James Harden scored 36.1 points per game last season, the highest-scoring season since Michael Jordan. Harden’s 32-game 30-point streak was the second-longest streak ever. He scored 30 points against every team besides the Rockets.
My favorite Harden stat is just looking at the highest-scoring games of the season:
1. James Harden 61
1. James Harden 61
3. Kemba Walker 60
4. Devin Booker 59
5. James Harden 58
5. James Harden 58
7. James Harden 57
7. James Harden 57
9. LaMarcus Aldridge 56
10. James Harden 54
This was a special season.
So, why did Giannis Antetokounmpo win Most Valuable Player?
“Politics” was suggested to Harden.
Harden on 97.9 The Box:I think once the media, they create a narrative about somebody from the beginning of the year, I think they just take that narrative and run with it the entire year.
I don’t want to get into details. But all I can do is control what I can do, and I went out there and did what I was supposed to do at a high level. You know what I’m saying?
The season, there’s probably only a few seasons where anybody’s ever done that before.
Harden is right. Narrative factors way too much into MVP voting.
Michael Jordan lost 1997 MVP to Karl Malone due to voter fatigue. In 2011, everyone was so mad about The Decision, voters picked Derrick Rose (and Dwight Howard) over LeBron James for MVP. Those results didn’t reflect what actually happened on the court.
As Houston started slow last season, Antetokounmpo became MVP favorite. That early inclination probably had an anchoring effect for final voting.
The most important step in eliminating biases is acknowledging biases. I have railed for years against letting narrative affect award voting. I think MVP should honor the player who had the best season. Nothing more, nothing less. When analyzing candidates, I make a concerted effort to separate superfluous factors like narrative.
I favored Harden a huge chunk of the season. I entered my final review expecting to pick Harden. But I ultimately landed on Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo was excellent offensively – not as good as Harden, but close enough to offset the massive defensive difference. Caught up in Harden’s scoring brilliance, I hadn’t properly appreciated Antetokounmpo’s defense until late in the process.
Harden had a great year. It was widely judged to be the second-best year in the entire NBA. He should be proud of that.
It’s unsurprising he answered this way, though. After all, he he has been enabled by a general manager who once said Harden’s previous runner-up MVP finishes meant maybe the award shouldn’t exist at all.
