NBA Awards Watch: Week 19

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This is week 19 of the 2013-14 regular season edition of HoopsHabit’s NBA Awards Watch. Throughout the season, we cover the potential winners for each award. Make sure to check back every Monday for the up-to-date projections. All statistics are from Basketball-Reference.com.

Most Valuable Player

Mar 6, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Kevin Durant–

31.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 5.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, FT % 87.1

2. LeBron James–

27.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 6.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, FT % 74.6

3. James Harden–

24.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.5 SPG, FT % 85.2

Going back the last five years (except for the 2010-11 shortened season) the MVP went to a player on the team with the best record. The Thunder and Heat have the third and fourth best records in the league, respectively. Durant has averaged 33.6 PPG over the last five games while James has gone cold since his career-high 61 points against the Bobcats. The race right now is neck and neck between the two, but Harden’s surge has the Rockets sitting only two and a half games back of the Spurs for the top seed in the conference. The Rockets also have the best record in the league since Jan. 1 at 23-6. Harden’s numbers the last 11 games: 29.8 PPG and 7.1 APG, including one of his most complete games of the season against the Trail Blazers, 41 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, six steals and seven made three pointers.