Ranking the 5 early NBA MVP candidates

#1 James Harden - Houston Rockets

Is this the season that James Harden finally wins the NBA MVP?

One of the best MVP races in recent history occurred last season when James Harden of the Houston Rockets and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder were lighting up the stat sheet. Harden would end up finishing second getting 22 of the first place votes and a voting score of 753.0 compared to Westbrook's 69 of first-place votes and a total score of 888.0.

With Oklahoma City struggling to start the season and Houston off to a hot 9-3 start, Harden has the upper-hand for now. He is third in scoring at 29.9 PPG, third in assists at 10.0 APG, and tied for ninth with Stephen Curry in steals with 1.83 SPG. If the Rockets continue these winning ways, it could be an easy MVP for Harden.

The Beard also ranks among the league's elite in PER - 29.26 (5th best).