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How a long-standing streak could end if James Harden or Russell Westbrook wins MVP

James Harden and Russell Westbrook are each having remarkable seasons. (Getty Images)
James Harden and Russell Westbrook are each having remarkable seasons. (Getty Images)

The swag champ remains inventive, coming up with new ways to celebrate during his redemptive season. Once noted for his stirring-the-pot routine after a wicked step-back or 3-point flurry, James Harden has added an arm-winding, skipping routine that serves as the joyful, schoolyard antithesis of Michael Jordan’s infamous shrug.

The people’s champ remains angry and unrelenting during a tide-turning season of appreciation. Russell Westbrook continues to mean-mug rims or anyone insane enough to jump with him on a dunk attempt. Only now, he also feels compelled to shout to a former longtime teammate, “I’m coming!” in a show of defiance that makes him more endearing to his most ardent fans.

“Beard and Brodie Season” hasn’t exactly become a movement yet, or even a hashtag, but the nightly one-upmanship between Harden and Westbrook has spared NBA fans from a boring slog through what appears to be an inevitable Finals rematch between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. They’ve provided eye-popping statistics and made triple-doubles seem ludicrously commonplace. And, barring some unforeseen circumstances, Harden or Westbrook – former Oklahoma City teammates and fellow Los Angeles-area natives – will end up winning the Maurice Podoloff Trophy as the league’s most valuable player.

“The game is evolving. We’re changing the game and that’s a good thing to see,” Harden said recently.

A victory by Harden or Westbrook would only solidify Thunder general manager Sam Presti’s remarkable three-year NBA draft run of selecting Kevin Durant, Westbrook and Harden. But it would also end an almost decade-long streak of a Team USA participant winning a gold medal and going on to win MVP the following season.

Kobe Bryant won his first MVP award after playing in the FIBA Americas tournament in 2007. LeBron James bookended his first and fourth MVP awards, respectively, after suiting up in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics. Derrick Rose became the youngest MVP in league history after helping the Americans win the 2010 FIBA world championships. And Stephen Curry won the first of consecutive MVPs after being a part of the first FIBA World Cup in Spain in 2014.

“I think it’s a matter of record that those who have participated with us, in World Cup play or Olympic play, they’ve gone on to have great seasons the next year, generally,” Jerry Colangelo, managing director of the U.S. men’s national team, recently told The Vertical. “That’s true of all players. Some have risen to the top. But I think that’s just a fact. The reality is, if it’s one of the two you’ve just mentioned [Harden and Westbrook], how could you overlook the years that they’re having, whether they participated or not?”

Westbrook has 29 triple-doubles this season. (AP)
Westbrook has 29 triple-doubles this season. (AP)

Harden and Westbrook decided to skip the Rio Olympics for rest, joining a star-studded collection of players who passed on invitations for various reasons such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis and Kevin Love. Eleven of the 12 members of the team that claimed Olympic gold made the All-Star Game. But Durant, the leader of that squad and a former MVP, likely forfeited another trophy this season – despite stellar numbers that rival his former teammates – after deciding to chase a ring with a stacked super team in Golden State that features Curry. An over-dependence on Harden and Westbrook has boosted their chances of winning the game’s greatest individual honor.

“I love both guys. They’re great competitors. They’re great talents. I have fond memories of each of them participating in USA Basketball,” Colangelo said of the pair. “I think both of them felt that they needed to rest, and you can build the case that that worked to their advantage. Where in prior years, participating worked to their advantage.”

Westbrook made his first All-Star appearance and All-NBA team the season after winning gold in Turkey during the FIBA world championships. Harden made his first All-Star appearance after participating in the London Olympics in 2012, then claimed the first player’s MVP award two years later after stepping into a leadership role for coach Mike Krzyzewski’s FIBA World Cup team.

“It meant a lot,” Harden said of his experience in 2014. “That summer was fun because it helped me learn how to lead guys that are already elite. That helped me as far as my career and what I’m doing now.”

After a disappointing season in which career-high numbers got muddled by dissension and dismal team play, Harden wanted to dedicate himself to a distraction-free summer in Phoenix, where he could train and strip away the hype of his rising star. Harden also wanted to invest time in recruiting the supporting cast needed to help the Houston Rockets regain their footing in the Western Conference. Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson came aboard in the process.

