The NBA world is increasingly leaning in one direction in the tight MVP race between Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden

"Who had the better 2018-19 season? I would go (ever so narrowly) with Giannis. On top of all his individual superlatives, Antetokounmpo has been the face and chief culture-setter in the Bucks’ transformation from 44-win underachiever to the best team in the league (regular-season edition). And his candidacy gets bonus points on our scorecard because Milwaukee, for Eastern Conference supremacy, had to beat out a trio of worthy challengers who were all projected as superior before the season."

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"The Bucks have sat atop the Eastern Conference for months, Giannis is doing it at both ends (he’s a sneaky strong candidate for Defensive Player of the Year) and then there is this: The difference between Giannis and the second-best player on his team, Khris Middleton, is far greater than the difference between other MVP candidates and the second-best player on their teams."

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"Every star player exerts some kind of pressure on his opponents, but what separates Giannis is that he’s exerting pressure constantly ... Antetokounmpo will fly around throughout a defensive possession, run the floor in transition, and then attack a set defense from the top of the floor once the action slows down. He is a Defensive Player of the Year who averages 27.7 points per game, a top rebounder who runs a drive-and-kick offense, and the single most imposing force in the league."

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"Because he’s a scorer, Harden’s moments feel iconic. His shots literally win games down the stretch. Antetokounmpo’s moments are more sublime. A chase-down block here or a staggering Euro-step dunk in transition over there.

"His moments are the reason his team wins games, but the Bucks don’t just win games. They blow teams out. A lot of Antetokounmpo’s best moments happen earlier in games mainly because his presence isn’t necessary down the stretch."

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"Giannis Antetokounmpo was the league’s most consistently brilliant performer from the first whistle of training camp to the final buzzer of the 2018-19 regular season.

"The product of 'The Greek Freak' and his brilliant consistency was a league-best 60-win season that delivered the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs to the Bucks."

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