In what could be a sign of a thawing relationship between the two MVPs, Antetokounmpo named Harden as the NBA’s hardest player to guard.
In an Instagram Q&A, reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo named Rockets star James Harden as the NBA’s hardest player to guard.
“I’ve got to go with James Harden,” the 6-foot-11 forward said after pausing several seconds to consider his options.
The comment may signal a thawing of an occasionally frosty relationship between the last two MVP winners. The Milwaukee star appeared to throw shade in Harden’s direction before and after the 2020 All-Star Game, and Harden clapped back in his own interview later that month.
But when told of the Houston guard’s comments, Antetokounmpo denied that he was targeting Harden and tried to diffuse the situation.
Antetokounmpo and Harden rank first and third, respectively, in a 2019-20 MVP straw poll released earlier this week by ESPN. The 25-year-old Antetokounmpo is averaging 29.6 points (54.7% shooting) and 13.7 rebounds in 30.9 minutes per game for the Bucks this season.
"There's not back and forth. … At the end of the day, if that's what [James Harden] believes, that's what he believes."
Harden currently leads the league with a 34.3 points per game scoring average, which represents just the third time in over 30 years that an NBA player has averaged at least 34 points in a season. (The other two were Harden’s 36.1 last season and Kobe Bryant’s 35.4 in 2005-06.)
However, the team results for the Rockets (40-24) aren’t as strong as they are for the Bucks (53-12), which largely explains Harden’s current placement behind Antetokounmpo. Now 30 years old, Harden has finished first or second in MVP voting in four of the last five seasons.
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Harden and Antetokounmpo were scheduled to meet head-to-head earlier this week, but the March 25 showdown was postponed amid the NBA’s coronavirus-induced suspension of the 2019-20 season. If the COVID-19 outbreak subsides enough for the season to resume, it is unclear whether that matchup will be re-scheduled.
If it is not, the only potential meeting left this season between the Houston and Milwaukee stars would be in a hypothetical NBA Finals.
Giannis Antetokounmpo says LeBron James paved the way for next generation of NBA stars by showing how you can still be a superstar and MVP candidate at age 35.
Giannis Antetokounmpo went for 29 points, 12 rebounds and six assists during the Milwaukee Bucks 119-100 win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday. After the contest, LeBron James’ co-captain in this year’s All-Star game spoke about the impact LeBron has had on him and the next generation of NBA stars.
The Greek Freak said it’s amazing to see the level that LeBron is playing at right now as a top-3 player in the league at the age of 35. He added that LeBron’s success in year 17 of his NBA career is something that inspires the 25-year-old Giannis to take care of his body and continue to improve his game so he can make a similar impact a decade from now.
Giannis on inspired by LeBron: “It’s amazing. He’s 35 and playing at a high level. He just leads the path for us. A lot of times we think that ‘Ok, we’re going to retire at 35, but seeing a guy at 35, being still top-3 best player in the world, that makes us want to be there.” pic.twitter.com/47Qf4Ixgba
“A lot of times we think that ‘Ok, we’re going to retire at 35. But seeing a guy at 35, being still top-3 best player in the world, that makes us want to be there.
“It makes me want to be there one day. So, I gotta keep taking care of my body, eating the right way, being healthy. And as I said, he paved the way. So hopefully we can just follow him.”
The latest NBA future odds at BetOnline have Giannis favored to win the MVP award this season at -700. LeBron has the next best chance of brining home what would be his fifth MVP award at +800. James is followed by Luka Doncic (+1000), James Harden (+1200) and fellow Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis (+2500).
LeBron and Giannis also currently own the best records in their respective conferences. The Bucks have the best overall mark at 53-9 while the Lakers are setting the pace in the Western Conference at 47-13.
New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry says that he is amazed they talk about anybody other than LeBron James for MVP this season.
We are entering the final few laps of the NBA MVP race with LeBron James in contention to earn the fifth MVP award of his career when the checkered flags eventually fly. Among the other superstars competing for the top step on the podium are Luka Doncic, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden with Giannis Antetokounmpo setting the pace at the moment according to most pundits. But you can count New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry among those who believe LeBron will ultimately cross the finish line first.
While leading the league in assists (10.6) and guiding the Los Angeles Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference, James is averaging 25.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. If not for the 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists offered by Giannis, the MVP trophy may already be on LeBron’s mantle. But despite the monster numbers and potentially 70-plus wins that Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks could finish with, Gentry says this year’s MVP is LeBron James.
“I’m just amazed that they talk about anybody other than him for MVP,” Gentry said in reference to LeBron. “That’s what he does. Every team that he’s been to, every team that he’s gone, they have the chance to win the championship.
