NBA: 10 Burning Questions at the 2018 All-Star Break

#2 Harden's the MVP but will he show up this time in the Playoffs?

James Harden

Unless James Harden suffers an injury and LeBron James leads to the new-look Cavaliers to a resurgence in the second half of the season, the Beard has pretty much got the MVP award to his name. It's his award to lose. His numbers and efficiency combined with the team's now league-leading record leave no player as a worthy competitor for the award.

After two unsuccessful MVP-worthy seasons in 2015 and 2017, Harden might finally have the award handed to him but is that enough?

Harden is an amazing offensive talent yet over the course of his basketball career, he's had multiple personal collapses in high-pressure moments - 2012 NBA Finals, 2015 Conference Finals and in Game 6 of the 2017 Western Conference Semi-Finals. Avid Rockets' supporters might argue that he now has another Hall of Fame worthy point guard in Chris Paul with him but CP3 doesn't really have ANY Conference Finals experience to boast off about.

Will they take care of their respective demons by teaming up and sharing the pressure load?

Whatever it might be, Harden needs to have a good game when it really matters in this postseason to validate himself and get rid of the choker tag.