Ad in Milwaukee paper pushes James Harden for MVP, same day Rockets face Bucks, Giannis

It stands to reason that most basketball fans in Milwaukee prefer Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo win his first NBA MVP trophy following the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, but James Harden and Adidas would like them to reconsider.

In a full-page advertisement purchased for Tuesday's edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Adidas makes an appeal on behalf of Harden regarding some of the more discussed aspects of his game, such as his step-back maneuver (regarded as traveling by some) and his penchant for drawing fouls.

The Rockets are in Milwaukee on Tuesday for their lone visit to the city this season, a head-to-head battle between perceptively the top two MVP candidates in the league. The Bucks won a battle in Houston on Jan. 9, 116-109.

The ad takes a conversational and conciliatory approach to laying out its argument and begins with, "A message regarding James Harden (which he understands you may not read)."

"You're also free to be mad at James Harden's step-back," the ad reads (see the full layout below). "You're free to call it a travel and torch it on your podcast. Quick question though: if YOU could pull off that step-back wouldn't you do it? James Harden thinks you might. But he freely accepts you might not. ...

JAMES OR GIANNIS?: NBA MVP race is far from decided

NURKIC HURT: Jusuf Nurkic suffers compound fractures to left leg

"The point is, whomever you vote for MVP, it won't change James Harden. He feels free to play the game how he plays it. James Harden is free to be James Harden. And you are free to be you."

The MVP is voted on by 100 members of the media. Harden received 86 first-place votes last year and won the award in a landslide for the 2017-18 season.

JR Radcliffe can be reached at (262) 361-9141 or jradcliffe@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe.