Brooklyn Nets: Is James Harden about to steal MVP from LeBron James?

Whatever the Brooklyn Nets paid for James Harden, you can go ahead and double it.

We’d give that deal the ol’ head nod and a casual “OK” any day.

Despite the high price tag (after all, that’s what it … takes to lure a superstar, right?), Harden has more than justified Brooklyn’s commitment to his services, letting the offense flow through him while quelling all concerns about the ball staying stagnant in this three-star offense.

Coming off an all-time Harden game in San Antonio on Tuesday, the transcendent Net was officially named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month, hurtling this team towards the All-Star break in good condition … and himself potentially toward MVP consideration?

https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/1366841467147329538?s=20

Does Nets star James Harden have a growing MVP case?

The NBA’s MVP is often a narrative-based award, and the honor is bestowed in the same basic manner as any WWE Belt: who entertained the league’s writers the most? Without which player could the story of this season not be told?

That’s why, after two consecutive Giannis Antetokoumpo wins, the Greek Freak was going to have to average 40 and 20 this year to grab a third. Wasn’t going to happen.

For much of the season, LeBron James of the streaking and repeating (?) Lakers has been a preordained front-runner, still the face of the league at age 36, and a player who didn’t have enough pre-bubble time to make up ground last season.

Now, without Anthony Davis, Bron has only recently righted the ship in Hollywood, blitzing the Warriors and Blazers to run his team’s record back to a robust 24-11, behind only the Jazz in the West. There’s no doubting the allure of a wizened veteran averaging 25.5/8.1/7.8 for the reigning champions, and James is likely still the favorite.

But over in the East, the narrative is beginning to turn just a bit. Whereas Joel Embiid seemed to, almost by default, be the conference’s “best” candidate a month ago on a great-not-elite top-seeded team, Harden has busted through the glass. And if the Nets can establish themselves as a bonafide top seed, several games distant from the rest of the East’s beasts, Harden can begin to swing the narrative in his direction, as James attempted to last season.

The extended break without Kevin Durant — where Harden has continued to rack up wins — has only served to embolden his case; James without Davis hasn’t been quite as effective.

Harden’s scoring average is neck-and-neck with James’ (25.2 to 25.5), and he’s out-dishing the King in averaging an astounding 11.0 per game.

The emergence of Harden the Facilitator has been massive in spearheading Brooklyn’s rise to invincibility, which has in turn been essential in swinging the MVP narrative to this side of the Mississippi.

Perhaps a full slate in the second half, with or without Durant, will be enough runway to swipe the momentum for good and secure the writers’ respect.

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