2019 NBA MVP candidates

Group A - Been there, done that, favourites to do it again

Houston Rockets v Golden State Warriors - Game Five

2) James Harden

It comes as no surprise that the reigning MVP is one of the favourites to take home the award again, but repeating the feat is historically difficult thanks to voter fatigue; only Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, LeBron James and Stephen Curry have accomplished it.

Having said that, the voters may still be on side with Harden after the Rockets' heartbreaking playoff run and an off-season which featured plenty of player turnover.

If Harden gels with his new teammates - specifically Carmelo Anthony - and leads the Rockets to the top of the Western Conference standings again, that may be a compelling enough narrative to launch him back to the front of the MVP race over his opponents. He will still need to dominate and entertain on a nightly basis, but that shouldn't be an issue given his steady improvement each year in Houston and his near-perfect chemistry with Chris Paul and Clint Capela.

Anything below top of the west will kill Harden's chances on the spot, as the standards to which he is now held are sky-high. Harden has been a permanent fixture in the MVP conversation since his first day in Houston, he has finished eighth, fifth, second, ninth, second, and first in MVP voting during his six years at the Rockets.

1) LeBron James

Golden State Warriors v Los Angeles Lakers

The King edges out Harden as my pre-season MVP favourite. James will be looking for his fifth MVP as he starts his new chapter as a member of the Lakers. He hasn't won the award since 2013 despite being a leading contender every year since then, and the standards which the voters set for him might finally have been lowered.

James will struggle to carry the Lakers to a top-two position in the West, but much like Davis and many other contenders in the West, finishing third should be good enough to contend due to the clear difference between Houston and Golden State compared to the rest of the west.

The most intriguing part of James' campaign will be seeing him potentially play as a pure scorer. James has always been a pass-first player who is still able to perennially average close to 30 points per game with historically good efficiency. For the first time ever, he is surrounded by playmakers and will have the chance to play primarily as a scorer.

He will still make jaw-dropping passes, but with Lonzo Ball, Rajon Rondo and Lance Stephenson surrounding him he will also be on the receiving end of many spectacular dimes. Limited pre-season minutes showed promising signs for James as a scorer on a team which plays with exciting pace and energy. Can James average upwards of 30 points per game on the way to an MVP season? Only time will tell, but MVP voters will surely love seeing James lead the revival of showtime in Los Angeles.

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