Ranking the five NBA MVP candidates

Warriors: franchise-best mode

The NBA will ask media members associated with each of the league's 30 teams to rank their MVP candidates from one to five. The ballots will be sent electronically next week. You all know I am into per minute efficiency. But when it comes to choosing an NBA Most Valuable Player I like to value total production from regular season game one through time to vote. I value defense and the record of the player's team too. 

For this exercise to determine a 2015 NBA MVP, let's nominate five players. We will rank each guy 1 through 5 in the following categories: Total Production (efficiency rating x mins. played), Defensive Rating, and Team Record. We will give 5 points for a top ranking, and drop by one point per player in each category.

Total Production: 

James Harden .743 x 2729 mins. = 2027.6
Stephen Curry .789 x 2368 mins. = 1868.3
Anthony Davis .843 x 2173 mins. = 1840.5
Russell Westbrook .804 x 2029 mins. = 1647.3
LeBron James .696 x 2323 mins. = 1616.8

Defensive Rating: 

Stephen Curry - 100
Anthony Davis - 100.3
James Harden - 101.5
Russell Westbrook - 102.2
LeBron James - 104.6

Team Record:

Stephen Curry 61-13
James Harden 51-24
LeBron James 48-27
Russell Westbrook 42-33
Anthony Davis 40-34

The results? Curry is the top point earner at 14, followed by Harden with 12. Davis has 8 points, Westbrook 6, and James has 5. 

It is important that when you look back on a season the year can be quickly identified by the MVP. This season has been the Year of the Warriors. They are breaking franchise records and beating teams by an average margin of 10.8 points per game. Steph Curry not only is the team superstar but also the symbolic torch-bearer that best represents the way the NBA game is changing. 

Pull a transition three pointer lately?