Steph Curry vs. James Harden
(Basketball)
(Basketball)
In an effort to make some sense of the wide open 2014-15 MVP race, we’ve taken a look at the top 10 candidates for each and every week of NBA action. Last week, we narrowed our top 10 down to six serious candidates who could actually win the award and four players we needed simply for the sake of rounding out the top 10.
Harden is right behind Curry in the postseason scoring ranks (26.7 points per game), and they both continue to showcase an all-around game that has everything to do with their teams' success (6.8 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game for Curry; 8.0 assists and 4.8 rebounds per for Harden). Both players would likely agree that they need to take better care of the ball (four turnovers per game for Curry, 4.5 per for Harden).
“There’s so many factors. I led the league in total points scored, minutes played. Like I said, I’m not taking anything away from Steph, but I felt I deserved the Most Valuable Player. That stays with me.”-Harden
For years I've marveled at Curry because he literally breaks basketball wisdom. Contested pull-up shots should be low-percentage, spot-up open shots should be high-percentage. Curry shoots 43.2 percent this season on spot-up attempts, via NBA.com. He shoots 44.1 percent on pull-up jumpers. He's literally better shooting off the dribble. With a defender less than two feet from him, he shoots 47.9 percent this year. With that defender 4-6 feet away? 46.5 percent. (He shoots 49 percent with the defender more than six feet away, because, I mean, that's a practice shot.)
We’ve long known that winning the MVP requires more than just being the best player or having the most wins — otherwise Shaq or Duncan would have a few more awards each — it’s a combination of the two, plus all these other factors such as likability and narrative and timing. For Steph Curry, his MVP case has always been more than just his god-like shooting touch or his magical handle and court vision. It’s about the joy Curry brings to the court, to his teammates, to the city. And last night, despite shooting under 50%, turning the ball over six times, and having someone else on his team hit the game winner, Curry’s case still didn’t take a dent because of a dance he did.
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Curry's a mile away on this, and not square up to the basket. And he hits it cold. This isn't a heat check, this is a normal Curry shot.
“Different guys find different ways of motivating themselves,” Curry said (via Comcast Bay Area) on Wednesday when asked about Harden’s remarks. “I’ve never been one to just . . . I’m obviously confident in what I do, and I know he’s confident in what he does. It might come out in a different way.”
After allowing 101.1 points per 100 possessions in their two losses, they allowed just 91.5 points per 100 in the final three games while holding the Grizzlies to 38.2% shooting. That's a group effort, with Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala and others working on the wings and Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green dominating down low.
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry has been the frontrunner for league MVP honors for most of the NBA season, and for good reason. The Warriors are on a franchise-record pace with a 63-15 record, despite recent consecutive losses to the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs, and Curry’s lit up opposing defenses for 23.6 points and 7.7 assists per game. But being the frontrunner does have its drawbacks, as voters will look for any possible chink in their armor, and it appears Curry is slowly losing ground in the MVP race to Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden. According to odds compiled by OddsChecker.com, Curry is still in the lead to claim the first MVP trophy of his career at 2/5, but that number dipped from 1/3 last week. Harden, who’s racking up career-highs in points, assists and steals for the No. 2 seed Rockets, has improved his chances from 13/8 to 11/10 after a string of torrid performances. The latest odds also show Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook has slipped to 13/2 after being 7/2. Cleveland Cavaliers star and four-time MVP LeBron James stands pat at 22/1, while Pelicans All-Star power forward Anthony Davis remains at 100/1. In three games this month, Harden’s exploded for 38.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game, with Houston winning all three matchups to overtake the Memphis Grizzlies for second in the Western Conference. The Warriors have already clinched the conference and home court advantage throughout the postseason, but if Harden keeps up his current pace he could dethrone Curry in the final five games of the regular season. The Rockets have the more difficult schedule, which presents Harden with an opportunity to build his case. Should Harden continue to light it up in home-and-home matchups against the Spurs, historically one of the best defensive teams in the league, and then silence Davis and the Pelicans playoff hopes with a home game on April 12, there could be very little separating him from the MVP. Golden State has four games remaining and all are at Oracle Arena, where they own the best home record in the NBA at 35-2, leaving very few opportunities for Curry to impress voters. MVP Odds Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors, 2/5 James Harden, Houston Rockets 11/10 Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder, 13/2 LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers, 22/1 Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans, 100/1
Harden is right behind Curry in the postseason scoring ranks (26.7 points per game), and they both continue to showcase an all-around game that has everything to do with their teams' success (6.8 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game for Curry; 8.0 assists and 4.8 rebounds per for Harden). Both players would likely agree that they need to take better care of the ball (four turnovers per game for Curry, 4.5 per for Harden).“There’s so many factors. I led the league in total points scored, minutes played. Like I said, I’m not taking anything away from Steph, but I felt I deserved the Most Valuable Player. That stays with me.”-Harden
For years I've marveled at Curry because he literally breaks basketball wisdom. Contested pull-up shots should be low-percentage, spot-up open shots should be high-percentage. Curry shoots 43.2 percent this season on spot-up attempts, via NBA.com. He shoots 44.1 percent on pull-up jumpers. He's literally better shooting off the dribble. With a defender less than two feet from him, he shoots 47.9 percent this year. With that defender 4-6 feet away? 46.5 percent. (He shoots 49 percent with the defender more than six feet away, because, I mean, that's a practice shot.)
