Much was made this summer of all the players who didn’t join Team USA in the Spain-set FIBA World Cup. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love…the list of no-shows reads like a premier Rolodex of baller fame.
But thus far in the 2014-15 NBA season, the shortlist for MVP candidates is made up almost exclusively of those who did play for their country. The impression of patriotic summer balling as a springboard into the rare air of superstardom seems as true as ever today.Harden’s performance against the Kings showed a national TV crowd what he’s been up to. He took over at the beginning of overtime, scoring seven straight points to lead Houston to a 113-109 victory. He scored 44 on the night to go along with eight assists and—perhaps most tellingly—three steals and a block.
Harden has become a more conscientious defender this season, and the improvements to his stopping skills look like a clear result of working with Team USA coach Tom Thibodeau in August.
If you’re one of the many haters Harden earned with his sieve-like performance on that end last season, now’s the time to tune in and watch a rejuvenated Harden playing the basketball of his life.The Spaniard’s 19-4 team couldn’t do what it is doing without his combination of defensive craft, passing and a newfound knack for taking over as a scorer. At 19.4 points per game, Gasol is easily surpassing his previous high of 14.6 per game as a scorer.
That evolution could be seen during FIBA, where Gasol was asked to be "the man" whenever his brother Pau wasn’t up to the task. The Grizzlies capitalizing on Marc’s ability to put it in the hole is a simple change and the smartest one they could have made this season.
It all began, like so many of the game’s most important leaps this season, at FIBA.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2298139-the-nbas-early-mvp-candidates-all-have-one-thing-in-common
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