But of course through rationale, that should never be the case, because if so, Baron Davis would have been in the Hall of Fame, just for the sheer number of lobs he’s thrown this season. And therefore, I humbly present the Room Service Dime’s 2011 Season Awards.

Most Valuable Player: Dwight Howard

Just because Dwight Howard’s got 18 technicals this season, doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve to win the MVP award, just look at Dwight Howard’s team, and then talk about the other candidates. He has single handedly carried the Magic to a 4 seed this season, and another 50 win season, by being their anchor both on offense and defense. People are still blinded by his lack of offensive game, eventhough this season, he’s actually turned into a great post player. Come on guys, stop living in 2008, it’s 2011 now, all other MVP candidates, all of them have a supporting cast that’s really good, Orlando’s second option on offense is Jameer Nelson and their next best defender is Quentin Richardson. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, Derrick Rose winning the MVP is an insult to Jason Kidd and Chris Paul has done the past few years, just because he’s a trendy pick, doesn’t mean he’s a deserving pick.

Rookie of the Year award: Blake Griffin

If there any other way to say this? Seriously Greg Oden should have helped everyone solve this dilemma when he himself was out for his entire rookie year, but he came back and did nothing, so we have this debate now that Blake Griffin isn’t a true rookie, but come on, the NBA states that he’s a rook, and by being a rookie, and averaging 22 ppg, 12 rpg, and almost 4 assists per game, that should only mean he’s the Rookie of the Year, I feel bad for John Wall, and I almost went over the fence on Griffin’s status as a rookie, but he was so dominant in his rookie year, that it made no sense to take that award from him. He would have very high expectations next season.

Sixth Man of the Year: Lou Williams

Lamar Odom’s the other favourite to win the award, but here’s the difference maker, Lakers without Odom, playoff and possible Finals team, Sixers without Williams – lottery team. And it’s always easier to go with players that are second round picks. That’s it.

Most Improved Player: LaMarcus Aldrigde

Look, if you’re awarding the MVP award, and you account in team wins in awarding the award, you can’t be possibly setting double standards on award this award? I know Kevin Love has been killing it, averaging 5 more rebounds and more points this season, but the fact is, his team isn’t in the playoffs, and he’s got Darko as his team’s starting center, of course he’d be grabbing all the boards, come on, son.

The same theory applies for Kris Humphries, Brook Lopez is just an awful rebounder, and who gets the spoils? Kris Humphries, and the Nets are an awful team.

LaMarcus Aldridge, if it was last season, I’d use him as a comparison for Jeff Green, a good player, that just never seem to be capable of getting to the next level, basically a career second guy. But he picked it up this season, bringing a Portland team that’s without their best player, and almost single handedly bringing them to the playoffs, he turned into a bona fide scorer, a better rebounder, a better defender, and guess what, the Blazers are in the playoffs, Minnesota has a chance to draft Jan Vesely. Go figure.

All-League Awards

All-NBA First Team

• G – Derrick Rose
• G – Dwyane Wade
• F – LeBron James
• F – Dirk Nowitzki
• C – Dwight Howard

All-NBA Second Team

• G – Chris Paul
• G – Kobe Bryant
• F – Kevin Durant
• F – Kevin Garnett
• C – Pau Gasol

All-NBA Third Team

• G – Steve Nash
• G – Manu Ginobili
• F – Paul Pierce
• F – Blake Griffin
• C – LaMarcus Aldridge

All-Defense

All-Defensive First Team

• G – Tony Allen
• G – Andre Iguodala
• F – Gerald Wallace
• F – Kevin Garnett
• C – Dwight Howard

All-Defensive Second Team

• G – Dwyane Wade
• G – Kobe Bryant
• F – LeBron James
• F – Tyson Chandler
• C – Andrew Bogut

All-Rookie

All-Rookie First Team

• G – John Wall
• G – Landry Fields
• F – Evan Turner
• F – Blake Griffin
• C – Greg Monroe

All-Rookie Second Team

• G – Eric Bledsoe
• G – Gary Neal
• F – Wesley Johnson
• F – Ed Davis
• C – DeMarcus Cousins

Individual Awards

MVP Ballot

1. Derrick Rose
2. Dwight Howard
3. Dirk Nowitzki
4. LeBron James
5. Kobe Bryant

Defensive Player of the Year

1. Dwight Howard
2. Kevin Garnett
3. Andre Iguodala

Rookie of the Year

1. Blake Griffin
2. John Wall
3. Landry Fields

Most Improved Player

1. Kyle Lowry
2. Kevin Love
3. Derrick Rose
4. LaMarcus Aldridge
5. Dorell Wright

Sixth Man of the Year

1. Lamar Odom
2. George Hill
3. Marcin Gortat
4. Thaddeus Young

Coach of the Year

1. Tom Thibodeau
2. Nate McMillan
3. Gregg Popovich
4. Doug Collins

Executive of the Year

1. Pat Riley
2. Gar Forman
3. Sam Presti

Links: Media’s Picks

• Marc Stein – click here
• David Aldridge – click here
• SI’s Point Forward – All NBA + Individual Awards
• SI’s Writers Picks – click here
• ESPN’s Writers Picks – click here
• Hoopshype’s Picks – click here
• Kevin Pelton at Basketball Prospectus – click here

 The Hasheem Thabeet Award:  Delonte West — 2 pts, 0 reb, 1 asst, 0 FTM, 1 stl, 0 blk, 0 treys, and 1-6 FG% in 18 horrific minutes. And looking at this freak is a rather horrific experience, tatoos crawling up his neck while his career is barely alive. He’s been injured most of the year, thankfully. I wonder if he keeps in touch with Mrs. James these days?

By Matt Moore, howiGit Contributing Writer, Boston, MA

With the NBA approaching its All-Star break, now is a time where a lot of experts and fans alike start to hand out midseason awards. Blake Griffin is the clear-cut choice for Rookie of the Year, the MVP race seems to coming down to LeBron, Derrick Rose, and Dwight Howard, and Garnett is making a strong case to recapture the title of Defensive Player of the Year from Howard. But what is probably the most surprising is the strong case one could make for Glen Davis as Sixth Man of the Year.

Davis is in his fourth and most productive season since being drafted by Boston in 2007. Through 53 games, he has career highs in minutes per game (29.5), free throw percentage (.756), rebounds (5.2), assists (1.4), and points (11.8). The numbers back up the fact that Davis is playing as good as anyone has seen him play in Boston, but where his real value comes is better stated in terms of when he is contributing. The first big man off the bench, Davis backed up Shaq for the first few months of the season, and now does the same for Perkins. With O’Neal often in foul trouble and fatigued late in games, Davis was part of the closing unit along side the other four starters. His role remains the same, as Perkins’ minutes are limited. Davis gives the Celtics a player that can score, play tough defense, and rebound late in games. He works well protecting the paint with Garnett, and has drawn an astounding number of charges. He is doing this all while being an undersized 6’9. Despite the apparent lack of height, Davis is active around the rim, scoring inside and collecting offensive rebounds. His ability to get shots up around taller defenders by using the rim and body position is impressive. You can also see an improvement in his post moves and jump shot. With the injuries the Celtics have had, especially to the front court, Davis has only started nine games, all when Garnett went down earlier in the season. He is by far the most important player off the Celtics bench right now, and is the foundation for the second unit.