“So to me, I’m not sure what the definition of MVP is, but he makes everyone on his team better. And he makes it difficult for everybody playing him.”
In four games against Gentry’s Pelicans this season, LeBron is averaging 30 points, 11.3 assists and 8.3 rebounds. Next up for James and the Lakers is a potential NBA Finals preview with the Bucks on Friday when The Greek Freak and his Eastern Conference leading squad visits the Staples Center. The must-see matchup which will be broadcasted nationally on ESPN could go a long way in deciding the MVP race–even if Gentry’s decision is already made.
Gallinari told reporters Sunday he believes Paul is “definitely the MVP, no doubt”, citing his leadership and ability to control a game.
There’s a reason that Oklahoma City has been so successful this season.
Yes, they have a budding star in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and yes, their three point-guard rotation makes them extremely difficult to defend.
They also have about eight different players that can go for double figures on any given night (sometimes, all the same night) and five that are capable of taking over a game.
But the key difference for the Thunder in their first season without Russell Westbrook hasn’t been any of those things. It’s been the leadership from the guy they traded Westbrook for – Chris Paul.
Dennis Schroder alluded to it back in February, saying that there was a “different vibe” in the locker room this season.
Danilo Gallinari took it a step further on Sunday, telling reporters he thinks that Paul is “the best leader I’ve played with” when asked about making the case for Paul as the league MVP.
“He’s definitely the MVP no doubt. His leadership … I’ve played with a lot of players in my 12 years in the league, I think he’s the best leader that I’ve played with. And I think that when you want to find the MVP, leadership is one of the first things you need to talk about.”
Danilo Gallinari on Chris Paul: “I’ve played with a lot of players in my 12 years in the league. I think he’s the best leader that I’ve played with.” pic.twitter.com/JxIfg3VCmr
Gallo then expanded on what makes Paul such a great leader:
“He’s smart, he knows the game. He knows how to talk to each and every one of us. He knows how to manage the pace of the game. Other than the fact that he’s a great talent, amazing talent, all these things make him a great leader.”
Granted, Gallinari wasn’t in Oklahoma City for the Westbrook years. But he’s an 11-year veteran. He’s been around the league with the Knicks, Nuggets, and Clippers before landing in OKC. So he’s seen a lot and played with a lot of guys.
Schroder and Gallinari aren’t the only ones talking about Paul’s leadership.
Scottie Pippen brought it up on a recent episode of The Jump, citing Paul’s leadership as the primary reason that Oklahoma City has exceeded expectations this season and why he believes this year’s Thunder team is better than the 2018-19 team, despite Sam Presti trading away both Westbrook and Paul George during the offseason.
Rockets star James Harden says the unique coverages drawn up by other teams for him are evidence of why he’s the league’s best player.
In an interview known most for his apparent verbal jab at reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Houston Rockets star James Harden is also making headlines for declaring himself as the NBA’s best player.
That’s nothing new or surprising, of course. Confidence comes with the territory of being among the league’s elite, and Harden has led the NBA in scoring for three straight seasons. Earlier this year, retired legend Dwyane Wade referred to Harden as one of the “greatest ever.”
But what’s new in Harden’s latest interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols is the explanation. Though Harden doesn’t rank at the top of most MVP lists this season by media members, he says he has respect where it matters most — in the form of game plans by opposing coaches.
Harden explains:
I feel like I’m the best player. Throughout the course of the year, I don’t see double-teams of anybody else. Maybe Dame [Lillard] when he’s going on an amazing stretch, but usually you see a double team after you have a 50-point night or a 60-point night. If I have an 18-point night, the next night I’m seeing a double team, which is pretty cool.
The NBA’s never seen it before at halfcourt, so I’m just trying to figure out ways to be great in that. But you don’t see another player that’s getting double-teamed. It’s totally different than any other player in this league, or probably that’s ever been.
Harden also said he was very confident in his ability to lead the Rockets to the 2020 NBA championship, just as he did in November.
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One positive sign of late for Harden is that the double teams are becoming harder to execute, now that Houston’s permanent switch to a smaller lineup has provided additional floor spacing and driving lanes.
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In his last three games — all Houston victories by double digits — Harden is averaging 35.0 points per game on incredible efficiency, shooting 56.3% from the field and 50.0% on 3-pointers. He’s also tallied 6.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game during that run.
Regarding the smaller lineup, Harden said:
It gives us more spacing to get to the rim and create opportunities for our teammates.
