NBA Awards Watch: The Budenholzer-Kerr conundrum

Most Valuable Player

1. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors – “Value” is tough to describe in NBA circles, as pundits often have different definitions of the word. However, Stephen Curry’s value to the Warriors is undeniable in various ways, and they manifest themselves in the fact that Golden State is +17.7 points per 100 possessions when he is on the court against -1.1 (!) points per 100 possessions when he is off the court. In short, the Warriors are the best team in NBA history when he plays and a below-average group when he doesn’t. Does that seem simple enough? Curry’s numbers (23.5 points, 7.8 assists, 2.2 steals, 62.8% true shooting) speak on their own, but he affects everything for the Warriors, and it is no secret that he is the biggest key to their vast success.
2. James Harden, Houston Rockets – After a mini-slump in back-to-back losses to Portland and Utah, Harden reminded everyone of his lofty ceiling on Sunday. Houston’s lead guard scored 34 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and dished out 7 assists in a win over the Clippers, and he continues to be a one-man show of the highest order. His partner-in-crime, Dwight Howard, returned to practice earlier in the week, but Harden has proven his own worth with a 22-10 record in Howard’s absence, and the fact that he has the Rockets in fantastic position in the West is a testament to just how productive and efficient he has been this season.
3. Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans – We outlined the case for Davis over Russell Westbrook last week, so I won’t bore you with that again. Instead, we’ll just discuss the ridiculousness of Anthony Davis on his own. The now 22-year-old power forward leads the NBA in PER (31.69) and win shares per 48 minutes while averaging 24.7 points, 10.4 rebounds and a league-leading 2.9 blocks per game. Beyond that, Davis has led the Pelicans to within a half-game of a coveted playoff spot in the Western Conference, and given that his teammates aren’t exactly of the superstar variety, that is a terrifyingly impressive accomplishment. Davis is an elite player on both ends of the floor and if we were awarding a “most outstanding” player with no other criteria, he might just be in the top spot given his performance this season.