So who is his competition for the Sixth Man Award? I think right now the popular choice, and deservedly so, is the Maverick’s Jason Terry. He’s averaging 16 points a game for Dallas and is a big reason why they are second in the West. Terry gives them instant offense off the bench,and is often on the floor with Kidd and Nowitzki. He can shoot threes and takes big shots at big moments. We saw it first hand earlier this month when Terry had 17 points in a 101-97 Dallas win in Boston.

There are a few other bench players in the league that have better numbers than Davis, but that shouldn’t be the only factor in deciding the award. Davis’s value to the Celtics can’t be measured completely by statistics. It’s also interesting to note that Davis is having his best season heading into free agency this summer. But for now, the Celtics are happy to have him wearing green, and making big contributions towards their goal of another NBA title.

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With the NBA season upon us, there are many new factors that will make for an exciting and entertaining year. The Big Three in Miami, the up and coming teams, and defending champion Lakers have all made for exciting off-season news. With only six days left, it’s time for my predictions for the 2010-2011 NBA season.

MVP- Kevin Durant, SF, Oklahoma City Thunder

Durant is coming off an extremely impressive season averaging 30.1 points per game. Although this may be a popular pick for MVP, but with good reason. Kevin Durant is one of the most electrifying players in the league. Standing at six foot eleven, Durant moves with the quickness of a point guard, and can shoot the ball like very few can. This rare combination of skills has never been seen before.

Defensive Player of the Year- Ron Artest, SF, Los Angeles Lakers

After an amazing season, Artest still has something to prove. Although Artest was snubbed from first team all defensive last year, he still has the shut down ability that he is known for. Some may say Artest is aging, and possibly losing a step but, in my opinion he is still one of the best if not the top perimeter defenders in the NBA. Artest shut down Kevin Durant (my MVP pick and leagues leading scorer last season) in the first round of the playoffs last season. Artest silenced every team’s main scorer including Paul Pierce in the NBA finals. Artest is poised for another great defensive season.

Most Improved Player- Raymond Felton, PG, New York Knicks

Felton is coming off of an impressive season, averaging almost ten points a game while leading the Bobcats to the playoffs. In the summer, Felton was traded to the New York Knicks, a perennial bottom feeder in the East. With the addition of big man Amar’e Stoudemire, be sure to see Felton’s numbers increase. Using the pick and roll with Stoudemire could be a huge advantage for Felton as far as assists go. When teams catch on to the pick and roll, however, Felton could capitalize on wide open shots and looks at the basket.

Rookie of the Year- Blake Griffin, PF, Los Angeles Clippers

Blake Griffin is coming off of surgery on his ACL, which caused him to miss all of last season. Griffin is the overwhelming pick for this award this year rightfully so. In the preseason, Blake looks like the best player on a Clippers team with proven players such as Chris Kaman and Baron Davis. Griffin can rebound like no other rookie, and is already one of the top ten power forwards in basketball. If Blake Griffin lives up to the hype he’s received, there’s no telling where he can end up at the end of his career.

Although winning these awards is always a plus, none of it matters come playoff time. The defending champion Lakers look to win their third title in a row, while the super-power Miami Heat look to help LeBron James and Chris Bosh win their first rings. The playoffs are never guaranteed, but experience and talent definitely help down the stretch.

Western Conference Seeding

1. Los Angeles Lakers

In a diluted western conference, the Lakers appear to be unmatched yet again. Although Dallas is arguably the second best team in the west, they are no match for LA. Coming off back-to-back titles, Kobe Bryant and co. are willing to defend their title at any cost.

2. Dallas Mavericks

Although the up-and-coming Thunder could take this spot, the Dallas Mavericks experience and talent will propel them to the two seed. Dirk Nowitzki is still one of the best players in the league, while the addition of Tyson Chandler adds defensive prowess and toughness to the Mavs.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

Kevin Durant and the young Thunder team can definitely take the three or even the two seed. The Thunder is emerging as one of the premier teams in the league, even though their oldest player (veteran Morris Peterson) is only thirty three years old. Oklahoma City big man Serge Ibaka played very well in the playoffs last year against the Lakers, and should be an X-factor down the stretch this season.

4. Portland Trail Blazers

Shooting guard Brandon Roy was injured in early April of last year, causing him to miss the remainder of last season. With Roy back in action, the Trail Blazers could be a real contender in the west. Center LaMarcus Aldridge showed flashes of brilliance last season, and if he can play on a consistent basis the Blazers could be dangerous.

5. Utah Jazz

The Jazz finished fifth in the west last season, and have made some improvements over the summer. The addition of center Al Jefferson gives the Jazz a dominant inside scorer, while Raja Bell helps them tremendously on perimeter defense. Deron Williams is arguably the best Point Guard in the league and will lead the Jazz back to the playoffs.

6. San Antonio Spurs

The aging Spurs have had some problems in the past years. Tim Duncan is still one of the league’s best big men even though he is well past his prime. Manu Ginobili contemplated retirement this off-season, but ultimately decided to come back for one more year. Manu will remain a productive bench player, and second year center DeJuan Blair will play a much larger role this season.

7. Houston Rockets

The Rockets made the playoffs last year, despite losing center Yao Ming for the entire season. With Ming back, the Rockets can clinch the seven seed this season with ease. Point Guard Aaron Brooks is an emerging star, who can pose serious problems for multiple defenses.

8. Denver Nuggets

Star forward Carmelo Anthony has caused some controversy over the off-season. The trade to the Nets fell through, and Carmelo remains in Denver. Anthony has been injury prone the past few seasons, and an aging Chauncey Billups is not as effective as he used to be. Despite the Nugget’s problems, they can still make a run for the playoffs.

Eastern Conference Seeding

1. Miami Heat

The Heat have made noise this summer, having possibly the biggest offseason in the history of sports. With the addition of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, the Heat have jumped from a four or five seed to the number one seed in the east. Everyone is picking the Heat to win the east and possibly the NBA championship. Only time will tell how the Heat fare.

2. Orlando Magic

The Magic, who made the finals two years ago, are only improving. The return of point guard Jameer Nelson last season played a big part in their regular season success. Dwight Howard, the league’s best center, is always a factor in games and can carry the Magic into the playoffs.

3. Boston Celtics

After an impressive post-season run last year, the Celtics look to make it back to the NBA Finals. The addition of Shaquille O’Neal adds defensive toughness and experience to the already aging Celtics. Point guard Rajon Rondo showed everyone why he was the best point guard in the league last year, displaying a wide array of skills. The Celtics may not make a run at the finals, but they will definitely be in the upper echelon of the eastern conference.

4. Chicago Bulls

Carlos Boozer was quite possibly the most underrated off season pickup for any team. In the shadow of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, Boozer provides the Bull’s with a powerful scoring forward. Derrick Rose is an up and coming superstar, and will capitalize on the addition of such a versatile player.

5. Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks are essentially the same exact team as last season. Acquiring Xavier forward Jordan Crawford in the draft gives the Hawks a potential scorer who can take some of the load from Joe Johnson. Look for improvement from second year guard Jeff Teague while the Hawks soar into the playoffs.

6. Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks have spent many years as the bottom-dwellers of the eastern conference. Led by second year point guard Brandon Jennings, the Bucks made the playoffs as last season’s Cinderella. With the addition of Drew Gooden, the Bucks have made subtle improvements this season. If Andrew Bogut can stay healthy, the Bucks’ could be a wild card in the playoffs.

7. Charlotte Bobcats

The Bobcats made the playoffs for the first time in their brief history last season. With Michael Jordan taking over as majority owner, the Bobcats can only improve. Although they traded point guard and my most-improved player Raymond Felton, they still have the dynamic duo of Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace.

8. New York Knicks

After a very disappointing decade, the Knicks will finally make the playoffs. Although they did not land LeBron or Chris Bosh in the off season, they settled with former Phoenix power forward Amar’e Stoudemire. Stoudemire gives the Knicks a big man who can rack up the points in bunches, and rebound like very few. The addition of Raymond Felton will create a dangerous pick and roll with Stoudemire, while shooting guard Kelenna Azubuike can knock down those long three-point shots.

Playoff Outlook

Western Conference Champions: Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are looking to three-peat for the second time in Kobe Bryant’s career, and the fourth time in legendary coach Phil Jackson’s. Coming off of three straight NBA Finals, the Lakers will advance to the finals yet again. Going virtually unmatched in the west, the Lakers can advance with relative ease. Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol cause problems for most teams in the Western conference, and can take over a big game when they need to.

Eastern Conference Champion: Miami Heat

Although it seems like the popular pick here, the Heat have enough talent to make up for their lack of chemistry. Dwayne Wade and LeBron James are both top five players in the NBA, while Chris Bosh can be a force down low. The production off the bench will be a big question for Miami, but with the experience of Wade and LeBron, the Heat can definitely make it this far.

NBA Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers will capture their third title in a row in a tight series with the Miami Heat. Although both teams have improved in the off-season, the Lakers length and experience will be too much for the young Miami Heat team. Kobe Bryant will capture his sixth ring, solidifying his place among the best to ever play in the NBA.

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Images:

NBA logo: http://www.frumpzilla.com/image_gallery/nba-logo.png

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LeBron James was awarded his second consecutive MVP award on Sunday, but that was pretty much a foregone conclusion.  A look at his statistics illustrate just why that is.  James averaged 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 50 FG%, 1.6 steals, 1 block.  These per game numbers were also accompanied by a scary PER of 31.19, which led the NBA.  A second straight season for The King that was straight up off the charts statistically.  A well deserved winner of the MVP award for sure.

We should be discussing what a great accomplishment this was for James, as he joins quite an exclusive club of back to back winners: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, and Steve Nash.  Instead, we have people bringing up the fact that James was not the unanimous pick for MVP and how the voting system needs to be fixed.  Go to NBA.com for the complete results of the MVP voting.

However, my dislike for the way that the award voting system works had very little to do with the MVP voting.  Sure, LeBron James should have been the unanimous pick.  You can’t really defend not voting for him as the top dog.  But a lot of the other irregularities in the voting of some of the other awards leading up to the MVP vote seemed even worse, and as a whole illustrate just how silly the process has become.

Here, grab my hand.  Let me show you:

• The Most Improved Player award is always a frustrating award to discuss.  I mean there really is no criteria on how to judge it.  “The annual award is presented to a player who has made a significant improvement from the previous season.”  Kind of vague, no?  But one disgrace from the voting this year was the fact that Ersan Ilyasova of the Bucks received a second place and a third place MIP votes this year.  Ilyasova is a good player and an integral role player for a playoff team, but giving him an MIP vote is bit absurd.  You may ask why is that?  Well, maybe because he has spent the previous two seasons in Europe.  You know, NOT in the NBA.
• David Lee received a third place vote for Defensive Player of the Year.  Yeah, I know, I thought it was a joke too when I first heard it.  As a Knicks fan, I love Dave and admire the way that he has improved his offensive game, but he is not a good defender.  He wasn’t even one of the better defenders on his team this season.  Giving him a defensive player of the year vote just because of his rebounding prowess is a complete disgrace.
• Someone also gave Stephen Jackson an MVP vote.  People do realize he wasn’t even the MVP of his own team, right?

There are plenty of other problems I could find in the voting this year, but those are the ones that stand out even more than LeBron not getting the unanimous vote.  Plenty of problems can be pointed out with the system: writers and broadcasters tend to only see the teams that they cover and may be biased, results are anonymous and the voters are therefore unaccountable, some voters might not care all that much, etc.

How do you fix it though?  It’s not like you can legally monitor if a voter watches a certain number of games for a certain number of teams around the league.  Outside of creating a very small committee of voters that you know you can trust, I’m not sure there is much you can do.

The regular season is finally over.  Now it’s time for the greatest months in all of sports: the NBA Playoffs.  Where the difference between regular and postseason play is the most drastic in all of sports.  Where intensity is ratcheted up to nosebleed levels.  Where rivalries are born.  Where legends carve their legacy.  Where (cue dramatic piano) … amazing happens.

(SCREEEECH.)

But before that, let’s recap the season with some awards.

—

Most Valuable Player: LeBron James, Cavs.

There’s only one question when it comes to this year’s MVP race, and it isn’t “who?” — it’s if LeBron will be a unanimous choice.  He will.  Or, he should.  That is, unless some Kobe apologist or a jingoish Orlando columnist bombs the ballot.

There are two approaches to MVP voting, both of which are valid but fundamentally different.  The first chooses the best player on the best team.  With historic numbers (29.7 ppg, 7.3 reb, 8.6 ast) on a 61-20 team, that’s LeBron.  You groaning, Laker fans?  Well, keep on groaning.  LeBron has supplanted Kobe as the world’s premier player (no longer debatable), and the Cavs have been consistently more dominant than the Lakers.  Kobe and co. may be the most talented team, but they haven’t been the best.

The second approach goes with the most indispensable player, for which I only see three candidates: Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard and LeBron (Kobe is disqualified in this category because, as previously noted, the Lakers are too talented, and they were 5-2 without him, and, well, screw Kobe.  Just kidding.).  But the Thunder and Magic have been too up and down, tempering long winning streaks with inexplicable losses.  The Cavaliers, conversely, have been brilliant throughout – and their path hasn’t necessarily been painted with gold.  There was the slow integration of Shaq in an offense that’s best on the run, and his subsequent thumb injury; the late arrival of Delonte West; the acquisition of Antawn Jamison; Varejao’s bum wrist; and the trade and re-signing of Z.  The only constant has been LeBron.  If you’re surrounded by constant uncertainty and the team is still dominant, you’re not only good but stabilizing.  Now that’s value.

Any and all justification points to the King.  Let us bow down.

Ballot: 1.) LeBron James, Cavs 2.) Dwight Howard, Magic 3.) Kevin Durant, Thunder 4.) Kobe Bryant, Lakers 5.) Dirk Nowitzki, Mavs

Defensive Player: Dwight Howard, Magic.

