This past season, Houston Rockets star shooting guard James Harden won the MVP trophy for the first time in his career. He nearly won the award in a number of recent years, but was always edged out due to something spectacular a player ahead of him did. This time, Harden won over the voters.
While many expressed their congratulations to Harden for the feat, some players feel that Harden should’ve already won the award. It’s no surprise that Harden’s former Rockets teammate, current LA Clippers guard Patrick Beverley, feels that this should’ve been Harden’s second or third MVP award, not his first.
“I honestly thought he should’ve got it the last two or three years,” Beverley said.
Beverley on Harden finally winning MVP: “I honestly thought he should’ve got it the last 2 or 3 years.” pic.twitter.com/08h5kwXzIX
— Matthew Cardenas (@CardenasMaLWOS) July 17, 2018
He’s not necessarily wrong about this. Harden has been an absolute beast for the past five years and he narrowly missed out on the award last season. Unfortunately for Harden, Russell Westbrook’s triple-double average during the 2016-17 season after losing superstar Kevin Durant was more than enough to persuade the voters despite Harden having a better season by a number of advanced statistics.
Before that, Harden’s great 2015-16 season was overlooked thanks to Stephen Curry leading his Golden State Warriors to an NBA record 73-9 regular season record before blowing a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.
Beverley doesn’t hold back how he feels about his former teammate, but he doesn’t throw any shade at any other MVP winners. In reality, the difference between the guys at the very top of the voting is often marginal. A great case can usually be made for any of the top two or three vote-getters and Harden has been no different until this year. He’s finished top five in voting four of the last six years. The two years he didn’t finish top five, he was still in the top 10.
Harden’s been one of the best players in the league for quite some time. Beverley isn’t providing a wild sound bite or any sort of hot take. He’s just telling the truth.
The post Patrick Beverley doesn’t think this year’s MVP should’ve been James Harden’s first appeared first on ClutchPoints.
