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Toronto Raptors: Five Things That Must Happen For Kawhi To Win MVP

By Vimal Sivakumar

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 16: San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) rests during the Los Angeles Clippers 115-92 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at the Staples Center at the Staples Center on December 16, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Elise/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 16: San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) rests during the Los Angeles Clippers 115-92 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at the Staples Center at the Staples Center on December 16, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Elise/Getty Images) /
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Kawhi Layup
SAN ANTONIO, TX – APRIL 2: Kawhi Leonard /

3. Team Success

For Kawhi to win the MVP award next season, the Raptors must specifically finish the regular season as the top seed in the Eastern conference.

Plainly speaking, team success is quite an important part of the MVP discussion every year.

The best illustrations of this would be in two of the last three NBA seasons. In 2015-16, Stephen Curry (30.1/5.4/6.7) beat out LeBron James and Russell Westbrook, among others, for the MVP award. That season, LeBron produced just 4.8 less points while averaging more rebounds and assists than Curry. Likewise, Westbrook scored just 6.6 less PPG but averaged 2.4 more rebounds and 3.7 more assists. However, that season, Stephen Curry played 79 games and led Golden State to a historic 73-9 record. As such, team performance played a clear role in Curry’s MVP win that year.

Similarly, James Harden beat out LeBron James for the MVP last season, despite only beating James in points (2.9 PPG differential), steals (0.4 SPG differential) and free throw percentage (12.7% differential) while playing in 10 less games. Thus, by nearly every statistical measure, LeBron was the NBA MVP in 2017-18. However, the reality that Harden led his team to 17 more wins than LeBron’s Cavaliers further solidifies the importance of team success in MVP voting.

For Kawhi, this means that he needs to lead the Raptors to the top seed in the Eastern conference for one reason. This must happen because if he cannot help his team overcome their biggest conference rival — the Boston Celtics, who the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook peg to win three more games than Toronto — it would be very difficult to justify voting Kawhi as the league MVP.

As mentioned earlier, a big part of proving one’s self to be a true MVP contender is showing that you are an important part of your team. While Leonard will undoubtedly be the best player in a Raptors jersey next year, finishing the season as the conference’s top seed will ultimately solidify Leonard’s value to Toronto. This accomplishment will put him right in the thick of the MVP discussion for his catalytic role in elevating the Raptors to a place very few people expect them to reach.

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