NBA Awards: Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rockets’ James Harden MVP Odds

Getty Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks is defended by James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of a game at Fiserv Forum on March 26, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award Honor will be announced tonght at the NBA Awards Show in Santa Monica, CA.

Million Dollar Question: Who is the NBA’s MVP?

Popular opinion these days suggest that the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo could receive the award.

“[If] Giannis continues to lead this team to 55 to 60 wins, which we’re on pace to do, and right now, there’s no way in the world that he can’t be considered as the MVP,” NBA legend and Milwaukee Bucks broadcaster, Marques Johnson told me on the Scoop B Radio Podcast earlier this year.

Welp, they did that! 

The Milwaukee Bucks have been the most dominant team in the NBA this year.

The last time the Bucks finished with 60 or more wins was during the 1980-81 season. At that time, the Bucks were led by Sidney Moncrief, Bill Lanier, and Marques Johnson.

Just last season, the Bucks were scrapping and fighting just to stay above .500 with Jason Kidd as head coach. Mike Budenholzer took over and it’s a brand new ball game.

During the NBA’s regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks were top ten in assists per game, first in points per game, second in blocks per game, first in rebounds per game, third in field goal percentage and second in three-pointers made per game.

The Greek Freek is just icing on the cake for a team that also has Eric Bledsoe, Brook Lopez and Kris Middleton on their roster.

In the regular season, the Houston Rockets were dangerous behind the strong play of James Harden, the league’s leading scorer.

Harden ignited the Rockets and is the reason players like as Eric Gordon, P.J. Tucker and Kenneth Faried thrive in the team’s offense.

Harden has the highest usage in the league (39.3 percent) but also ranked 12th in the league for assists per game.

During the regular season, the Rockets relied on making three-pointers or scoring easy buckets at the rim, particularly out of the pick-and-roll and are truly an analytics-era team.

The Houston Rockets led the league during the regular season in three-pointers attempted per game (45.4) and three-pointers made (16.1).

The Rockets benefitted from Harden’s ability to score and facilitate and benefitted from having one of the best offenses in the league.

If their offense is in top form, they’re a tough team to beat.

In the NBA Playoffs, Houston lost in Game 6 to a Kevin Durant-less Golden State Warriors.

The Bucks lost to the eventual NBA Champion, Toronto Raptors in the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals.

So who’s the MVP?

“From the regular season, I thought Harden had another great season and he did things that another hasn’t done in a while,” two-time NBA Champion, Isiah Thomas told NBA scribe, Landon Buford.

“Giannis also had a great regular season, but from a winning standpoint, I always go with the winner.”

“This is not a knock on the season that Harden had.

“What Giannis did from a winning standpoint to me he would get my vote.”

“It would only be by a very slim margin because you can make an argument for of them and they could be Co-MVPs, but if I had to pick just one, I would have to give it to Giannis this year.”

So who is the NBA’s MVP?  We’ll find out tonight at the NBA Awards.