Blake Griffin’s pick for MVP is James Harden

The National Basketball Players Assn. will hold the “2015 Players Choice Awards� this season, in which the players can cast anonymous votes and the winners will be announced at a summer meeting in Las Vegas, according to an internal memo obtained by USA Today.

Before Friday’s practice, Clippers’ All-Star power forward Blake Griffin was asked who would get his vote for MVP.

Here’s his response: “Not taking anything away from Steph,� he said of Warriors guard Stephen Curry. “I just think [Houston Rockets’ guard] James [Harden] has done so much with less. He’s had a lot of guys injured, and they’re sitting at No. 2 right now. You can’t go wrong with either one of them. If Steph gets it, he deserves it. But I think James deserves it too.�

Harden is averaging 27.6 points on 44.3% shooting, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds a game for the Rockets (53-25), who are in a virtual tie for second place in the Western Conference with the Memphis Grizzlies (53-25).

Curry is averaging 23.9 points a game on 48.6% shooting, 7.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds a game for the Warriors (64-15), who have the best record in the league.

The media has voted on NBA awards since the 1980-81 season.

Griffin was asked whether he thinks the players’ vote means more than the media’s vote.

“I don’t really know,� he said. “I guess it’s cool, but the MVP award is a pretty prestigious award. I probably couldn’t tell you unless it happened.