*Disclaimer* Any player on a team currently outside of the Top 8 in either conference will not appear in the biweekly Chris Haynes MVP watch.
5. James Harden
25.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 11.0 apg
The Brooklyn Nets star has been sidelined with a strained right hamstring and is expected to return soon. But the Nets have held steady in the standings in large part because of Kyrie Irving taking over as the offensive and playmaking catalyst. With Irving and Kevin Durant filling the stat sheet again, Harden’s true MVP candidacy will be in question.