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.”