I wanted to go with my mid-season pick of Varejao.  But as tenacious as he is, he’s not an anchor.  The entire defensive burden is not heaped on his shoulders alone.  He isn’t the last line of defense.  Dwight Howard is.  While there are better man-to-man defenders, no one is more adept at helping teammates and erasing points at the rim.  And I’ve said for years, a big man who clogs the paint is always more valuable than a lockdown perimeter defender.  Look at the Magic roster.  Mickael Pietrus is nice.  But Vince Carter?  J.J Redick?  Rashard Lewis?  I just named three defensive liabilities, three ghosts who are as easy to pass as remedial math.  Dwight is the difference between the NBA’s best defense (the Magic hold opponents to a league-leading 43.9 percent) and, well, the Knicks.  And Howard has yet to reach his potential — even as a defender.  What the fuck, right?  Is there anything scarier or more awesome than raw dominance?  It’s like watching a young Eddie Murphy killing it in small stand up venues, before his refinement and maturity into a full blown superstar.  Except Howard is precociously dominating grown professionals.  D12 has this award locked up for the foreseeable future.

Ballot: 1.) Dwight Howard, Magic 2.) Anderson Varejao, Cavs 3.) Gerald Wallace, Bobcats 4.) Josh Smith, Hawks 5.) Andrew Bogut, Bucks

Rookie of the Year: Tyreke Evans, Kings.

Stephen Curry came on strong (like “Lezak on the French“-level of strong), and he just might finish as the best player in this draft.  But Tyreke was better for a longer period of time, and I like to reward consistent excellence.  Curry can have the future; I’m giving Evans the here and now.  Don’t get me wrong though.  Evans earned the ROY award.  He did so by being damn-near unstoppable attacking the rim and by being the best defender in the rookie class (Do freshmen even realize they can defend in their first year?).  All of which Evans can attribute to his man’s body.  He’s like LeBron in that sense.  They both physically matured before reaching age 19.  And, they both had eerily similar rookie statistics.  Almost to a tee.

Not bad.  Historic, even.  But I can’t help but be more excited about Curry.  Sorry, Tyreke.  Hope this award is of consolation.

Ballot: 1.) Tyreke Evans, Kings 2.) Stephen Curry, Warriors 3.) Brandon Jennings, Bucks 4.) Darren Collison, Hornets 5.) Marcus Thornton, Hornets

Sixth Man: Anderson Varejao, Cavs.

He’s the quintessential “guy you hate to play against but would love to have on your team” player.  He’s the basketball version of an annoying splinter you can’t quite pluck out.  I love players like that — Dave DeBusschere, Dennis Rodman, Bruce Bowen and now, Joakim Noah and Sideshow Bob — pesky defenders who are willing to sacrifice their first-born for a loose ball, who break their back boxing out and setting bone-jarring screens.  Varejao, like his hustling predecessors, is the everyman.  He does the dirty work, the plays stars don’t want to make.  He grinds how you and I would if given the blessed chance at being in the league, seemingly knowing what a real job is like without the millions, fame and gorgeous women.  He plays like Rudy.  As if every possession is his last.  His hustle and general havoc on offense and especially on defense makes him the Cavs’ second most valuable player.  What does that say about the Cavs?  It says that LeBron is really, really fucking good.

Ballot: 1.) Anderson Varejao, Cavs 2.) Jamal Crawford, Hawks 3.) Manu Ginobili, Spurs 4.) Jason Terry, Mavs 5.) Lamar Odom, Lakers

Most Improved: George Hill, Spurs.

I watch the Spurs — a lot.  I’ve closely followed how the team has transformed over the years since their 1997 drafting of Tim Duncan, from good to great and now at old, slow-to-gel but ever-scary threat.  Players have come in and flourished in the team’s unselfish offense and left to fade into obscurity.  But, I always know who’s truly valuable and who’s expendable and who’s only good because of Popovich’s system.  Second-year point guard George Hill is truly valuable.  He wasn’t last year.  He was pretty much invisible, especially when the playoffs rolled around.  But he improved his offense (now confident in running the team and a legit threat from deep) and most notably, his defense.  Hill is often assigned to guard the opposition’s best scorer, and he hasn’t looked foolish, even against premier players like Kobe Bryant.  Hill has improved so much that many in Spurs Nation are questioning if he should permanently start over Tony Parker.  That’s saying something.

Ballot: 1.) George Hill, Spurs 2.) Andrew Bogut, Bucks 3.) Joakim Noah, Bulls 4.) Aaron Brooks, Rockets 5.) Josh Smith, Hawks

Coach of the Year: Scott Brooks, Thunder.

With building blocks of Durant and Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City’s future was bright.  Everyone knew the Thunder would be good.  But this early?  Their transition from precocious youngsters to full-blown threat came one or two years ahead of schedule.  Thank Scott Brooks for that.  He got his players to care about defense and extracted the best from left-field players like Serge Ibaka and Eric Maynor.  Along with Durant detonating on the league, Brooks is why the Thunder are in the playoffs.

Ballot: 1.) Scott Brooks, Thunder 2.) Scott Skiles, Bucks 3.) Larry Brown, Bobcats 4.) Nate McMillan, Blazers

Block of the Year: Manu Ginobili on Kevin Garnett.

Everyone is enamored with LeBron and his chase-downs.  But most of the time it’s on pipsqueaks too absentminded to dunk the ball — come on, you know LeBron is creeping behind! That’s what makes Ginobili’s blocks so astounding.  It’s a slightly balding, 6’6” Argentinean on his last legs going head-on against a 6’11” juggernaut going hard to the rim — though, Garnett nowadays has about as much hops as a watered-down Coors Light.  Still, the sequence really was a sight.  Ginobili caught all ball and Garnett dropped to his back as if he had been dropkicked by John Cena.  And Garnett didn’t even argue for a foul!  He knew it was clean.  And really, Ginobili had the three best blocks all year.  Number one is his murdering of KG, second is his recovery-and-swat against Kevin Durant, and last but not least, BatManu.

Dunk of the Year: Dwyane Wade on Varejao.

Even after five months, it’s still nasty.

Ballot: 1.) Wade on Varejao, 2.) Amar’e Stoudemire on Tolliver 3.) Corey Brewer on Fisher, 4.) J.R. Smith’s 360 alley-oop, 5.) Derrick Rose on Dragic, and one that doesn’t count but is still sick LeBron’s alley-oop

Shot of the Year: Kobe’s game-winning three-pointer runner.

It’s a near impossible shot.  Time running out, jumping off his left leg, facing decent defense, heavily fading to the left, off the glass.  I won’t argue if you call it lucky.  But Kobe did his part, squaring up his body while maintaining perfect form with shooting arm perpendicular to the floor.  The amazing part is, as tough as the shot was, I expected it go in.

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After a long 82-game season, some players earned their hardware; here is my opinion on who wins the awards:

Most Valuable Player

Lebron James, Forward, Cleveland Cavaliers

With an oft-injured backcourt, an underachieving Antwan Jamison, and a Shaq who is nearing the sunset of his career, Lebron has led the Cavs to 60+ wins. He is on his way to a scoring title while he is still among the league leaders in assists and rebounds.

Defensive Player of the Year

Dwight Howard, Center, Orlando Magic

Howard shuts down the opposing big man for 40 minutes, what else do you want?

Most Improved Player

Kevin Durant, Guard/Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder

Durant made the jump from a great scorer to an elite all-around player in one year.

