James Harden has been second on the NBA’s MVP ballot in each of the last two seasons. Right now, he’s playing like someone determined to turn his runner-up status into a first-place finish. And that makes sense.
Who wouldn’t want to prioritize winning the Maurice Podoloff Trophy when they’ve come so very close to snagging it through each of the past two years? It’s not like Harden’s pursuit is hurting the Houston Rockets or anything. They profile as one of the league’s three best squads. He’s balling out. His MVP hunt and their success do not have to be mutually exclusive.
But Harden isn’t thinking about the individual race. He wants to win a title more than anything, per ESPN.com’s Tim MacMahon:
James Harden was asked if he’s looking to win MVP. “I’m looking to win the championship this year. That’s all of our goal. It’s a buildup. Every day is a grind. There’s going to be some ups and some downs, but as long as we’ve got our eyes on the bigger prize, we’ll be all good.”
Admirable, if predictable, response. Fans and front offices always want to hear their franchise player touting the larger aim over the personalized one.
Of course, the Harden-for-MVP talk isn’t going anywhere. He’s averaging a league-leading 31.7 points and 9.7 assists per game, on superior efficiency compared to last season, in a year through which Chris Paul’s arrival was supposed to help him shoulder less of a burden. But his backcourt running mate missed most of the year with a knee injury, and Harden had to pick up the slack—which he did. And he’s still doing it. The Rockets are thriving with Paul back on the court, destroying opponents per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com, but Harden is the straw stirring their offensive drink.
Maybe his scoring dips. His assist totals, too. But if the Rockets finish with a top-three record and he mirrors last year’s performance, with better efficiency, despite a semi-significant roster overhaul, he should have the juice to transcend LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo and whoever else factors into this year’s MVP race.
