This season of NBA basketball is coming to a close, and as usual, its time to get in our final cases for who should take home this year's biggest player awards. The biggest of any of the awards is clearly the MVP, given to the leagues most valuable player of the season. This season, James Harden, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Paul George have separated themselves from the pack. With three clear cut contenders in place, let's examine all three of their seasons and see which one should take home the NBA's most prestigious award this year.

James Harden is having a legendary season, but it didn't start out that way. After winning last years MVP over LeBron James, and was a few minutes away from defeating the Warriors dynasty and making the Finals, Harden and the Rockets struggled to start. They won only one game in their first six and continued to struggle all throughout November. They were 11-14 before things started to turn around, as they won 12 of their next 13 games. During this stretch, Harden took over the offense and began the greatest scoring streak since the 1960s. Harden would score at least 30 points in 32 consecutive games, the 2nd longest streak of all-time, breaking career-highs multiple times throughout. His signature moment during the streak came against the Warriors when he almost single-handedly defeated the Warriors on the road by dropping 44 points including the game winner in overtime. He also scored 61 points in the famous Madison Square Garden, setting a career high in points that night, and adding his name to the list of players with career moments at MSG. Harden continues to play well past the streak, and his team is looking healthy and scary for the first time all season. The Rockets have won six games in a row and are pushing for the third spot in the West standings, something that didn't seem possible at the beginning of the year. With the way Hardens season is going, from the streak to the team performances of late, he has definitely earned himself a chance to repeat as MVP.

The NBA has been on a trend of giving the MVP to the "next guy". Many believe Harden won last years award because the NBA felt bad that he had been passed up the past few years, despite LeBron James having better numbers in many key statistical categories. If that is the case, Giannis should win MVP this year. Giannis has been on the come up for the past few years. Nicknamed the "Greek Freak", he has become even more freakish this year. He is currently leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a historically great season, as they have already clinched the playoffs with more than 20 games to go. With only 15 losses so far for the team this year, Giannis is enjoying team success for the first time in his career. He has been in the MVP conversation each of the past two years due to his numbers while not enjoying the same type of team success as this year. He has posted at least 20 points per game each year, while also getting at least 9 rebounds per game. This year, he is clearly at the top of his game, with all numbers going up from last year. He is currently averaging 27.1 PPG, 12.8 RPG, and 6 assists per. So if the NBA wants to keep up with its "next guy up" trend, Giannis is your clear winner this year, and he clearly deserves it.

The final guy in contention this year is Paul George, who is having a career year as well. This one is also a feel-good story for those who know of Paul George's history. He started his career in Indiana, where he became the teams leading scorer and led them to two East Finals appearances against LeBron's Heat teams. Shortly after, he suffered a gruesome leg injury during a USA basketball game exhibition. The injury was so bad, they stopped the game altogether as they carted George off the floor. He spent the next year in rehab, and when he returned, he wasn't quite the same as before. As his contract was due to expire, he requested a trade from Indiana and ended up in OKC. Long story short, he ended up re-signing with OKC, a move that shocked many and has finally returned to all-star form in 2019. In fact, his numbers are off the charts compared to his years in Indiana. He is averaging 28.6 PPG this year, a whole five points more than his best season in Indiana. He has 6 40-point games so far this season, 2nd to Harden, and has clearly been the offensive mastermind behind the Thunder's success this year. They currently sit in the 3rd spot in the West, above the Rockets. If based on team success, George is clearly the favorite over Harden, and with the way George has bounced back this season, I would not shy away from voting for PG.

So after discussing all three guys in contention, let's answer the big question: Who is this years MVP? For me, my vote is on James Harden. With no disrespect to Giannis or PG, who are having great years for their teams and themselves, Harden owns the one thing they don't, the streak. Without that streak, it would be easier for me to vote for Giannis or George, but Harden scoring at least 30 points in 32 straight games is not only impressive, but it is also downright legendary. People will be talking about how historical this streak was many years from now, and if we don't award Harden for that with the MVP, it will be a shame. Plus, the way the Rockets have rebounded since they slow start and the fact that Harden is the team's offensive engine who will take 65% of their shots every night and they are still winning. That should be enough to get Harden back-to-back MVP's.