Apparently, basketball analyst Bill Simmons has not yet moved on from the 2017 MVP award.
As posted on his Instagram account, Simmons can be seen wearing a shirt, saying that James Harden of the Houston Rockets is the 2017 MVP and not Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmeJv9BBkBk/
To recall, Westbrook — who averaged a triple-double that season — ultimately won the votes for the MVP award. His tally was at 888 total points. Harden got 753 points.
While some may accuse Simmons of throwing shade at Westbrook, his opinion is valid. After all, Harden led the Rockets to a 55-27 record for third place in the West. The Thunder, meanwhile, had a 47-25 record for sixth place. When the two met in the playoffs, the Rockets easily took the series in five games.
This led several analysts to criticize Westbrook and his triple-double antics. While he was out there breaking individual records, his team was not necessarily racking up the wins. Some even accused him of stat-padding.
Harden, on the other hand, while not averaging a triple-double, was leading his team to victory every night. In that season, Harden played point guard and turned the Rockets around from a bottomfeeder to a legitimate playoff contender.
Of course, Harden finally won the MVP this year. Westbrook still averaged a triple-double yet it didn't garner as much of a hype as the last time.
Do you agree with Simmons' statement? Was Harden the MVP of the 2017 season?
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