Some competitive elections aren't called until days after the polls close, while others see the confetti drop in the hotel ballroom well before the majority of ballots are counted. The race for the NBA's 2017-18 Most Valuable Player falls squarely in that second camp, with James Harden poised to run away with the award in a landslide.
Though MVP voters aren't furnished with any definitive criteria by the league, most consider some combination of statistical production, team excellence, a compelling narrative and, for some, novelty. Like Stephen Curry in 2016, Harden sweeps every category.