Sixth Man of the Year

Jamal Crawford, Guard, Atlanta Hawks

Ever since the days he played for the Knicks, my favorite player, Crawford, has been closing out games better than Mariano Rivera. Every game he comes off the bench and lights up the score sheet.

Rookie of the Year

Stephen Curry, Guard, Golden St. Warriors

Some would give this award to Tyreke Evans of the Kings, but he puts up good numbers for a bad team and is the main option for their offense. Curry, on the other hand, is the second, sometimes third option on the Warriors offensive attack, and averages great numbers for his bad team. His assists numbers are climbing as his scoring. He can bang a three in your face or drive and kick just as good as any veteran point guard.

Dunks of the Year

Dwayne Wade posterizes Anderson Varejao.

Dwayne Wade Dunk

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Corey Brewer embarrasses Derek Fisher.

Corey Brewer Dunks

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Best Game Winning Shots of the Year

Jamal Crawford wins the game for the Hawks against the Suns with a long three-pointer.

Jamal Crawford Game Winner

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Kobe banks in the three over Wade.

Kobe Bryant

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Sundiata Gaines hits a three-pointer to beat Lebron and the Cavs, while he is signed on a 10-day contract.

YouTube- Sundiata Gaines Game-Winner, 3-Point Buzzer Beater vs Cavaliers

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Haircut of the Year

Sorry Ron Artest, Michael Beasley steals the show with the putback dunk, and the ‘fro.

Michael Beasley Dunks

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Here are my ten cents worth regarding this season’s NBA awardees:

Coach of the Year: Scott Brooks (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Runner up: Scott Skiles (Milwaukee Bucks)

The significant and vast improvement of the Thunder is very evident this season as they have finally found a way to maximize their young guns and turn it into success. Guiding and teaching a young team isn’t easy but Scott Brooks is doing a fine job in transforming his young talented players into young talented winners. Oklahoma is having a blast this season and their coach should be credited for it. Prior to this season, I know that the Thunder doesn’t lack talents with guys like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green coming in but I didn’t expect them to be this good this early. It’s about jelling and converting those talents into wins and that’s what Brooks did this year. He proved that a mix of youthful talents can work and march to the post season. Oklahoma is 46-28 so far and shows no signs of slowing down heading into the playoffs.

Most Improved Player of the Year: Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Runner up: Andrew Bogut (Milwaukee Bucks)

Can anyone name a player who deserves this award more than KD? Yeah, that’s what I thought. I watched this guy tear his opponents apart in leading his Texas Long Horns back in 2007. I knew that he will be way, I mean way way, better than Greg Oden that’s why I’m surprised during that ’07 draft that the Blazers picked a injury prone work in progress over a proven winner. I knew back then that Durant will be a huge force to reckon with but I didn’t expect it to be this fast. Well, no further explanations needed for this one. 29.6 ppg (2nd best), 7.6 rpg, 47.6% fg, 46-28 record for OKC. That explains it.

Sixth Man of the Year: Jamal Crawford (Atlanta Hawks)

Runner Up: Manu Ginobili (San Antonio Spurs)

After his move to Atlanta, Jamal Crawford knows that he is now playing for a legit playoff contender and he also knows that something’s got to give in his game for the team to move forward. Crawford, a scoring machine in his previous teams, embraced and accepted his role as the team’s premier sixth man and it is doing wonders for the Hawks. They got Crawford to deepen their team and expand their chances in the playoffs against perennial contenders like the Celtics, the Cavs, and the Magic. So far so good. Crawford has given the Hawks a big spark of the bench on a daily basis plus he also provides some clutch scoring when needed during the stretch. No doubt he will be the key if the Hawks are to overcome the top contenders come playoff time.

Defensive Player of the Year: LeBron James

Runner up: Dwight Howard

I am not exactly LeBron James’ number one fan but I respect his game and I respect what he can do. He is a monster defensively and he upped that this year to surpass Dwight Howard.

Rookie of the Year: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)

Runner up: Tyreke Evans (Sacramento Kings)

If you read my status message in facebook five months ago, I stated that Stephen Curry will be this season’s rookie of the year. I stand by that. Some people will raise their eyebrows on this one and say that Tyreke Evans deserves it more but I beg to disagree. This year’s rookies are led by great class of guards such as Curry, Evans, Brandon Jennings, Johny Flynn, Ty Lawson, Darren Collison, Eric Maynor, James Harden. In those mentioned, Curry and Evans are obviously the top guns. Fanatics are talking all season long about how great  Evans is and I agree with that. It’s just that those fanatics sometimes forget to watch Curry showcase his skills and help his team. Curry is a beauty to watch as he can pass, he can score, he can play the point efficiently, he has composure, he has that textbook  release and he has been consistent as well. This kid is for real and will be one of the top point guards in the league for years to come. It is close but I’ll put my money on this Davidson standout. 16.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 5.6, apg, 1.8 spg

All NBA First Team:

Center: Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)

Forward: Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)

Forward: LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Guard: Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)

Guard: Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)

All NBA Second Team:

Center: Andrew Bogut (Milwaukee Bucks)

Forward: Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns)

Forward: Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets)

Guard: Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)

Guard: Deron Williams (Utah Jazz)

All NBA Third Team

Center: Pau Gasol (Los Angeles Lakers)

Forward: Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors)

Forward: Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks)

Guard: Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets)

Guard: Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns)

No Brandon Roy for me this year as well as KG and TD. Nash’s Suns are far more consistent than Roy’s Blazers.

Most Valuable Player: LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Runner up: Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)

As we know, being the most valuable player is like being a valedictorian. This will be a comfortable win for LeBron as he showed consistency and versatility throughout the season for the succeeding years. With the Cavs being the top team right now, I think 80% of the credit should go to this freak of nature. He leads the league in scoring and is producing his usual numbers. Everyone knows he can do everything on the hardwood. He showed it this regular season in leading his team but the question is: Can he lead his team to play in June this time around? That we don’t know yet but we know one thing. He will receive his plum for the second consecutive season.

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Unofficial Awards:

Most disappointing team: Los Angeles Lakers

Yes yes, I know they are number one in the West the entire season and would most probably stay there but everyone knows they are playing subpar. Inconsistent. No fire. No urgency. No passion. No hunger. A Kobe and Phil led team shouldn’t be like this. It is annoying that when you that a defending champion, who arguably have the strongest line up on papers, play subpar and just be contented. It’s simple—— they need to turn on the switch now if they wish to play in June for the third straight year.

Most disappointing player: Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers)

Iggy isn’t exactly having his best season. The Sixers are projected to at least contend for a playoff spot but they didn’t show any signs of it througout the season. Iguodala’s game dropped and he obviously can’t jell with Elton Brand and can’t work around Eddie Jordan’s princeton offense.

Forget about player of the year: Sasha Vujacic (Los Angeles Lakers)

The only thing he did all season long is capture Maria Sharapova’s heart and argue with his coaching stuff. His jumpshot will not be back. Don’t expect ”the machine” to charge his batteries anytime soon.

Cluch player of the year: Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)

Six game-winner this season. Who else is more clutch?