Granted, Clint [Capela] was great for us these last few years. I’m proud of him, the way he grew as a player and as a person. Now he has another opportunity in Atlanta. But it’s more spacing, and it’s more opportunities for our guards to drive and be able to attack the rim, and then we get shooters. So, it’s pretty cool.
Led by Harden, the Rockets (38-20) have won five consecutive games and eight of their last 10 overall. They return to action Saturday night at Boston (41-17), with tip-off from TD Garden scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Central. The game will be televised nationally on ABC.
The Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden beef may have come to a head today, but it’s been a long time coming. All the signs were there and they were pretty obvious — it’s surprising we didn’t catch on sooner.
At the end of a Bucks vs. Rockets game where the Rockets were winning pretty handily, Antetokounmpo and Harden got tangled up and Harden was called for an offensive foul.
Giannis had some words for him and, uh, they didn’t look too kind. Plus he smacked the ball out of Harden’s hands like a six year old.
It looked like Harden was ready to go right then and there. Until Larry Sanders stepped in anyway.
Is this when the two future MVPs realized they just don’t like each other? Before all the MVP’s and All-Star appearances and everything else, there was this.
And we know James Harden is a member of “GIANNIS DON’T HAVE NO BAG” Twitter. We should’ve seen this coming, y’all. We should’ve known.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum could very well be the best player on the team, even if he is just 21-years-old.
This year has been one of wonders for Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, the 21-year-old St. Louis native who many have pegged to be the face of the Celtics for years to come.
In many ways, Tatum appears to be the next coming of Paul Pierce for Boston, earning his first All-Star appearance in what’s his third season (Pierce earned his first All-Star appearance in his fourth season) and being one of three players to average over 20.0 points per game for the Celtics but leading the team in total points, rebounds and steals. His scoring prowess, long-held as the best aspect of his game, is now nearly matched by his growth as a defender.
His confidence, which has never seemed to wane, has led to the Duke product giving himself high expectations.
Ones that he’s lived up to in 2019-20.
The sky appears to be the ceiling for Tatum and he’s already flying high, particularly when seeing that he’s now emerged as a dark horse MVP candidate.
On NBA.com’s NBA MVP Ladder, Tatum is now ranked 9th, sandwiched between Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis and Houston Rockets superstar Russell Westbrook. Fellow All-Star Kemba Walker isn’t even ranked as high as he is right now.
The third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Tatum has yet to reach the peak of his powers but he’s already well on his way to establishing himself as a perennial All-Star.
It’s unlikely that Tatum will win NBA MVP with the success of Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. The impressive seasons that the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James, along with the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard have had also hurt his cause. However, being this young and this good bodes well for his playing future and the chances that he’ll be a bonafide MVP candidate — perhaps even a finalist — soon.
Celtics fans have plenty of reasons to be excited about their team but Tatum, one of the most skilled young players in the league, is at the top of the list.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is closing the gap for MVP with Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to one bookmaker.
As LeBron James and his Los Angeles Lakers continue to go strong atop the Western Conference standings and other would-be MVP contenders have either been beset by injury or a shooting slump, LeBron is rising above the rest as the player with the best chance of keeping Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo from a second straight NBA MVP award.
According to new odds from the folks at BetOnline.Ag, LeBron has closed the gap between him and Antetokounmpo while Houston’s James Harden and Dallas’ Luka Doncic have seen their candidacy fade a little bit as of late. The biggest mover other than LeBron is Damian Lillard, who went from off the board to 18-1.
Giannis Antetokounmpo 2/3 1/3
LeBron James 8/1 5/1
James Harden 5/1 6/1
Luka Doncic 5/1 6/1
Anthony Davis 9/1 18/1
Damian Lillard Off the Board 18/1
Kawhi Leonard 33/1 33/1
LeBron has led the NBA in assists all season and has shouldered a leadership role for the Lakers all season. LeBron’s leadership came into even greater focus over the past few weeks after he took it upon himself to lead Lakers Nation following the tragedy of the death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gigi, and seven others.
Over the years, Kobe Bryant repeatedly expressed his admiration for current Houston stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook.
Houston Rockets stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook always seemed to share a special bond with NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
While all three men are former guard MVPs, their ties run far deeper than that. Harden and Westbrook were children growing up near Los Angeles when Bryant won his first three NBA titles in the Lakers’ three-peat from 2000 through 2002, giving them a first-hand look at his greatness.
The thing I could take away from [Kobe] was that he was passionate. He didn’t care what people said about him. He was just a winner. He did whatever it took to win games, to win championships, and that’s why he’s a legend.
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With Westbrook entering the NBA in 2008 and Harden in 2009, each competed against Bryant for several years on the court before his 2016 retirement. Those battles included a pair of playoff series between the Lakers and Thunder in 2010 and 2012, when both of Houston’s current stars were still playing for Oklahoma City.
