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NBA Awards Watch: Why Isn’t James Harden The MVP Favorite Again?

By Gerald Bourguet

Feb 10, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) points to the sky against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Rockets won 127-118. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 10, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) points to the sky against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Rockets won 127-118. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 8, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) smiles after a play during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. The Trail Blazers defeated the Rockets 109-98. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

6. LaMarcus Aldridge

46 games, 36.2 MPG, 23.7 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.2 BPG, .466/.431/.870 shooting, 22.7 PER

Last week: 5 (⇓1)

The Portland Trail Blazers won two of their three games in the past week, somewhat putting a stop to their recent skid that had them sliding all the way to fourth in the Western Conference standings — and it would’ve been further down if the Northwest Division leader wasn’t guaranteed a top-four spot simply for being a division leader.

However, with Damian Lillard‘s shot still fluctuating all over the place, Aldridge has continued to be the source of consistency for the Blazers. He put up 19 and 13 in a win over the Phoenix Suns, led Portland with 25 points and 14 boards in that devastating overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks and added a 24-5-2-2-2 stat line in a win over Houston to close the week out.

However, Aldridge’s MVP stock has to take a hit this week. It’s not because he had a bad week, but the Memphis Grizzlies have been so good recently it felt wrong to NOT have Marc Gasol in the top five. Since Portland would need to win the West for Aldridge to have a real case here, moving him down one spot doesn’t feel like too much of a travesty.

Next: No. 5 - Big Spain