7 NBA awards Houston Rockets have a chance at winning this year

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Houston Rockets Russell Westbrook (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Most Valuable Player – Russell Westbrook

Kawhi Leonard aside, it’s rare for NBA players to move to a new environment and have stellar seasons in their first year with a new team. Basketball is a complex game that takes constant adjustments to keep up with the growing level of talent year-by-year. That being said, how do you disregard someone that’s averaged a triple-double for three straight seasons? Well, you don’t.

At 30 years old, Russ is still well in his prime and shows no signs of slowing down. Russell Westbrook is coming off a season in which he averaged 22.9 points, 10.7 assists and 11.1 rebounds, the last two being career-highs.

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One thing that could work against Westbrook is the same thing that could work against James Harden’s MVP case: It’s tough to be seen as the most valuable player when there is someone of equal talent sharing the court with you on a nightly basis. But when you take a look at other potential MVP candidates, many just paired up with another superstar as well.

Odds: Possible, but unlikely

Houston Rockets James Harden (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Most Valuable Player – James Harden

There has been a lot of MVP discussion regarding James Harden on this site lately, and with good reason. The Beard is perennially an MVP candidate, as he puts up insane numbers on a nightly basis. Harden has stated repeatedly over the summer that this season is all about winning the NBA title and not chasing MVPs, and given how he’s looked so far, that’s easy to believe.

James spent the offseason working new moves into a repertoire that was already the most vast in the league and seems to be scoring even easier than he ever has before. More importantly, Harden has shown flashes of improved defense, particular down low. While, again, having Russell Westbrook commanding the ball at certain times could hurt Harden’s chances, it also has the potential to improve them.

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Harden’s averages of 36.1 points, 7.5 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game last season speak for themselves, as he seems to be making the game look easier with each passing day. If James is able to work well with the new-look Rockets, he could very well add another MVP to his trophy case.

Odds: Strong