Kobe: Harden, Westbrook should share MVP honors

Never before in NBA history have two players shared league Most Valuable Player honors in the same season.

Kobe Bryant - a former MVP in his own right with the Los Angeles Lakers back in 2008 - can't decide who is more deserving between James Harden of the Houston Rockets and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and wouldn't be opposed to the two All-Star guards both receiving the Maurice Podoloff trophy.

"I truly feel it has to be co-MVPs," Bryant told ABC's Sage Steele Sunday. "You can't possibly pick one from the seasons that they're having. We've never seen this before.

"If you talk to them individually, they'll acknowledge that the other one is having (a great season). The fair thing to do would be that. We've just never seen two players have these kinds of seasons."

Going head to head Sunday at the Toyota Center, Harden's Rockets had little trouble disposing of Westbrook's Thunder in a 137-125 victory. Harden finished with a double-double of 22 points and 12 assists in 36 minutes of action, while Westbrook notched his 36th triple-double of the campaign with a game-high 39 points on 13-of-24 shooting, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists in 38 minutes.

With Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James and reigning two-time Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs also in the running, if there were ever a year for a tie near the top of MVP voting, this would be it.

The Rockets (51-22) are 10 games ahead of the Thunder (41-31) in the win column, though, which could help separate the two when push comes to shove.