USA TODAY International Edition
Harden stays on track for MVP award
USA TODAY Sports’ top five candidates for the NBA MVP award after Week 15. ( Records, standings and statistics reflected through Saturday.) Also receiving votes: Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas, Warriors’ Stephen Curry, Wizards’ John Wall
5. KEVIN DURANT, WARRIORS ( 46- 8)
Season statistics: 25.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.7 blocks, 1.1 steals, 53.5% shooting
Durant, returning to his old Oklahoma City stamping grounds Saturday night for the first time since his offseason departure for The Bay, dropped a team- high 34 points ( on 12- for- 21 shooting) and nine rebounds en route to a 130- 114 victory. In three games against the Thunder this season, the Warriors have won by 63 combined points, and Durant has played three of his best games of the season, averaging 37.7 points ( on 65.6% shooting) and 9.3 rebounds.
4. LEBRON JAMES, CAVALIERS ( 37- 16)
Season statistics: 25.8 points, 8.8 assists, 7.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 53.3% shooting
The Cavaliers started Week 15 with a bang, posting a thrilling overtime win against the Wizards — who had won 17 games in a row at home — in Washington, highlighted by James’ tying threepointer to send the game to overtime, which came right after he blew a go- ahead layup. Though he fouled out in overtime, James finished with 32 points ( on 12- for- 18 shooting) and a career- high 17 assists. He followed that with a 25point, nine- assist outing in a win against the Pacers. He struggled from the field the night after ( 18 points, 8- for- 19 shooting) in a loss to the Thunder but bounced back Saturday with 27 points ( on 11for- 16 shooting), 12 assists and five rebounds in a 125- 109 win against the Nuggets.
3. KAWHI LEONARD, SPURS ( 41- 13)
Season statistics: 25.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.8 steals, 48.6% shooting
After sitting out a loss to the Grizzlies with a thigh injury, Leonard put together back- toback MVP- esque performances. In Wednesday’s win against the 76ers, he tallied 32 points, six rebounds and five assists. In Friday’s win against the Pistons? He had 32 points, six rebounds and five assists — again. “He’s got the whole package,” teammate Manu Ginobili told reporters after Wednesday’s win. “He’s the main reason we’re getting all these wins when we’re not playing well.”
2. RUSSELL WESTBROOK, THUNDER ( 31- 24)
Season statistics: 31.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, 10.2 assists, 1.6 steals, 42.2% shooting
Westbrook suffered his third loss of the season to the Warriors on Saturday, but it wasn’t for lack of effort. The superstar point guard poured in 47 points ( on 14for- 26 shooting) to go with 11 rebounds and eight assists on the night. Earlier in the week he tallied 27 points, a season- high 18 rebounds and nine assists in a loss to the Pacers, followed by a 29- point, 12- rebound, 11- assist outing — his 26th triple- double of the season — in Thursday’s win against the Cavaliers.
1. JAMES HARDEN, ROCKETS ( 40- 17)
Season statistics: 29.1 points, 11.3 assists, 8.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 44% shooting
It was just another week at the office for The Beard, who led the Rockets to three wins behind 31.7- point, 9.7- assist, 7.7- rebound averages. He struggled from the field during Tuesday’s win against the Magic ( 6- for- 21 shooting, 25 points), but the highlight of his week came Saturday, when he dropped 40 points on 9- for- 17 shooting ( 8- for- 15 from beyond the three- point arc) and added eight assists and six rebounds in 29 minutes en route to a 133- 102 rout of the Suns. This season, Harden leads the NBA in assist points created ( 27.4 per game) and passes made ( 67.4 per game).