We’ve long known that winning the MVP requires more than just being the best player or having the most wins — otherwise Shaq or Duncan would have a few more awards each — it’s a combination of the two, plus all these other factors such as likability and narrative and timing. For Steph Curry, his MVP case has always been more than just his god-like shooting touch or his magical handle and court vision. It’s about the joy Curry brings to the court, to his teammates, to the city. And last night, despite shooting under 50%, turning the ball over six times, and having someone else on his team hit the game winner, Curry’s case still didn’t take a dent because of a dance he did.
Curry's a mile away on this, and not square up to the basket. And he hits it cold. This isn't a heat check, this is a normal Curry shot.
“Different guys find different ways of motivating themselves,” Curry said (via Comcast Bay Area) on Wednesday when asked about Harden’s remarks. “I’ve never been one to just . . . I’m obviously confident in what I do, and I know he’s confident in what he does. It might come out in a different way.”
After allowing 101.1 points per 100 possessions in their two losses, they allowed just 91.5 points per 100 in the final three games while holding the Grizzlies to 38.2% shooting. That's a group effort, with Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala and others working on the wings and Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green dominating down low.
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry has been the frontrunner for league MVP honors for most of the NBA season, and for good reason. The Warriors are on a franchise-record pace with a 63-15 record, despite recent consecutive losses to the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs, and Curry’s lit up opposing defenses for 23.6 points and 7.7 assists per game. But being the frontrunner does have its drawbacks, as voters will look for any possible chink in their armor, and it appears Curry is slowly losing ground in the MVP race to Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden. According to odds compiled by OddsChecker.com, Curry is still in the lead to claim the first MVP trophy of his career at 2/5, but that number dipped from 1/3 last week. Harden, who’s racking up career-highs in points, assists and steals for the No. 2 seed Rockets, has improved his chances from 13/8 to 11/10 after a string of torrid performances. The latest odds also show Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook has slipped to 13/2 after being 7/2. Cleveland Cavaliers star and four-time MVP LeBron James stands pat at 22/1, while Pelicans All-Star power forward Anthony Davis remains at 100/1. In three games this month, Harden’s exploded for 38.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game, with Houston winning all three matchups to overtake the Memphis Grizzlies for second in the Western Conference. The Warriors have already clinched the conference and home court advantage throughout the postseason, but if Harden keeps up his current pace he could dethrone Curry in the final five games of the regular season. The Rockets have the more difficult schedule, which presents Harden with an opportunity to build his case. Should Harden continue to light it up in home-and-home matchups against the Spurs, historically one of the best defensive teams in the league, and then silence Davis and the Pelicans playoff hopes with a home game on April 12, there could be very little separating him from the MVP. Golden State has four games remaining and all are at Oracle Arena, where they own the best home record in the NBA at 35-2, leaving very few opportunities for Curry to impress voters. MVP Odds Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors, 2/5 James Harden, Houston Rockets 11/10 Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder, 13/2 LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers, 22/1 Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans, 100/1
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