3 reasons why Russell Westbrook can become 2018-19 MVP

2016-17 was truly Russell Westbrook's year. He not only won the MVP award, but also averaged a triple-double the entire season. Besides achieving that feat in 2016-17, Westbrook also carried on that form and made a triple-double average in 2017-18.

However much these impressive statistics may have awed people once, he finished fifth in the NBA running last season. At the start of this season, when the stats for probable MVP's came out, Westbrook didn't even make the cut.

While we can take into consideration that the players ranked above him are all at the top of their teams in both form and gameplay, this shouldn't have dampened his chances that hard. At this point in the season, the running seems to be primarily between Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, and Anthony Davis. But here are some reasons why Westbrook can still make it.

#3 His Triple-Double Average

There are many people who claim that Westbrook's triple doubles do nothing for the gameplay of OKC, but they do not realize how easily he brings that many points home for the team. His moves may be low-key but Westbrook has the effectiveness very few people in the history of the NBA can match with.

Further, in a countering statement to critics that believe that these kinds of stats are not those of an MVP, achieving these stats for a person who is tasked with the role of leading an entire team, is the work of a master. This is the kind of work that should convince voters to make him a second-time MVP.

With the help of his teammates, hopefully, Westbrook will be able to keep up these kinds of stats. This will push OKC towards the top of the table in the West and make this man more and more eligible for the title of MVP.

#2 Paul George and Andre Roberson's Return to OKC

Russell Westbrook is considered to be a one-man army by many. They're not wrong, considering his stats. But, on the other hand, that one-man army has just not been enough to win games and move up the Western Conference tables.

Luckily, this year the roster of OKC has improved considerably. This season, Oklahoma City should have considerably better defenses with a healthy Andre Roberson and, to be honest, the team will definitely do better on both ends of the court without Carmelo Anthony.

The defense so far can even be considered the best in the Conference, possibly leading the team to a 55-plus win season. This number may not seem like a big jump from the early 40s they had reached last season, but in the ever competitive Western Conference, this could be enough to push them few spots up.

Further, the team doing better always makes Westbrook's stats more applicable, thus making him a more eligible MVP candidate.

#1 Westbrook has overcome his earlier excuses

Though it wasn't long ago when Westbrook last won MVP, things have changed since then. The team has suffered changes and he's had problems of his own. Unfortunately, Westbrook's first two years as the alpha on the team have only finally begun to add up. Those are some of the excuses that he has had in the past and these are the same excuses he has overcome this season to make it into the MVP race.

First came the year Kevin Durant left. Honestly, this created a statistical nightmare-like situation for OKC and the roster just didn't fit. However, the silver lining to this year was Westbrook's single-handed attempt to pull the team up and the miracle in which the team made it to the playoffs.

The next year was no better and a new roster didn't change much for the team as it was created through free agency. Westbrook, being the alpha, could not function without a proper support team, and this was missing from the combination of Carmelo Anthony, George, and Westbrook.

Anyhow, this season, none of these distractions or excuses exist. The one looming issue is the possibility of an injury, but so far Westbrook has bounced back super fast throughout the season. Realistically OKC could never fully beat a team like Golden State, but they have their chances as individuals in other parts of the competition.