Nov 30, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) puts up a shot in front of Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) during the first quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry leaves the court following the game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Warriors defeated the Suns 135-116. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
Most Valuable Player
Stephen Curry, PG Golden State Warriors – It simply can’t be anyone else. Curry’s historic start to the season has been well documented, but it should be acknowledged again in this space. He currently leads the NBA in win shares (5.1), win shares per 48 minutes (.376), adjusted plus-minus, ESPN’s RPM, VORP, scoring (31.6 points per game) and three-pointers made (94), and that doesn’t even scratch the surface. Curry is on pace to shatter his own NBA mark for most threes in a season, and just for good measure, he is also leading the NBA in steals. It is fair to say that Steph isn’t the best defender in the league, but the one “knock” on his game has been whittled away, as he is quite good on that end while using his considerable length effectively. The gap between Curry and everyone else this season is marked, and even when he doesn’t need another notch in his favor, he happens to be the best player on a team that finished November with an unblemished record. There aren’t enough words to describe how good Steph Curry has been this season, so let’s just agree that he is the runaway MVP right now.
Russell Westbrook, PG Oklahoma City Thunder – It is entirely possible (or even likely) that Russell Westbrook isn’t the best player on his own team. However, he has been the most valuable member of the Thunder roster this season, appearing in 18 games against just 12 for Kevin Durant, and his numbers are jarring. The talented point guard is averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game on the year, and while there is definitely some big-time usage in getting those numbers, Westbrook’s performance is both impressive and valuable. He is a polarizing figure and that won’t change anytime soon, but there is no denying his impact on a nightly basis, and the Thunder are excelling largely because of Westbrook’s existence on the floor.
Paul George, SF Indiana Pacers – Frank Vogel is the Coach of the Year at this point, but he hasn’t done it alone in Indiana. Paul George is back as an elite player after suffering a gruesome leg injury, and his play in the first month of the year has been the biggest reason that the Pacers are excelling. George is averaging 27.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game on the year, and while his shooting (45.5% from three) is somewhat unsustainable based on historical trends, George makes up for that by being an elite defensive player. We need to see more than a month of this from George after his faux MVP bid in 2013-2014, but for now he is certainly in the conversation.
