Down with the Brodie, Long Live the Beard
The Houston Rockets defeat OKC convincingly even though the score shows a closer affair.
Oklahoma City Thunder 125-137 Houston Rockets
For me the MVP race is now over, that match was a metaphor for the whole season. Westbrook spent an entire season doing all he could to win the award and win games by carrying his team to as close as they can get, but never bringing his team into truly elite status.
The Most Competitive Player
Russell Westbrook truly put everything he has into each game and should be credited as the most competitive player or MCP as I like to call it, but he has been playing catch up for at least half of the season.
His play and his team paint a perfect picture of his MVP challenge, give it your all but never quite rising to the hallowed grounds that an MVP should be in, or a championship contending team. He did lose Kevin Durant who was an MVP whilst on their team however, so no one was expecting them to be beating the Cavaliers in the finals.
The Most Valuable Player
James Harden on the other hand, who seems to play with an almost effortlessness, moved into a new position this season and played the Point Guard spot better arguably than anyone this year. He truly trusted his teammates and allowed them to gel and become a leader all in one season. However, they lost a multi time all star in Dwight Howard and had a coach brought in that had lost a lot of credibility but it didn't phase him.
With the addition of Eric Gordon, who is a great complementary piece for Harden, and Ryan Anderson, who has always been known as a sniper his team, they have looked like they had been playing together their whole careers.
Record Breaking Seasons
Westbrook will achieve the triple double average in a season (first player to do so since 1961-62 season) I think, which may be enough to already put him in the Hall of fame whether he wins a championship in his career or not.
He also will forever be in the hearts of the people who watch him play; for his tenacity and ferocity as well as his athletic prowess. However his team are likely going to finish 6th in the West. Harden on the other hand has lead his team to a comfortable 3rd seed and allowed his coach to regain some of the stature he lost after his fiasco at the Lakers.
Lets not forget he had the first 50 point triple double with 15 rebounds and 15 assists and, he's the first player to have multiple 50 point triple doubles in a season!
Same again next Season please!
Hopefully Westbrook doesn't lose the drive to repeat a season like this and hopefully as Oladipo matures they will become a fierce duo in the league. This however will require Westbrook to trust more in him and his team. He also will need some more talent around him and hopefully his executives will assist him in acquiring such talent, but this season belongs to his best friend in the league, James Harden.
Thanks to the both of them for such an incredible season and as the Playoffs are currently looking, they may be facing each other in the first round.
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