Houston Rockets: 3 takeaways from red-hot February
2. James Harden is the runaway favorite for MVP
Through the first four months of the season, James Harden has managed to showcase that he is truly in a league of his own.
The 28-year-old guard — who finished as the runner-up in the MVP race in two out of the past three seasons — is averaging 30.8 points, 7.9 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game in his last 10 games for Clutch City.
He not only leads the league in scoring, but also in Player Efficiency Rating, Value Over Replacement Player, box plus-minus and win shares. The six-time All-Star, who missed seven games nursing a strained left hamstring last month, has picked up his MVP campaign exactly where he left off, continuing to show why he is regarded as one of the game’s most toughest covers.
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"“James is so tough because he gets to the foul line 10 times a game,” Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said to reporters following the Rockets’ 119-114 victory against Denver on Sunday. “He can get to the basket. His assist numbers are off the charts. And he can make very, very tough step-back 3s — even when you contest them.” “That’s the tough thing about guarding him, because he can beat you with his scoring and his playmaking.”"
While players such as Anthony Davis have begun to garner consideration for the league’s highest individual honor over the last week, Harden should be the consensus favorite to finally take home the Maurice Podoloff Trophy. In just a single season of work, the Beard has managed to accomplish feats that most never attain.
Earlier this season, Harden became the first player since Michael Jordan to score 50 points or more on 25 shots or less, posting 56 points on 19-for-25 shooting from the field to help propel the Rockets to a 137-110 win against the Utah Jazz on Nov. 5.
He also notched the first 60-point triple-double in league history against the Orlando Magic last month. Harden is currently in line to become the first player since Bill Walton to win both an NBA MVP award and a Sixth Man of the Year award in his career.