All three players were then teammates in the 2012 Summer Olympics, when the U.S. men’s basketball national team won gold in London.
On Sunday, Bryant passed away in a tragic helicopter crash near Los Angeles. He was 41 years old. Everyone on board died, including Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.
Though the Rockets played a basketball game later in the day, Harden and Westbrook did not speak to the media after its conclusion — likely owing to all of Sunday’s intense emotions.
Here’s a look back at each man’s history with Bryant over the years.
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Russell Westbrook
On April 30, 2010, Bryant’s Lakers narrowly held off the Thunder, 95-94, in Game 6 of the first round. That clinched the series for the defending champion Lakers, who went on to win the 2010 NBA title, as well.
But the talent of the young Thunder — led by Westbrook, Harden, and Kevin Durant — was undeniable. And Bryant, as a notorious basketball historian, had taken notice. Howard Beck, then with The New York Times, described the Game 6 postgame scene:
Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, two pillars of a title-contending Lakers team, were on their way to the interview room Friday night, having finished off the Thunder in a tough first-round series.
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Thunder’s young guns, were on their way out, having finally succumbed to the Lakers’ size and savvy.
Bryant greeted Durant and Westbrook as an approving father would after a spirited battle on the driveway. He told them they were “a couple of bad” something-somethings, using a phrase that cannot be repeated here. He meant it as a compliment.
“Glad we’re done with you guys,” Bryant said, sounding exhausted and a little exasperated.
Kobe saw Durant and Westbrook in the hallway and hugged both before saying: "Ya'll 2 bad (dudes). I'm glad we're done with ya'll."
A few years later, with Bryant entering the twilight of his storied NBA career, the future Hall of Famer was asked in an interview if any of the league’s current players reminded him of himself.
Bryant’s response:
Westbrook plays mean. He plays mean like I did. With an aggression, much the way I played.
Kobe Bryant asked this in 2015:
"Anybody have that same fire, that same passion that you have for the game?"
In his final NBA season in 2015-16, Bryant referred to Westbrook as “the most athletic player I’ve ever played against” over his 20 seasons.
The admiration went both ways, of course. When Bryant finished his NBA career with a record 60 points in his final game on April 13, 2016, Westbrook uploaded his astonished reaction to social media.
Russell Westbrook with about the same reaction most had when watching Kobe last night pic.twitter.com/vfBskpGE68
When Westbrook made history the following year by becoming the first NBA player since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62 to average a triple-double, Bryant passionately defended him on Twitter when Westbrook was accused of seeking out those double-digit numbers.
At the end of the 2016-17 season, which featured a passionate MVP debate around the league between Oklahoma City’s Westbrook and Houston’s Harden, Bryant said he saw himself in both players.
Westbrook ultimately won that season’s award.
James Harden
Harden was in his rookie season during that aforementioned 2010 Lakers-Thunder playoff series, and he hadn’t yet had his superstar breakout.
A little over a year later, Bryant knew that was about to change.
During the 2011 NBA lockout, with players barred from working out at team facilities, both Bryant and Harden played in a Drew League pick-up game in Los Angeles. The game quickly became legendary, with Bryant scoring 45 points and Harden finishing with 44.
Though Bryant naturally hit the game-winning shot, he saw something in Harden that he just knew was destined for stardom. Bryant told the people around him, too.
According to veteran center Tyson Chandler, who now plays with Harden and Westbrook on the Rockets, this how it went down:
He’s come a long way. … Kobe told me during the lockout. We were playing pickup and James was there. Kobe was like, after a pickup game, we were sitting down, icing, he was like, ‘He’s going to be the next one after me.’
I was like, ‘Really?’ This was a young James. [Kobe] was like, ‘He’s going to be the next one after me.’
I’m like, ‘If you say so. You know better than anybody.’ And he’s proven it. James, the work that he’s put in to get to the level he’s at now, fighting for MVP every year, you have to take your hat off to that. You don’t just get there. That’s work. That’s a lot of work, that is not seen, behind closed doors.
Since then, Harden has become an MVP and is now in his third straight season as the NBA’s top scorer. His current average of 36.1 points per game is the highest by any NBA player in over 30 years.
In 2015, in an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show, Bryant was asked which current NBA player he would start a team with.
He chose Harden.
Bryant was still an active NBA player at the time. Though Golden State’s Steph Curry went on to win the 2014-15 MVP award, as voted on by media members, Bryant said after the season that he thought Harden (who finished second) should have been the winner.