Performance of the year: Brandon Jennings’ 55 point explosion

He proved that he is a reliable point that can score. But after that magical night, people expected him to be a score-first point guard which he is not. That is an amazing performance that won’t earn him rookie of the year. I believe Curry and Evans are a bit better overall.

Inspiring player of the year: Sundiata Gaines (Utah Jazz)

Nothing more inspiring than hitting a game-winner a few days after joining an NBA squad.

Surprise team of the year: Milwaukee Bucks

No, not Oklahoma. They have the tools it’s just about execution. The Bucks doesn’t exactly have the best roster at the start of the season. Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings just showed their true worths and led this team not only to respectability but to the playoffs with quite a good seed. Plus, John Salmons’ signing would just help this resurrected team further.

Just for the record, I really dislike both of the finalists. But hey, this is the quality we look for in our winner. As Mike McDermott said in the movie Rounders referring to Grandma as a “turncoat motherfucker…,” well that is what I really wanted to call this award. Stern said no way!

The beauty of this award is that it runs through the playoffs. We still have five more weeks for either coach to publicly sell out one of his best players. Please hold your ballots until the last press conference.

The evolution of this award started when some goof in the Boston Celtics hierarchy said yes when Rick Pitino jokingly said he would leave the Kentucky Wildcats to become GM and head coach of the Boston Celtics if he were paid $7 million a year. Alas, they accepted his offer. Not long afterwards, Larry Brown publicly thanked Pitino when he got his fat contract from the Philadelphia 76ers. Somewhere in the same era, Pat Riley left the New York Knicks to become part owner, team president, head coach and a majority stockholder in the Cheetah Club.

This set the tone for NBA coaches to make some serious cash. At the time, I thought this was good for the NBA. A coach would finally have the security to stand up to his players. What sports fan isn’t sick of the coach always being the scapegoat? Silly me. Rick Pitino and the Boston Celtics have created a monster running amuck in the league. We now have at least a dozen Bobby Knight-like egos with contracts at $5 million a year plus, endorsements and the media at their beck and call. Gross.

Alright, back to our finalists. The criteria to win this award are complicated. It really is more like a lifetime achievement award. The candidates must have a successful team this season in addition to having a track record of selling out many past and current players, GMs, organizations, etc.

A few highlights from our finalists. Let’s start with George. Karl had so worn out his welcome in Seattle that in a war of words with ownership, it came down to them calling him fat. Really. I believe the exact quote was “George should spend a little more time on the treadmill.” Ouch. Karl got the last laugh by refusing to ever exercise again.

We saw a similar trend when he was coaching Milwaukee. As the big three (Ray Allen, Glen Robinson, Sam Cassell) proved not to be good enough, George started to sandbag his best player. Ray Allen was “soft” and had “too many interests outside of basketball.” George decided to punish all of Milwaukee by facilitating a mid-season trade of Ray Allen for Gary Payton. That worked out really well for the Bucks when Payton left as a free agent at the end of the season. And then we all got screwed when Karl left Milwaukee to become an ESPN analyst. Possibly only Tim “homophobic” Hardaway was worse behind the microphone. Thank god the Nuggets brought him back on the bench before I had to cancel my cable.

Remarkably, Karl is back in the western conference finals in spite of repeatedly crucifying three of his best players. For more details, please Twitter the respective mothers of Carmelo Anthony, JR Smith and Kenyon Martin. Just sayin’, if George decides to bench Martin again for an alleged lack of effort in this playoff series (see LA Clippers a few years back), he is going to run away with this award.

Ah, but our friend the Zen Master is no slouch. Let’s start with the break up of the Bulls. Yeah, that’s right, it was him. People forget it was Jerry Krause who insisted on Doug Collins bringing then CBA coach Phil Jackson on his bench as an assistant coach. When Collins was fired, it was Krause who anointed Phil Jackson head coach as Jordan, Pippen and Grant were all entering their prime. Reinsdorf and Jordan always had a mutual respect. Somehow, less than ten years later, in between six titles, Phil had turned his superstar and much of the team against Krause, Reinsdorf and the organization as a whole. I am thinking Phil was really passing his pipe around to his players more than books.

Phil Jackson’s stint with the LA Lakers has actually been a much better story. Only three titles, but way more drama. People blame Kobe for the Shaq and Kobe break up. No way. Once again, it was Phil. Kobe and Shaq won three titles hating each other. After the Pistons dismantled LA in the 2004 NBA finals, Phil ran for the hills, literally. While Jackson was smokin’ dope in Montana and writing a book, mostly persecuting Kobe, the Lakers decided to trade Shaq. Another dynasty squelched in its prime!

The return of Phil Jackson to the Lakers and Kobe is truly the essence of the “Kiss And Make Up Award.” They say you’re supposed to forgive and forget. Hmmm… Well give the Zen Master credit (and then Memphis Grizzlies GM/Double Agent Jerry West for the Pau Gasol heist), he has the Lakers in their second straight western conference finals.

Both teams are hungry and capable of beating each other. Many experts now are picking the Nuggets to upset the Lakers. I am sure it will be a good series, but I am way more excited about what will be coming out of post-game interviews. Just waitin’ for George to call Chauncey a bitch and that will pretty much wrap up this award.

I think we can all agree that every MVP race is debatable. Just not this one.

Retroactively, LeBron James was already officially named the NBA’s MVP and received his award last night (w/ David Stern below) before his Cavs crushed the Hawks by 27 in Game 1 of their series.

Of course, you can “make a case” for the others, but don’t fool yourself… LeBron James, resident freak of nature and box score-filling phenomenon is your MVP. The other 4 candidates in my opinion are just that, the “others.” Kobe Bryant is well, Kobe Bryant. His more selfless adjusted play had the Lakers on top of the league for most of the season. Dwyane Wade by himself, carried the Heat into a 5th seed in the Eastern Conference. He and Kobe are much better defenders than people give credit for. Without Chris Paul, the Hornets have a much better shot at winning the draft than making the playoffs. Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard posted double-double night after night, as his Magic exceeded expectations.

You can start to make a neat little pile of all the arguable cases. Hell, show your inner geek and create an electronic database of all the cases. The now-fact remains, LeBron James is the Bill Gates of the NBA. The individual numbers don’t lie:

James | 28.4 Pts, 7.6 Reb, 7.2 Ast, 1.69 Stl, 1.15 Blk | Team: 66-16
Wade | 30.2 Pts, 5.0 Reb, 7.5 Ast, 2.19 Stl, 1.34 Blk | Team: 43-39
Howard | 20.6 Pts, 13.8 Reb, 1.4 Ast, .97 Stl, 2.92 Blk | Team: 59-23
Bryant | 26.8 Pts, 5.2 Reb, 4.9 Ast, 1.46 Stl, .45 Blk | Team: 65-17
Paul | 22.8 Pts, 5.5 Reb, 11.0 Ast, 2.77 Stl, .13 Blk | Team: 49-33

 Also, you could debate that LeBron’s Cavs had the league’s best record by only one game and that he had the much better supporting cast, but is that really true? In a pick-up game, would you really choose Zydrunas Illgauskas, Mo Williams and Delonte West over Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum? Perhaps over Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu? I don’t think so.

