The championship has been won, and the draft is in the books. Before attention turns to what promises to be an eventful free agency period, the NBA will put the finishing touches on the 2018-19 season with its third annual awards show Monday night from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.
The league will announce the winners of the season's individual awards, with Most Valuable Player the crown jewel. The awards were voted on by a panel of media members before the start of the playoffs.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden and Paul George were announced as MVP finalists in May. So who has the edge among the trio of superstars?
Antetokounmpo and George bolstered their positions as two of the best all-around players in the league and are both finalists for defensive player of the year as well. Harden was again a scoring machine who won another scoring title to put himself in position to win a second consecutive MVP.
Compare the finalists' 2018-19 résumés:
Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Averages: 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 blocks per game
- Unanimous first-team all-NBA, all-defensive first team
In his sixth season, Antetokounmpo put all of his immeasurable gifts together to become an absolute terror on both ends of the floor. He averaged career highs in scoring, rebounds and assists while guiding the Milwaukee Bucks to a league-best 60-22 record. New coach Mike Budenholzer tailored the Bucks offense to suit Antetokounmpo's strengths, and the Greek Freak thrived and spearheaded a Milwaukee attack that led the NBA in scoring, point differential and net rating.
27.7 PPG | 12.5 RPG | 5.9 APG
Ahead of 2019 #NBAAwards Monday (6/24) at 9pm/et on @NBAonTNT, relive #KiaMVP finalist @Giannis_An34's BEST PLAYS of the 2018-19 NBA Regular Season! https://t.co/c4G2K0vNxJ
James Harden
- Averages: 36.1 points, 7.5 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 steals per game
- Unanimous first-team all-NBA
He might have the most polarizing style of play in the league, but don't let that obscure the historic nature of Harden's scoring this season. Thanks to an eye-popping streak of 32 consecutive games with at least 30 points, Harden won his second consecutive scoring title with the highest average in the league since Michael Jordan in 1986-87 and just the eight season-long average of at least 36 points in league history. Harden did it all while maintaining his solid all-around play and carrying a Houston Rockets team that weathered key injuries to finish fourth in the Western Conference.
36.1 PPG | 6.6 RPG | 7.5 APG
Relive #KiaMVP finalist @JHarden13’s BEST PLAYS of the 2018-19 NBA Regular Season ahead of 2019 #NBAAwards Monday (6/24) at 9pm/et on @NBAonTNT! https://t.co/ofmUY4MlCQ
Paul George
- Averages: 28.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.2 steals per game
- First-team all-NBA, all-defensive first team
George showed he is completely over the devastating leg injury he suffered in the summer of 2014 by putting together his finest season as a pro. He averaged career highs in scoring, rebounds and steals while leading an Oklahoma City Thunder defense that was fourth in the league in rating. George's production tailed off a bit down the stretch as he dealt with a shoulder injury that eventually required surgery after the playoffs, but he was still the Thunder's most consistent scorer and defender.
28 PPG | 8.2 RPG | 4.1 APG
Watch #KiaMVP finalist @Yg_Trece’s BEST PLAYS of the 2018-19 NBA Regular Season before 2019 #NBAAwards Monday (6/24) at 9pm/et on @NBAonTNT!https://t.co/gEgFK7KO4m
Follow Matt Eppers on Twitter @meppers_.
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