NBA MVP Race: 3 keys to James Harden’s MVP case
By Duncan Smith
Key No. 2 to James Harden’s candidacy in the NBA MVP race: The field is wide open
Unfortunately, injuries have been the hallmark for this NBA season so far. Joel Embiid and LeBron James are both currently sidelined with injuries that will continue to hold them out for a while. In addition to injuries, the quick turnaround from last season to this seems to have played havoc with some teams, like the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks, who had high expectations coming into the campaign.
In the preseason, Luka Doncic was the MVP favorite but he got off to a slow start and his Mavs were no different. They’ve gotten their own acts together in recent weeks but are still eighth in the Western Conference with a 22-19 record.
The Denver Nuggets had similar expectations and Nikola Jokic has been spectacular since the beginning of the season, but they’re 25-17 and sit fifth in the West.
Between injuries and disappointing first halves of the season, Harden has provided the most winning and consistency of anybody on the board. We’ll see over the season’s final couple of months whether that maintains at a high enough level for him to seal the deal.