We’re one month into the new season and some people are
still talking about whether Stephen Curry or James Harden was last year’s most
valuable player. Add the fact that James Harden won the MVP award from the NBPA
Awards and you’ve got a controversy that just refuses to die.
Now, whenever people talk about MVP candidates, the
conversation inevitably turns into personal production. And why shouldn’t it?
After all, the Most Valuable Player Award of the NBA is defined as the award
that goes to the “best performing player of the regular season”. So,
simplistically, the player with the best stat line should win the Most Valuable
Player Award.
The problem starts when you have to evaluate what seem to be
equally sterling regular season performances against each other. Take, for
example, the top three vote getters for the NBA MVP in 2014-2015.
PLAYER
|
PPG
|
APG
|
RPG
|
STEALS
|
THREES
|
3P%
|
FT%
|
Stephen Curry
|
23.8
|
7.7
|
4.3
|
2.4
|
286 (NBA record)
|
44.3
|
91.4
|
James Harden
|
27.4
|
7
|
5.7
|
1.9
|
208
|
37.5
|
87
|
Lebron James
|
25.3
|
7.4
|
6
|
1.6
|
120
|
35.4
|
71
|
Now, while eventual MVP winner Stephen Curry has a distinct
edge in three pointers made, three-point percentage and free throw percentage
and a slight edge in assists per game and steals per game, are those really
enough to say that he was the clear cut most valuable player among the three?
