James Harden (13) with Kevin Durant (7)  Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

James Harden has put together a tremendous campaign since getting traded to the Brooklyn Nets from the Houston Rockets.

He is averaging 25.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 11 assists in 34 games with the Nets. Many have made the case that he deserves to be this year’s MVP, including Harden himself.

“I feel like I am the MVP,” he said during a press conference last month, via ESPN. “I mean, it’s just that simple. I don’t want to be speaking individually on myself. I am just going to leave it at that.”

This past week, his teammate Kevin Durant offered his thoughts on Harden’s MVP candidacy.

KD said: 

“The criteria changes every day.

“It’s become an award that seven to 10 guys can win it in a year. Can you sell his story outside of his play? There’s a lot of stuff that factors into it. But he’s playing at that level. And that’s really all that matters — he stays at that elite level.”

Given that Durant has mostly been in the news for negative reasons over the past few weeks, it’s great to see him land in the headlines for something positive, like praising his teammates.

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