Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) passes the ball as Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving defends during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)Charles Krupa/Associated Press

Kyrie Irving: James Harden People's MVP, but LeBron James NBA MVP

Adam WellsJun 27, 2018

Kyrie Irving's departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers didn't diminish his respect for what LeBron James is capable of on the court.

The Boston Celtics star said Wednesday during an appearance on New York's Hot 97 that James should've won the NBA MVP award over James Harden.

"MVP, it's hard to gauge nowadays," Irving said on the show (via ESPN.com). "Because now you have the people's MVP and you have, like, the NBA's MVP. I think the people's MVP was definitely James [Harden], but the NBA MVP is definitely LeBron [James]."

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Harden was the overwhelming choice for 2017-18 NBA MVP by the voters. The six-time All-Star received 86 first-place votes and 965 total points to earn the honor for the first time.

James received the other 15 first-place votes and had 738 total points, falling short of winning his fifth career MVP award.

Harden had the advantage in scoring with an NBA-high 30.4 points per game. James averaged a career-high 9.1 assists and tied his career high with 8.6 rebounds per game for the Cavs.

Irving noted that if you only look at stats, James "checks every mark. ... He's incredible, he's incredible."

Harden led the Rockets to a franchise-record 65 wins during the regular season. Cleveland won 50 games, which were its fewest in the four years since James returned to the franchise.