On a weekend when James Harden’s 21st triple-double of the season was completely overshadowed by Russell Westbrook’s historic night, the Houston Rockets tried making their MVP case for the former.

Westbrook passed Oscar Robertson’s 55-year-old single-season record of 41 triple-doubles, scored 50 points and capped it all with a game-winning buzzer beater from 36 feet that eliminated the Denver Nuggets from playoff contention. It was the sort of throat-ripping effort we’ve become accustomed to from the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar — and a not-so-subtle reminder of his MVP candidacy.

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Meanwhile, Harden dropped 35 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds in a win over the lottery-bound Sacramento Kings. Neither the Rockets (54-26) or Thunder (46-34) advanced their playoff stature, since they’re locked into the third and sixth seeds, respectively. And that’s kind of Houston’s whole point.

“I thought winning was what this is about. Period,” Harden told the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen in response to a question about the value of victories versus records. “I’m not going to get into depths on that, but I thought winning is the most important thing. If you set your team up to have a chance at the ultimate goal, that’s the most important thing.”

The debate over what the middle letter in MVP really stands for is as old as the award itself. Can somebody who produces record-breaking numbers on a sixth-place team be considered more valuable than a guy who breaks records for a third-place team? Rockets general manager Daryl Morey didn’t seem to think so in a series of tweets before Westbrook’s masterful performance on Sunday:

AAU…All-Star game…Draft Lottery…2017 MVP race. Basketball is losing its focus on winning — Daryl Morey (@dmorey) April 8, 2017





Sounds like both Harden and Morey are concerned that MVP voters, whose ballots are due on Friday, might be swayed by Westbrook’s candidacy. The Houston GM went so far as to cite the 1962 MVP race, which saw Robertson finish third in the voting behind Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, despite averaging a triple-double on the year. Russell won MVP for his two-way contributions to a title team:

More context: '62 MVP #1 Bill Russell (60 Wins-20 Losses),#2 Wilt Chamberlain (49 W-31 L), #3 Oscar Robertson (43 W-37 L, avg triple double) https://t.co/2wRKI4JfFT — Daryl Morey (@dmorey) April 9, 2017





Except, that would appear to bolster two-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard’s MVP candidacy, since he’s carried the San Antonio Spurs to a 60-win season on both ends of the floor.

Singlehandedly outscoring the Nuggets 15-4 in the final 3:35 of Sunday’s win, Westbrook bolstered another argument for his MVP case. In addition to leading the league in scoring and averaging a triple-double for the season, Westbrook’s “clutch” numbers (when the score’s within five points in the final five minutes) are mind-boggling, particularly when compared to Harden’s in the same situations.

Westbrook’s Thunder have outscored opponents by 85 in his 148 clutch minutes, compiling a 25-15 record in 40 qualifying games, and he’s averaging a staggering 80 points (56.9 true shooting percentage), 17.2 rebounds, 9.1 assists (against 6.2. turnovers), 3.9 personal fouls and 3.6 steals per 48 clutch minutes. Meanwhile, Harden’s Rockets have been outscored by 27 points in his 134 clutch minutes, logging a 21-18 record in 39 qualifying games, and he’s averaging 53.8 points (55.6 TS%), 15.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists (against 7.2 turnovers), 6.5 personal fouls and 1.4 steals per 48 clutch minutes.

Morey has a defense for that, too: Harden shouldn’t be punished for not playing as well in close games if his entire body of work is more impressive. Referencing Westbrook’s game-tying and game-winning performances against the Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic in recent months, the Rockets GM suggested Harden was more clutch in blowout wins over the same teams:

.@JHarden13 should be more clutch in these Ws: Rockets 128-Nuggets 110, Rockets 111-Jazz 102, Rockets 109-Mavericks 87,Rockets 128-Magic 104 — Daryl Morey (@dmorey) April 10, 2017

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