NBA MVP Race

     NBA fans, and many sports fans, want to have the debate about who is MVP for the NBA season. One thing they forget is this: The NBA season is far from over.

     Early in the season, everybody wanted to crown Paul George the MVP award. Then it shifted to Durant. And now, it is back to the already four-time MVP, LeBron James.            

     It certainly seems as though LeBron has taken offense to everybody who was saying that because of a couple of remarkable months by Durant, LeBron may not unanimously be the greatest basketball player on the planet right now. Since the All-Star Break, James has averaged 37.4 points per game, 7.2 rebounds, and 5 assists! Before going to the break, LeBron drained a game-winning fadeaway three pointer to win the game for the Heat vs. the Warriors. Just last night, LeBron dropped 61 points on the Charlotte Bobcats, the 6^th ranked defense in the NBA, and doing so without Dwayne Wade.

     Since that Golden State game-winner, people started leaning away from to Durant and more towards LeBron. Last night was the exclamation point for those people, who now firmly believe that LeBron has grabbed the lead on Durant.

     Not to disagree, but since Russell Westbrook went out on Christmas and until the All-Star break, Durant was averaging 35 points a game along with almost 8 rebounds and 6 assists. This included a point in which Durant had 12 consecutive 30-point games, a streak that ended when Durant needed just three quarters to demolish the Nets by scoring 26 points. The point that really put Durant on the map was a dominant performance in Miami that consisted of a back and forth with LeBron in the third quarter, which Durant eventually prevailed. Ironically, people started leaning back to LeBron when LeBron dominated the Thunder in OKC.

     The point is, people need to pump the brakes on crowning somebody MVP anytime they have a great game. At this point, we can understand that it is a two horse race with Durant vs. James, but there are 22 games left for the Thunder and 25 for the Heat. In those games, both superstars will have several jaw-dropping performances. Fans and analysts just need to stop becoming prisoners of the moment.

Season Stats (thus far):

                         PPG   RBG   APG   SPG   BPG   FG%    FT%     3P%      MPG

LeBron James: 27.5    7.0       6.4       1.5     0.3     0.583    0.746    0.384    37.3

Kevin Durant:  31.6    7.7       5.6       1.5     0.8     0.507    0.880    0.396    38.4