NBA Awards Watch: Final MVP Pick For 2014-15

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Feb 27, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) reacts after making a basket during the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Toyota Center. The Rockets defeated the Nets 102-98. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

Signature Games

We’ll keep this as short as possible. Most recently, Harden dropped 41 points, six rebounds and six assists on Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were desperate for a win to stay in the playoff mix. Four days before that, he was busy dropping a career-high 51 points (not to mention eight rebounds and six assists) on the Sacramento Kings.

About a week before, Harden dropped a 44-7-4 stat line on the Indiana Pacers’ defense, even more impressive considering how desperate they’ve been over the last month for wins. Four days before that, Harden had put up a then-career-high 50 points (plus 10 boards) against the Denver Nuggets.

I can keep going. Two weeks before that, he put up a 38-12-12 triple-double in a win over the Detroit Pistons. Two weeks prior to that triple-double, Harden had slapped up a 31-11-10 on the Minnesota Timberwolves, knocking down clutch jumpers over the stellar defense of rookie Andrew Wiggins in an enjoyable shooting guard showdown.

A few weeks before THAT, he finished with 40 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in a big win over the Phoenix Suns, helping his team overcome a fourth quarter deficit by scoring 20 points in the final period and taking over the game. Two nights before, he had put up a 45-9-8 line on the Portland Trail Blazers.

But that’s not all! In a 33-10-6 performance against the Phoenix Suns in late January, the Beard also knocked in the game-winner over P.J. Tucker and Isaiah Thomas, prompting one of many (awesome) “The Dance Never Ends” commercials.

If you still want more, he put up a 31-10-9 on the Thunder in mid-January, and recorded his first triple-double of the season against the Nuggets on Dec. 13. Simply put, the Beard has been game for absurd stat lines all season long.

None of this is meant to diminish what Curry has done this season, but it’s a simple fact: when you demolish teams in three quarters, your final stat lines don’t look as great.

That’s not to say he hasn’t had his fair share of signature games. He was superb in the game that “won” him the MVP race, when he scored 45 points on 17-of-13 shooting (8-of-13 from downtown) against the Portland Trail Blazers. He also broke the NBA’s single season record (his own record) for three-pointers in the process:

A few weeks prior, he demoralized a Phoenix Suns team that was still competitive with 36-6-5, scoring 15 of Golden State’s 16 points in one spurt to put the road game away for good. There was the time he helped the Dubs cap off a monumental comeback against the Boston Celtics with 37 points in 38 minutes.

He matched Harden’s career-high 51 points with a season-high 51 against the Dallas Mavericks in early February. He finished with a 34-9-7 stat line against the Oklahoma City Thunder, he dropped a 40-7-6 on the Miami Heat, and he matched Harden’s game-winner with one of his own against the Orlando Magic on Dec. 2 (prompting his own commercial).

That being said, Curry didn’t have the same number of memorable games that Harden did this season. That feels odd to say it about the player who lit up Twitter this season, but it’s true. Curry may have been more signature moments, but we’ll get to that. In terms of memorable games with jaw-dropping stat lines, nobody except perhaps Russell Westbrook has the advantage over Harden.

Advantage: Harden

Next: Signature Moves