Houston Rockets: Where does James Harden stand in the MVP Race?

The Los Angeles Lakers are currently first in the Western Conference with a 44-12 record. The Rockets stand at 37-20, which is good enough for the fourth seed as of now. Barring some kind of miracle, the Rockets won’t have the top seed in the West, but if Harden and crew can finish as the second seed, the discussion of Harden for MVP could gain more traction.

As for LeBron, being the first seed definitely helps explain his placement of second on the MVP ladder. Averaging 25.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and a league-best 10.6 assists per game, the ageless King James is having another stellar year in his 17th NBA season.

LeBron already led some incredible turnaround seasons when he returned to his home state to guide the Cleveland Cavaliers to four straight NBA Finals coming off a season in which they finished 33-49 in 2014.

This season, James is primed to take the Lake Show back to the playoffs for a deep run in the same fashion after a six-year absence from the postseason.

It’s highly likely the Lakers will finish as the first seed in the West, which is a huge jump from last year thanks to James and Anthony Davis. With his last MVP being in 2013 as a member of the Miami Heat, many feel LeBron is owed one more, but even with the season he’s having, this year probably won’t be the one where that happens.

Next: Others to Consider