What is your favorite way of determining which of the four NBA MVP candidates should win the award? Do you go with the best stats (either Russell Westbrook or James Harden, your call)? Do you go with the best basketball player alive (LeBron James)? Do you go with the best player on the best team (Kawhi Leonard, because for some reason no Warriors are even in the conversation this year)?
We decided to say screw it and decide this the old fashioned way: a 1-on-1 tournament. Thanks to NBA 2k, we were able to determine who would be the MVP if we had a single-elimination tourney between the four candidates, because playing 1-on-1 is objectively the best way to determine anything.
Here are the rules:
- The semifinal games feature a guard vs. a forward, so the matchups are LeBron vs. Russ and Kawhi vs. Beard.
- Games are to 50 by 1s and 2s.
- No make it, take it.
Let’s do this.
Semifinal 1: LeBron James 50, Russell Westbrook 36
Westbrook was magnificent this year, but as we all know, LeBron can put the clamps on anyone and take them out of a game. That happened here, as the best player in the world imposed his will on the guard. Westbrook actually had the lead in the early going, but eventually, King James decided it was time to stop playing.
Here’s the game winner, in which LeBron took advantage of the fact that he was bigger and stronger than Westbrook, finished through contact, and advanced on a layup.
Semifinal 2: Kawhi Leonard 50, James Harden 47
So this one is a bit of a surprise, because if the NBA had a 1-on-1 tournament – which, by the way, should absolutely be a thing – Harden would be one of the favorites to win the whole thing. But in this tournament, he got taken down by The Klaw.
This game was far more competitive, but just like the last game, the bigger competitor came out on top. Leonard won this one with a move right out of his playbook: back the opponent down, get into the paint, create separation, and knock down a buttery jumper from the elbow.
So in the finals we have LeBron vs. Kawhi. The King vs. The Klaw. If this happened in real life – and again, there should be an NBA 1-on-1 tournament in real life – it would be awesome. LeBron is the best basketball player alive. Leonard is the best defensive player in the NBA and his offensive game has become increasingly difficult to stop.
Who will end up being the NBA MVP based on this? Well…
Final: Kawhi Leonard 50, LeBron James 47
In what would probably be considered an upset, Kawhi Leonard beat LeBron James to become the NBA MVP. Admittedly, I did not see this coming, but I also didn’t see Leonard averaging 25.5 points a night and leading the Spurs to 61 wins happening, either.
Just like in his matchup against Harden, Leonard went back to his bread and butter to get the win. Look at this gorgeous stepback jumper to become the MVP.
So congratulations on your first MVP award, Kawhi Leonard. We can’t wait to hear Gregg Popovich speak at your award ceremony.
