Making the Case for NBA MVP: Kawhi Leonard Isn't Just in the Discussion, He May Be the Real Deal

The 2016-17 season is the closest MVP race in modern NBA history. It's March, and there are four contenders with legitimate claims to the award. This week, VICE Sports is going to make the case for each one.

"Kawhi Leonard is the best two-way player in the NBA today." Have you ever heard someone say or tweet this? If you enjoy a spirited hoops debate at the bar or—more apt setting for today's NBA fan—online, then you probably have. It's become near axiomatic in basketball circles, and this season it holds truer than ever.

As of Sunday, Leonard, the Defensive Player of the Year the last two seasons, is averaging a career-high 26.1 points per game. He's got more 30-plus-point games than Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant. He trails only Russell Westbrook in player efficiency rating (PER), the most comprehensive all-in-one-stat for offensive excellence. To put it simply: he's just as much of a terror on the offensive side of the ball as he's been on defense the last few seasons.

James Harden and Russell Westbrook are widely considered front-runners for the MVP award this season, but Leonard's offensive game compares favorably to theirs. Many of those who favor Harden for the award over a volume shooter like Westbrookpoint to his superior true shooting percentage. Well, despite a career high in shot attempts and usage percentage, Leonard is right behind the Beard in that category: 61.3 percent for Leonard, with Harden at 61.7, and Westbrook below league average at 54.6 percent. On top of that, at 8.8 percent, Leonard's turnover percentage is less than half of Harden's (19.9), and significantly lower than Westbrook's (15.9).

Leonard was already an elite three-point shooter before this season, but his ability to score in isolation with a dribble drive or step-back and turnaround jumpers can savage opponents now. Plus, his strength allows him to get into the paint for a mini hook that always seems way too easy.

Look at how he broke down All-Defensive player Paul George for the turnaround bucket at the buzzer to give the Spurs the win over the weekend:

Some have countered that Leondard's normally lockdown defense has suffered with his added offensive responsibility. The problem with this argument is that it's not really true. Despite some early-season on/off data where Kawhi Island was actually hurting the Spurs, his numbers have returned close to what they were when he won Defensive Player of the Year the last two seasons.

Instead, the discrepancy in Leonard's defensive on/off can be attributed to heavy minutes with rim sieve Pau Gasol as the starting center. With Dewayne Dedmon in Gasol's place, the Spurs have the lowest defensive rating in basketball among the 60 five-man lineups with at least 150 minutes together this season, per NBA.com.

Not only that, but Leonard has a higher block and steal percentage than Harden, Westbrook, and James. He's also second in the NBA in win shares per 48 minutes, with .276; only Durant is higher, at .277, and he's playing with three other All-Stars.

The Spurs, despite having only one All-Star, have the league's second-best record. Yes, both Harden and Westbrook are also their teams' only All-Stars, and both create more opportunities for their teammates, but Leonard is the much more dominating defender.

The All-Star Game notwithstanding, basketball is still played on two sides of the court. So when you say Kawhi Leonard is the best two-way player in basketball, what you're really saying is that he's the 2017 MVP.

All stats are as of Monday and courtesy Basketball-Reference, unless otherwise noted.