Russell Westbrook is averaging a triple-double this season at 31.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 10.3 assists per game. Those are ridiculous numbers, but the craziest thing is, he’s not a runaway MVP candidate because of the seasons being put together by James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and LeBron James.
The idea that a guy might average a triple-double for only the second time in NBA history and not win the MVP seems preposterous, but that’s how good the top players in the NBA have been this season. Westbrook’s teammates Steven Adams and Enes Kanter (aka The ‘Stache Bros) have strong feelings about his MVP candidacy, so they came together to create an amusing video pitch to MVP voters in support of their point guard.
Our leader, our hero, King of the Prairie, Russ!! #MVP #MVP #MVP pic.twitter.com/46Fbe6ZlG8
— Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) March 16, 2017
“The Prairie King” is a strong nickname for Russ, and I’m here for any and all content involving Adams and Kanter. I hope these two somehow get a TV show because they’re great together. As for Westbrook’s MVP candidacy, it’s going to come down to how the voters feel about different things.
His raw production will be the best in the league, and if that’s what voters want, he will win. Harden has put up numbers that are close to Westbrook’s (28.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 11.2 assists per game) but has been far more efficient than Westbrook and is doing so on a team the third best team in the West. Leonard’s offensive stats are impressive but not up there with Westbrook and Harden, but he will garner first-place votes from those that love defense and cry out for the return of two-way stars. James holds the Eastern Conference’s best team together, and is averaging a near triple-double of his own (25.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 8.9 assists per game).
The MVP vote this season will be, without a doubt, the most intriguing MVP vote in recent years (as a recent media straw poll revealed).
Here's the complete results from my polling of 106 media members (not all MVP voters) for my column. As you can see, a clear edge for Harden pic.twitter.com/WNQ2LgFuFM
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) March 16, 2017
Whoever wins will have a legitimate case for it, while there will be three others with legitimate gripes. However, if we’re basing the decision off of who has the best teammate-led MVP pitch, then Westbrook is the runaway winner.
