NBA MVP 2015: Latest Odds and Predictions for All Candidates
This year's race for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award might be one of the best we have seen in years. There are numerous deserving candidates, but only one will take home the trophy.
Unlike past seasons in which one known superstar pulled away from the pack with incredible numbers, this year featured second-tier players breaking out in big ways. With former winners such as LeBron James and Derrick Rose failing to stand out and Kevin Durant dealing with injuries, it left a wide-open field of contenders.
Despite multiple contenders having realistic arguments for the prestigious individual award, the eventual winner is an obvious one. Here is a look at the latest odds to win MVP along with predictions for the final three finishers.
| Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | 1-16 |
| James Harden | Houston Rockets | 21-5 |
| Russell Westbrook | Oklahoma City Thunder | 23-1 |
| Anthony Davis | New Orleans Pelicans | 28-1 |
| Chris Paul | Los Angeles Clippers | 28-1 |
3. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
It's hard to win MVP when your team doesn't make the playoffs, but Russell Westbrook did whatever he could to give his squad a chance to compete every night.
Without Durant by his side for most of the year, Westbrook took over and led the league with 28.1 points per game. Of course, he did much more than that while finishing with an incredible 11 triple-doubles.
Although some might question his style on the court, he was happy with what he was able to produce during the year, via NBA on ESPN:
No matter how many shots he took each night, the fact remains that it was necessary for the Thunder to compete. His ability to fill up the stat sheet in other ways also proved his contributions to the team.
If he had been more efficient from the floor and his team had finished slightly higher in the standings, Westbrook would be able to bring home the MVP. He should be rewarded with a third-place finish.
2. James Harden, Houston Rockets
Like Westbrook, the argument for James Harden is based on his production without much help around him. He finished second in the league in scoring with 27.4 points per game and carried an injured team to the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference.
After praising Stephen Curry's year, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated broke down why he would vote for Harden in this race:
"This season, Harden was just a hair better. Houston’s injury woes put the kind of pressure on Harden that Curry wasn’t forced to face, and Harden delivered. He scored, rebounded and assisted, all while teams drew up entire game plans based on stopping him. Am I unfairly penalizing Curry for Golden State’s good health and wire-to-wire dominance? Maybe. But Harden’s ability to elevate Houston over adversity really resonated.
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With 2,217 total points scored during the season, Harden had more than twice as many points as anyone else on the Rockets. Trevor Ariza finished second with 1,048.
Not only did Harden allow Houston to remain competitive despite problems around him, but the team also thrived and is now a top contender to win the NBA championship. Adding in his improved defense after it was a punch line in past years, the guard was clearly among the most valuable players in the league.
1. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
This is not just a case of giving the MVP award to the best player on the best team. It is giving the award to the best player in the league on what has been by far the best team in the NBA all year long.
Sure, the Golden State Warriors are loaded with talent from top to bottom and feature one of the deepest squads in the league. Taking Curry off the roster would leave plenty of elite players on the floor.
That said, there is no reason to discredit what the point guard has done for this team. ESPN Insider Bradford Doolittle argues Curry's impact by using the Hollinger Championship Odds:
"In the case of Curry and Harden, you can argue how to divide the credit for championship probability. But no matter how you decide to do that, Curry wins. You can give Harden full credit for Houston's 2.1 percent title shot, but no matter how much of Golden State's 38.3 percent figure you want to give to Curry's teammates, whatever number he's left with will dwarf Harden.
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While the Rockets were the No. 2 team in the conference behind Golden State, there was an 11-game difference in the standings. The Warriors had a margin of victory of more than 10 points per game this season.
This wasn't all on Curry, but the young player deserves a lot of credit for the dominant output. That helps put him over the top in a competitive MVP race.
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