Near the end of the 2017-18 season, when Harden finally did win MVP, Bryant offered an even stronger endorsement of Houston’s star.
In April 2018, Bryant spoke to USA TODAY Sports about that year’s MVP race, in which current Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James finished in second place. Bryant’s comments:
James [Harden] has done so much all season long.
It’s got to be James. I really don’t understand the debate about picking somebody else. I don’t get it. Like, what the hell does this guy have to do? I mean for the last three years, the guy has been absolutely lights out, and now you still want to sit here and debate who should be MVP when he leads the league in scoring [30.4] his assists numbers [8.8] are off the charts, they have the best record in the league [65-17].
If he doesn’t win MVP this year, what the hell is he supposed to do to win MVP, average 40, 15, and 15? I mean, come on now. Enough is enough.
He offered similar comments to ESPN a few days later. “I just don’t know what there’s left for him to do,” Bryant said of Harden.
These examples are just a small sampling of the praise and admiration shown by Bryant to Westbrook and Harden over the years. It all contributes to why it’s so difficult for Houston’s stars and countless others around the NBA to come to grips with Sunday’s tragic event.
During his legendary 20-year career with the Lakers, Bryant was a five-time NBA champion; a two-time MVP and scoring champion; and an 18-time All-Star, among his numerous accolades.
Bryant is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and three other daughters.
James Harden in 2017 talked about his relationship with Kobe Bryant
– On Kobe choosing Harden as one current NBA player he'd build around – Kobe being Harden's favorite player growing up – Their relationship as "really good friends" – Kobe hitting a game winner over Harden pic.twitter.com/ZkACj4pnqK
In a media straw poll to replicate MVP voting, James Harden now ranks fourth behind Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and Luka Doncic.
Despite historic scoring numbers at nearly 40 points per game, Houston Rockets star James Harden might not even be in the current top three of the media’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) race for the 2019-20 NBA season.
In an ESPN straw poll released Wednesday of 101 media members representing all local NBA markets, as well as national and international reporters, Harden ranked fourth in voting behind Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks; LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers; and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks.
In terms of first-place votes, Antetokounmpo had 48, followed by 29 for James, 14 for Doncic, and nine for Harden. The complete voting breakdown can be read in the ESPN story.
Giannis? Harden? LeBron? Luka? This year’s MVP race looks like it’ll be as competitive as any in history. So far, though, there’s a clear leader. How do we know? We asked the people who will determine the winner. Here are the results of our MVP straw poll: https://t.co/IH8AIHfJDG
It is unclear how many of the 101 media members polled will actually have MVP votes in the spring, but it does seem to capture the current sentiment with the 2019-20 season about a quarter of the way complete.
Both the Bucks and Lakers entered Wednesday with 18-3 records, which is several games better than Harden’s Rockets at 13-7. The “team success” factor is often a persuasive argument for many voters, as it seemed to be when Antetokounmpo (on the 60-22 Bucks) edged out Harden (on the 53-29 Rockets) in the 2018-19 MVP race.
But the Doncic-led Mavs entered Tuesday with an identical record to the Rockets, yet Doncic had a combined 39 first- or second-place votes from the panel, as compared to just 25 for Harden. Thus, it’s harder to explain that disparity strictly through the lens of team record.
The interesting part about this is how the media views Kawhi Leonard. Do we view him as Toronto Kawhi or what the future holds? Not sure he would be in my top 5 in the MVP conversation based on his first 16 games. The Harden ranking is stunning (I had him no. 1). https://t.co/ea90uo1vKN
Doncic is averaging 30.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 9.4 assists, while Harden is at 39.5 points, 7.8 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game. That 39.5 total would be the third-highest scoring season in league history, and the top mark since Wilt Chamberlain (44.8) back in 1962-63.
Now 30 years old, Harden won MVP in 2917-18 and has finished in the top two in voting after four of the last five seasons — which may contribute to voter fatigue about him. To that point, Rockets GM Daryl Morey has wondered aloud if voters will again “rob” Harden of the award.
Former MVP winner Russell Westbrook, who now stars alongside Harden in the Houston backcourt, recently suggested that media members were trying to “normalize” Harden’s historic numbers.
Russell Westbrook remains amazed by James Harden:
“A lot of people like to normalize greatness when you see it over and over again, but it’s not normal because there’s nobody else that can do it.” pic.twitter.com/KTnqmf0ncY
Fortunately for Harden and the Rockets, approximately three-quarters of the 2019-20 season remains to potentially change the current voting narrative. The easiest way for them to do that would be to win a higher percentage of games and potentially climb up the standings, which they’ll have a chance to do beginning with Thursday’s game at Toronto.