I think the supporting cast argument is irrelevant because the reason James finally has a solid supporting cast is because of James himself. Mo Williams was a first-time All-Star selection this year. Why? Because he was able to be a complimentary and second scoring option to James. Big Z still plays in this league because LeBron creates half his points for him. The reason Gibson, Pavlovic and Szczerbiak are such good shooters is because of James’ penetrate and kick ability. And Ben Wallace? Ok, I’m stopping at Big Ben… you may find that post under the “frustrated” category some day.

Stats and arguments aside, it’s time for some visuals. It’s not just LeBron’s numbers and wins that point to him as the NBA’s 24-year old MVP, but the excitement he brings to sold-out crowd after sold-out crowd. The guy’s raw power, speed and athleticism is inhuman at times. The guy’s vision and basketball IQ is unchartable. The guy makes plays, period. Consider this your video evidence:

… and just in case you can’t get enough, here’s some more eye candy:
- LeBron James’ Top 10 Plays of the 2008 season
- LeBron James’ Top 10 Plays of the 2007 season

MVP: LeBron James

Runner up: Dwayne Wade

Most commentators are seeing this as a no contest – LeBron James has been the best player on the best team and at the same time has been utterly dominant. But to me this disguises the fact that he had a pretty good supporting cast. While none are exactly stellar (and yes I know Mo Williams was an All Star) they are all skilled role players and love playing with LeBron. Whether it’s the energetic pesky defence of Anderson Varejao and Delonte West or the spot up shooting of Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Wally Szczerbiak this is a team built to complement LeBron. What also can’t be underestimated is having virtually the entire team together for a season and a half. They know how to play together and the results have shown.

But for me what Dwayne Wade has done with the Miami Heat, leading them to the fifth spot in the East is just as astounding. Who else on the Heat is comparable to LeBron’s supporting cast?  Udonis Haslem is capable of accomplishing a Varejao kind of role and Michael Beasley has the potential to be an All Star but there is little else other than those two. You stick LeBron with Wade’s crew and I expect you’d see roughly the same record.

There are other notable candidates, especially Chris Paul with New Orleans who has almost as bad a supporting cast as Wade, Dwight Howard with Orlando, Paul Pierce with Boston (how Boston have been able to claim the second seed in the East with so many injuries is astounding) and of course the perennial Kobe Bryant with the Lakers.

But in the end LeBron wins it. He’s the best player, playing for the best team and doing it in such a dominating fashion – both defensively and offensively.

Coach of the Year: Mike Brown

Runner up: Stan Van Gundy

A few weeks back this award was going to go to Jerry Sloan for the way he got his team to compete despite all the awful injury luck they had. Then they limped their way to the playoffs, losing 7 of their last 10 games. So that forced a rethink and that means, Mike Brown, step on down. He coached the Cavs to 66 wins and a fearsome 39 – 2 record at home. This award should almost be as slam dunk as LeBron for MVP. His runner up: Stan Van Gundy for getting the Magic to 59 wins, about 9 wins more than what many expected.

Rookie of the Year: Derrick Rose

Runner up: Brooke Lopez

Derrick Rose had the pressure of being the number 1 pick AND playing in his home city and he didn’t disappoint. He managed to lead a flawed Chicago team to the playoffs in only his first year. He gave a tantalising preview of what should be a stupendous talent in years to come. In a deep draft Brooke Lopez showed that being drafted 10^th was several positions too low. Lopez proved to be the centre the Nets were looking for both the present and the future.

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard

Runner up: Dwayne Wade

With Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan limited with injuries and the catching up of time, Dwight Howard stands out as the obvious candidate in this category. He lead the league in rebounds and blocks and while no one will mistake him for Bill Russell (would it hurt Howard once in a while to block the ball to a team mate?) he was the lynchpin on which the Orlando Magic defence relied. Dwayne Wade had a spectacular season (see the MVP runner up above) on offence AND defence. He was second in the league in steals and an astonishing (for a guard) 16^th in blocks.

Most Improved Player: Kevin Durant

Runners up: Rajon Rondo, Devin Harris, Paul Millsap

I don’t know how much of Kevin Durant’s development this season can be attributed to his natural evolution or the firing of PJ Carlisemo. Whatever the case Durant has developed into a stud who will be making All Star games in the very near future. I had a hard time choosing between Rajan Rondo, Devin Harris and Paul Millsap for my runner up so I’ve decided to stick em all in. They all became critical players for their teams.

Sixth Man of the Year: Jason Terry

Runner up: Nate Robinson

Just as much as a foregone conclusion as the MVP. He averaged 19.6 points off the bench for the Mavs, good for 23^rd in the NBA. He is the Mavs second best player and a game changer every time he comes on the court. Nate Robinson is a worthy runner up, a spark plug who can change how the game is played. He just wasn’t quite as good as Terry.  

And for interest here are my picks from the beginning of the season. I got one right. Ouch.

Most Valuable Player (MVP): Lebron James

It's time for King James to land his first MVP award

Everybody has their own criteria for judging the MVP award.  I tend to take a global approach that considers, among other things, the player’s statistics, his team’s record, the player’s value to his team, at the same time comparing them to the previous year.  With that in mind, it’s a no-brainer that the award goes to Lebron James.  His overall stats (28.4ppg, 7.6rpg, 7.2apg, 1.7spg, 1.1bpg) may appear to be down a little compared to last year, but per minute he’s doing roughly the same, if not better.  On top of that the Cavs are one of the closest things you can get in the NBA to a ‘One Man Team’ and they improved from 45-37 last season to at least 66 wins this season en route to the best record in the NBA.  I love Dwayne Wade‘s play this year and he’s statistically the closest to Lebron, but when you factor in the team records it’s not even close.  As for Kobe Bryant, I know many people still consider him to be the best player (I don’t) in the NBA, but as history shows, that alone is not enough to get the MVP, especially when he won it the year before.   Lebron has him on each of the criteria I mentioned above.

Lebron James WILL win, no doubt about it.  The only question is whether it will be unanimous, and I say no.

Rookie of the Year: Derrick Rose

During the pre-season, Derrick Rose showed a bit of flair and potential but I don’t think anyone expected him to be this good, this fast.  Every time I watch a highlight reel containing his moves, whether it’s breaking down the defense with his crossovers or on the break, I just shake my head.  Rose averaged 16.8ppg and 6.3apg and 3.9rpg this season – not many rookies in recent years can put up those types of numbers – and he’s only going to get better.  If he improves his defense and jumpshot, he’ll be rivalling Chris Paul as the best PG in the league in a few years.  Not to say Rose hasn’t had any competition this year.  I’m sure there will be voters going for Brook Lopez and OJ Mayo but unlike those players, Rose is heading to the playoffs.

Derrick Rose WILL win, but he’ll be splitting votes with Lopez and Mayo, and maybe even guys like Russell Westbrook and Rudy Fernandez.  Throw in Greg Oden and you’ve got a one of the most intimidating All-Rookie Team in years.

Most Improved Player (MIP): Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant MIP?

First let me make it clear that I would like nothing more than for Danny Granger to win this award.  That being said, Kevin Durant is most deserving in my opinion.  Granger and Durant, together with Devin Harris, make this one of the more compelling awards to be decided this season.  Some may also rank Brandon Roy in the mix (but not me – if you take a look at his stats they have not changed much from last season). Let’s compare.

