Winning the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award is one of the most prestigious individual achievements in all of sports. Snagging the award takes not only great individual numbers, it also requires the player to elevate his franchise, as well as his teammates, with his play and production throughout the grueling 82-game schedule. Stephen Curry earned the award for the 2014/15 campaign, securing 100 out of 130 possible first-place votes, with James Harden coming in second followed by LeBron James in the third slot.
While Curry, Harden, and James are all likely to be in the discussion for this year’s MVP award, there are a number of players who possess the skills and ability to thrust themselves into consideration for this season’s honor. This brings me to the question/topic for today: Who will win the 2015/16 NBA MVP Award?
Let’s get those predictions on record now. That way you’ll have documented proof to show your friends in the spring when the award is handed out. Take to the comments section below to share who you believe will win the award, as well as the stat line you think that player will put up to deserve such an honor. We look forward to what you have to say.
Russell Westbrook. Easy. He deserved it last season and got screwed over just because we missed the playoffs and yet, Lebron got votes for Finals MVP.
It will be very interesting to see how Durant’s return affects Westbrook statistically.
We’ve already seen Durant and Westbrook play side by side, and I wouldn’t expect it to be much different this time out. I’m more curious to see what effect Billy Donovan’s system will have.
Do you think Westbrook feels like it’s “his” team now with Durant’s long layoff last season and possible departure this summer? If he going to be less likely to defer to Durant?
Pretty hard to vote for anything other than a Curry repeat. Four reasons:
1.) Already off to a great start, and healthy.
2.) Harden will probably see his scoring and assists dip a bit with the addition of Lawson and how deep the Rockets are.
3.) Watching Anthony Davis closely last night…he still struggles at shot creation when he’s guarded by a plus defender like Draymond Green or Bogut. He’s a freak of nature, but he’s still clearly at his best rolling to the rim and cleaning up offensive rebounds or catching lobs – NOT running isolations from the elbow or the low block. You can only score so much in the NBA in 2015 as a rim-roller. I realize that’s a picky criticism, but it matters, because it’s not true of Curry – the ball is in his hands so much, and he can shoot from so many places, that he can basically get his points no matter who is guarding him if he’s feeling it.
4.) Lebron isn’t 100% healthy even after a summer off, which doesn’t bode well for a full regular season of health. Just due to wear and wear and the year-round grind, it’s hard to imagine Lebron playing more than 75 games, even if everything breaks right. If Curry plays 78-82 games, and Lebron plays 70, that difference matters in the voting.
A good darkhorse candidate is Blake Griffin. If the Clippers are among the Western elite and he stays injury free, he could emerge as a real contender.
I’d say Chris Paul would be more likely..if a Clipper were to win the award.
It’s the season that Kevin Durant showcases his value with free agency looming and a deep Thunder team wins 60-plus games. I’ll say 30.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Plus he’ll join the 50%, 40%, 90% shooting club.
I like John wall personally