“It was extremely difficult, because who wants to pass up an opportunity to compete for a gold medal?” Harden said of his decision. “Say if I was to go compete for that gold medal and things were how they were last year, then I would’ve been just as frustrated. I made a conscious effort to make sure that I stayed here and made sure we got some kind of help, for me to be happy and just give ourselves a chance. It paid off.

“I don’t know what Russell’s reasons were, or other guys’ reasons, but I have no shame of letting everyone know the reason for that,” Harden continued. “Last year was very frustrating for me. Like I said, it’s an honor. Most guys would do anything to be able to make that roster, so I would never want to take that for granted. But it felt like it was the right thing for me to do. And I just did it.”

Westbrook wasn’t nearly as conflicted about his decision to skip another international competition. He needed a break after an emotional loss in the conference finals. “Tough? Oh no, I liked the rest. It was good for me to rest. Chill and be at home. I was OK with that,” Westbrook said. “You’ve got more time to sit back and enjoy your family, take your mind off basketball a little bit, so it’s always good.”

No need to question Westbrook’s decision in hindsight because it wound up helping him avoid what would’ve been an awkward few weeks with Durant. Westbrook also agreed to a renegotiation with the Thunder the same day Team USA was introduced in Brazil. And, Westbrook was clearly storing up the energy needed to unleash the kind of triple-double madness that hasn’t occurred since Oscar Robertson averaged one in 1961-62. Westbrook already has 29 triple-doubles this season – the same as Grant Hill and Rajon Rondo, both tied for 11th all-time.

Harden has 15 triple-doubles this season. (AP)
Harden has 15 triple-doubles this season. (AP)

Harden tried to deny that he was closely following Westbrook’s ridiculous assault on the stat sheet. But with a career-high 15 triple-doubles this season – he entered with only nine in seven years – Harden admitted that seeing Westbrook collect points, rebounds and assists as if a famine is approaching inspires him to elevate his effort. “It does, but do you know hard it is to do that? That’s not even normal. So I just try to win,” Harden said. “Obviously, I look at it, I try to embrace it, and I just try to come close. That’s going to get overlooked once you see he’s triple-doubled me.”

Harden is leading the NBA in assists in his first season as a full-time point guard. Westbrook is leading the league in scoring and triple-doubles in his first season as unquestioned lead dog. Harden had two 50-point triple-doubles in the span of 28 days, tying him with Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain for the most in NBA history. Westbrook is the first player since Chamberlain to have at least 18 triple-doubles in consecutive seasons. Both Harden and Westbrook have had at least 30 points and 15 assists in five games. Only Magic Johnson has more in one season, with six.

“He’s playing great. His team is doing well. He’s doing a good job, running his team. Definitely fun to see. I don’t watch games, I just see what people talk about from time to time. But he’s definitely playing well,” Westbrook said of Harden. “Does he inspire me? No. I’m inspired every time I wake up in the morning and am blessed to be able to have the job I have and be grateful for the things that I have. That’s what inspires me.”

James is in the running for his fifth MVP after skipping out on a chance at a third Olympic gold. And with the Spurs boasting the league’s second-best record, Leonard’s MVP campaign has started to gain some momentum. A two-way star who is averaging a career-high in scoring at 25.8 points per game, Leonard has never played for Team USA and declined an invitation after the birth of his daughter. “That was something I wanted to do and be around for. My life is always more important than playing in a basketball game,” Leonard said. “But I definitely wanted to compete with the guys. I just had other things that I had to do.”

Leonard was the runner-up to Curry in the MVP race last season but doesn’t mind being behind Harden and Westbrook this season. “Those guys are playing amazing basketball. They’re carrying their teams every night. And it’s fun to watch them. I’m not too concerned with it,” Leonard said of the MVP race. “I don’t read the articles and watch what’s going on. I’m just focused on the Spurs and myself, trying to see what I can do to push through a playoff run.”

Harden’s Rockets have already surpassed their win total from last season and rank third in the highly competitive West. His return to discussions about the league’s elite has been rewarding, even if Westbrook eventually prevails. “It feels good, just to be mentioned in the MVP race. It means you’re doing something really good,” Harden said. “It’s where it needs to be. Two years ago, it was. Last year, coming off that Players Association MVP, it was not the way I wanted it to go. Now, to bounce back, I’m going to just try to ride this wave out for the next couple of years.”

Colangelo won’t be disappointed if the Team USA streak comes to an end this season. “That’s why everything has to be fluid,” Colangelo told The Vertical with a shrug. “Nothing lasts forever. So we’ll start a new streak.”

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