National Basketball Association

MVP Battle 2.0

Updated Feb. 28, 2020 5:36 p.m. ET

Don't call it an MVP battle – it's just a battle between two MVPs.

James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the last two NBA MVP winners, and in recent weeks, the two have taken their budding rivalry to new heights.

In fairness to Harden, Giannis started it.

Well, that was a long time ago.

But yes, Antetokounmpo has been throwing more than a basketball into Harden's face.

That was the first jab, and maybe it was a fair one. Harden is a legendary ball-pounder.

But then, there was this after the All-Star game:

Petty, much?

Harden mostly sat by and ignored the comments from Antetokounmpo...until this week.

That is a clap-back of epic proportions.

Harden clearly didn't think the "I want somebody who will pass the ball" comments were funny.

The Beard pointed out that he averages more assists than both Giannis and Kemba Walker, whom Antetokounmpo picked ahead of Harden in the All-Star Draft.

You know all those complaints from the older generation about today's stars being too friendly?

This isn't that.

Relive the entire feud from start to finish:

Now, despite these two men being arguably the best two players in the game...

...Giannis and the Bucks are having a banner year, and Antetokounmpo is presumed a shoo-in to win his second consecutive MVP award.

But, it looks like Harden will win his third consecutive scoring title, and that's what makes this rivalry so fun: both players approach the game in vastly different ways.

Antetokounmpo is a force of nature that wears you down over the course of the game.

Harden is a smooth three-level scorer, with a mesmerizing handle and unlimited range.

All the talk has been about the Los Angeles Lakers or Los Angeles Clippers landing in the NBA Finals to face Milwaukee, but with the Harden-Antetokounmpo rivalry heating up, we have another Finals matchup to root for.

Until then, we'll have to settle for the Milwaukee-Houston game on March 25.

Hopefully, this battle of MVPs is still alive and well.