Harden should be MVP - Tom Webber After pushing the Golden State Warriors to Game 7 in the 2018 Western Conference Finals, the Rockets were expected to be leading contenders this season following the addition of Carmelo Anthony. However, the move did not pan out at all as expected and a dismal start left them languishing at second-bottom in the conference standings in November, with Anthony cut. But reigning MVP Harden led a sensational revival with a stunning run of 32 30-point games that started on December 14.