a shot-blocker and just about the only fault in his game is his lack of assists, an area where Harden will always have a distinct advantage. If Davis can stay healthy, and that's always a big question, he has a chance to leapfrog Harden on a Pelicans team that needs him to score and rebound even more in the absence of DeMarcus Cousins. Jim McCormick: I'll take The Brow over The Beard. Since DeMarcus Cousins was injured in late January against Harden's Rockets, Davis leads the NBA with 23.2 shots per game and is the centerpiece of New Orleans' offense. We also find Davis feasting on the glass sans Cousins; he's consumed 40.5 percent more rebounding chances (being within 3.5 feet of an available rebound) since Cousins Perhaps most pivotal to his case as the top fantasy asset however, is the fact that Davis is fifth in the league in blocks and third in steals over his last nine games. With such a rare blend of volume and efficiency, Davis is the top fantasy option for the next two months. Kyle Soppe: I don't think anyone does it, but if someone is going to make the move, it's got to be LeBron James. During the Cavaliers' modest four game win streak, The King has been a triple double threat on a nightly basis while taking over 21 shots a game. We know he has the ability to be uber-efficient and the fact that he is having fun only raises his ceiling. And let's not forget the Cavaliers have some seeding incentive to stay hot, as they will want to avoid having to go through both Boston and Toronto in the postseason. With all that mind, I'm thinking we get peak LeBron sooner than later. It's Harden's crown to lose, but these two are closer than they appear.
He's also finished top 6 in win shares for 7 years in a row. Including his last season in OKC. 6th (2012 OKC) 4th (2013) 5th (2014) 1st (2015) 6th (2016, on a "broken" 41 win team). 1st (2017) 1st (2018)
Yeah he's close. He's gonna catapult into another level of superstardum if he wins the championship this year. A lot of people are turning around now, despite what you hear from the media.
Who can catch James Harden in the race for NBA MVP? Category 1: Filling up the box score [...] Category 1 rankings 1. Harden 2. Antetokounmpo 3. Westbrook 4. Davis 5. James Category 2: Taking it to the next level [...] Category 2 rankings 1. Harden 2. Antetokounmpo 3. Butler 4. James 5. Curry Category 3: Got wins? [...] Category 3 rankings 1. Harden 2. Paul 3. Curry 4. Durant 5. DeRozan Category 4: What's the story? [...] Category 4 rankings 1. Harden 2. James 3. Irving 4. DeRozan 5. Antetokounmpo Overall MVP rankings: Harden No. 1 With only 25 games remaining in the season, Harden has built a sound MVP candidacy that should satisfy traditionalists, stat-heads and voters who like to honor a trajectory of career improvement. Although he isn't a high-percentage shooter by basic measures, he compensates for any shortcomings at the foul line and behind the arc -- and with strong peripherals. Any MVP contender who wants to challenge Harden in earnest should be prepared to rip off a historic, seven-week run of basketball. Top 12 rankings 1. Harden 2. Antetokounmpo 3. James 4. Curry 5. Durant 6. Butler 7. Paul 8. Davis 9. Westbrook 10. Irving 11. DeRozan 12. Lowry
