Houston Rockets guard James Harden wanted to win the NBA's Most Valuable Player award this season, but it went to Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry. Harden, who made a compelling case for the honor but finished with 25 first-place votes to Curry's 100, was asked about the results on Monday. He did not exactly sound happy for Curry, via CSN Bay Area:
"It's tough," Harden told reporters following Houston's Western Conference Semifinals Game 1 shootaround. " But it's the second round of the playoffs, I got more, better things to worry about and that's the Clippers...
"It didn't work out ... I heard it and that was it. It was nothing."
Harden did not congratulate Curry for taking home the hardware.
LeBron James, on the other hand, had some nice words for the winner, via the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Joe Vardon:
James, who has been highly complimentary of Curry all season, said "I think it's great that another kid born in Akron, Ohio can win an MVP." Curry, 27, was, like James, born in Akron -- Curry was born here during the 1987-88 season while his father, Dell, played for the Cavaliers.
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James said he wasn't "disappointed" about the voting as he lauded Curry, calling the award "well-deserved."
"If I was on social media, if my phone was on I would've definitely congratulated him a lot," James said. "I think it's well-deserved. I mean you see, first of all, the team success, that's the first thing that pops out. Franchise record in wins, tied a franchise record for home wins, I think they even broke it at 39-2.
"He's the catalyst of that whole ship, and I think he's had an unbelievable season."
While there's nothing wrong with Harden feeling like he should have won, there was also nothing stopping him from saying something similar to what James, who finished in third place, told reporters. Perhaps Harden, who teamed up with Curry last summer as part of Team USA, has lots of admiration for the newly named MVP. Since he didn't say it, this is going to become a thing.
