For months James Harden and Russell Westbrook have been locked in a fierce battle to be named regular season MVP, but in the past week, Harden may just have done enough to snatch it. The Beard has achieved four straight games of scoring at least 30 points and having 10 assists, and the odds have been cut on him landing the prize. There is still some value to be had in backing him, however, as we approach the final nine games of the season.
MVP Race
Westbrook led the field for the first half of the season but Harden muscled his way into the reckoning with a record-breaking spell over Christmas. On December 31, he recorded 53 points, 17 assists and 16 rebounds in a 129-122 win for the Houston Rockets over the New York Nicks. It was the first time anyone had ever posted stats better than 50-15-15, and it tied the record for the most points in a triple-double, which Wilt Chamberlain had held alone since the 1967-68 season. Two days later, he recorded his ninth triple-double of the season.
The records have come tumbling down for Harden since then. A 51-13-13 game against the 76ers in January made him the first player ever to achieve more than one 50-point triple-double in a season. He has already broken his own record for the most turnovers in a season. He is now on 19 triple-doubles for the season. He is on course to surpass 2,400 points and 900 assists this season, which would break another record.
But Westbrook refuses to go away. Despite playing for a poorer team, he has 36 triple-doubles and leads the league in points per game. Kahwi Leonard and LeBron James are also still in the mix. Harden is 4/6 with Sky Bet and Westbrook is 11/4 with Paddy Power, which also has 10/1 on Leonard and 12/1 on James. It will be tight, but momentum is with Harden right now, and 4/6 looks a good price.
Futures Update
The divisions are pretty much wrapped up now, so the value comes from predicting the winner of each conference and the NBA Championship. Momentum can play a crucial role at this time of year, and the form of the Boston Celtics (8-2 in their last 10) is very exciting, so they could give the Cavaliers a real run for their money in the east and look an interesting bet at 7/1 with Sky Bet and William Hill. The Warriors have won six straight and turned the screw in the west, so the value might not be there as they are just 4/9, but the Spurs (4/1 with Ladbrokes) are also in good form.
Upcoming Games
A huge game sees the Warriors face the Spurs in San Antonio on Thursday. Golden State is on a roll but has injury problems and the Spurs to win outright looks good. The Celtics over the Bucks and the Washington Wizards over the Clippers would make an interesting treble.
