Week 13 NBA MVP race: James Harden goes superhuman
USA TODAY Sports' top five candidates for the 2016-17 NBA MVP award (from Sunday, Jan. 22 through Saturday, Jan. 28).
Also receiving votes: Washington Wizards' John Wall, Boston Celtics' Isaiah Thomas
► Power rankings: Wizards crack top 10, Warriors lonely at the top
► Rookie of the Year race: Embiid dominates after All-Star snub
5. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Leonard, who missed two of San Antonio's three games this week with a hand injury, struggled from the field in his first game back on Friday, making just six of his 16 shot attempts (for 23 points) in a loss to the Pelicans, putting an end to his streak of six games with 30 or more points. On the season, the two-way superstar is averaging a career-high 25.4 points to go along with 5.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists — also a career-best. His offensive rating of 114.5 (points scored per 100 possessions) is fifth in the NBA among players who average 30 or more minutes a game.
4. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
The headlines of James' week centered around his decision to publicly criticize the Cavs' roster, saying the team isn't better than last year "from a personnel standpoint" and that they need to improve "if" they want to repeat as champions. But that's not to say he wasn't elite on the court.
Though the Cavs have hit a bid of a midseason road block, dropping six of their last 10 games, James hasn't lost a step. The four-time MVP put together back-to-back triple-doubles this week — 26 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in Monday's loss to the Pelicans and 24 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in Wednesday's loss to the Kings. He followed those performances with a 31-point (13-for-18 shooting), 11-assist, five-rebound outing in a win over the Nets on Friday.
3. Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
Durant, who leads all small forwards in points (26.1) and field goal percentage (54.7%), was ridiculously efficient in Golden State's 144-98 rout of the Clippers on Saturday, scoring 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting (3-for-4 from three) to go along with seven assists and four rebounds. He dropped 33 points (11-for-20) and added five rebounds and four blocks in Wednesday's win over the Hornets. His offensive rating of 116.2 is the highest of his 10-year career.
2. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Westbrook, who has six triple-doubles in his last eight games, led the Thunder to three straight wins this week. He put up 38 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals against the Jazz on Monday, 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against the Pelicans on Wednesday and 45 points, eight rebounds and three assists against the Mavericks on Thursday. He also shot 11-for-24 (45.8%) from beyond the arc on the week.
On the season, the Oklahoma City superstar is averaging 31 points, 10.6 rebounds and 10.2 assists — still on pace to become just the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double throughout an entire season.
1. James Harden, Houston Rockets
Harden added another chapter to his storybook season this week, pouring in 51 points (on 57.1% shooting), 13 rebounds and 13 assists in a 123-118 win over the 76ers on Friday night. He became the first player in NBA history to post multiple 50-point triple-doubles in a single season. It was his 14th triple-double of 2016-17 and pushed his averages to 29.1 points (tied for second in NBA), 11.6 assists (first) and 8.2 rebounds (third among guards).
"He played about as good as you can play," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said after Harden's performance. "I've been around a lot of players, but it doesn't get much better than that. I've never seen better than that."
List of voters: USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt, Sam Amick, Kevin Spain, AJ Neuharth-Keusch and Michael Singer; The Arizona Republic's Doug Haller; The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal's Ronald Tillery; Detroit Free Press' Vince Ellis; Indianapolis Star's Nate Taylor; The (Bergen) Record's Steve Popper; HoopsHype.com's Jorge Sierra and Raul Barrigon; USA TODAY Sports Weekly's Howard Megdal.