Last season, Danny Granger averaged 19.6ppg, 6.1rpg, 2.1apg, 1.2spg and 1.0blg.  This season, 25.7ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.7apg, 1.0spg and 1.4blg.  His shooting percentages and minutes have remained similar (a little higher in FT% only), but he has played about 13 games less this season than last, when he appeared in 80 games.  Indiana was 36-46 last season, a record they will duplicate provided they win their final regular-season game against the Bucks.  Granger’s numbers have perhaps been helped by the departure of Jermaine O’Neal and the absence of Mike Dunleavy, elevating him to All-Star status for the first time in his career.  However, on paper at least, Granger’s improvements appear largely confined to his scoring average and perhaps maturity down the stretch (as evident from the several big shots he hit throughout the season).

Now Devin Harris.  Last season in his 25 games as a Net (after the trade from Dallas) he averaged 15.4ppg, 6.5apg, 3.2rpg and 1.4spg.  This season he has averaged 21.3ppg, 6.9apg, 3.3rpg and 1.7spg while shooting roughly the same percentages (albeit a dip in 3P%).  The Nets are 34-47 with one game to go and will miss the playoffs.  If they lose their final game their record will be the same as last season’s.  Like Granger, Harris’s improvements on paper are predominantly in the scoring column.  Some say he has overtaken Vince Carter as the leader of the team, but I’m not sure everyone agrees.

Lastly, Kevin Durant.  Last season’s Rookie of the Year averaged 20.3ppg, 4.4rpg and 2.4apg, whereas this year he has upped his stats to 25.3ppg, 6.5rpg and 2.8apg, while shooting significantly better from the field (0.430 to 0.475) and in particular from 3-point range (0.288 to 0.419).  Meanwhile, the team most expected to come dead last (Oklahoma City Thunder) has gone 22-59 with one game to go.  Not very impressive but then you remember that they went 20-62 last season (as the Seattle Supersonics) and came dead last in the West, whereas this season there are a couple of teams worse than them (Clippers and Kings).  Taking all of that into consideration, I believe Durant is slightly more deserving than Granger and Harris, and thus SHOULD win the award.

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw ESPN’s experts poll in which Granger came out on top in the MIP category, edging Devis Harris 5 votes to 4.  Durant and Roy were equal third with 2 votes apiece, along with Nene and Thaddeus Young.  I have a feeling this has something to do with Granger’s offensive explosion in the remaining games of the season, whereas Harris’s and Durant’s performances have dipped.  Nevertheless, I predict that Devin Harris WILL win the award based on his early season heorics that shocked a lot of people.  Even though I don’t agree with it, I read elsewhere that people are reluctant to vote for Durant because they expect a played of his calibre to improve this much in his second season.  Still, I’m hoping for a Granger victory!

Sixth Man of the Year: Jason Terry

To be honest I haven’t paid much attention to this award, but no matter which way you look at it, Jason Terry is the clear winner.  Manu Ginobili has been in and out of the line up all season with injuries, and even though I like the way he has carried himself in a diminished role, Lamar Odom played lots of games as a starter (32) this year.  That just about leaves one guy, Terry, who averaged 19.5ppg and 3.4apg while coming off the bench in 62 out of 73 games.

Jason Terry WILL win and it will be a big win.

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard

Superman to win DPY

This is another easy category because Dwight Howard has simply been a defensive monster all season, leading the league in both blocked shots (2.9) and rebounds (13.9) while averaging close to a steal per game.  That doesn’t take into account how many shots he changed in games or how many times he forced teams to take outside shots than drive it into the lane.  Historically, there have been much more impressive numbers, but the talent is spread out so evenly that these stats are about as impressive as you’ll get these days.  His nearest rivals are the usual wing players such as Ron Artest, Shane Battier and Kobe Bryant, or perennial contenders such as Kevin Garnett.  I’ve even read about support in this category for Dwayne Wade and Lebron James, but I consider these more token votes for acknowledging the strides these players have made defensively rather than genuine votes.

Dwight Howard WILL win easily.

Coach of the Year (COY): Rick Adelman

Probably the hardest to predict out of all the categories this year (and in most years).  How much of a team’s success can you attribute to a head coach?  I mean, look at Mike Brown, coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Most people rip his coaching abilities and pin the team’s success all on Lebron, but shouldn’t he at least get some credit for leading the team to the best record in the NBA?  After all, isn’t the measuring stick for COY usually the team with the best record?  Or do you give the award to someone like Stan Van Gundy, who led his team (Orlando Magic) to new heights?  Or perhaps coaches like Greg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs), Rick Adelman (Houston Rockets) or Jerry Sloan (Utah Jazz), who did commendable jobs in the face of serious injury concerns all season?  I don’t know, and I’m sure everyone has their own set of criteria.

Anyway, I’m going to go toss a coin and say Rick Adelman, though I think Mike Brown WILL win.  The Rockets are, amazingly, 53-28 with a game to go, despite basically spending half a season with half a healthy Tracy McGrady, plus injuries problems to Ron Artest (who missed 13 games) and Shane Battier (who missed 22 games).  Even more amazingly, I could have just as easily said Greg Popovich, whose team (the Spurs) have the exact same record as the Rockets and spent half the season without Ginobili and a clearly less than 100% Tim Duncan.

So those are my winners and predictions.  What are yours?

Rookie of the year: Kevin Durant

This guy can straight out play. He lead all rookies in points, 3rd or so in assists, and 1st in 3 pointers made. He also was 4th in rebounding and had a good rookie season.

Coach of the Year: Byron Scott

Byron Scott probably won’t get the award, since it will probably be doc rivers, but you have to give it to this guy. Besides Chris Paul, he really had no superstars on his team, no bench, and played in a city that was trying to get back on their feet. Not only did they have a huge turnaround from last year, but they managed to pull off the #2 seed in the highly contested West. 

Runner Up: Phil Jackson

Most Improved: Hedo Turkoglu

I remember watching this guy on Sacramento and thinking he’s an average player. Same with every other year he has played. This year, he goes crazy and boosts his points by more than 6 a game, more than 1.5 assists a game, and 2 or so rebounds a game. He’s the reason the Magic are good this year (also Howard) and should be given the award. Screw Ginobli who plays more than the starters

Runner up: Leandro Barbosa

GM of the Year: Danny Ainge

Reason? Garnett, Pierce, and Allen

Runner up: Mitch Kupchak

MVP: Kobe Bryant

This guy deserved the MVP the year he scored 81 and averaged 35 ppg. Although his stats aren’t as good this year, he is an overall better player, with more assists, rebounds, steals, and has the Lakers at the #1 seed. It’s hard to say exactly what the criteria for MVP is since some years it goes to the best player, while some years (see steve nash’s 2 MVP’s) it goes to individual who best helps their team.

VERY CLOSE runner up: Chris Paul

If chris paul got this award, I wouldn’t mind. He has by far less talent than the lakers, has carried an entire city on his back, made David West into an All Star, and can flat out play

Defensive player of the year: Shane Battier

Did anyone see him play defense on Kobe? This guy gives it his all, does all the fundamentals, and is a clean player, unlike Bruce Bowen or Raja Bell. 

Ugliest Player: Sam Cassell

THIS GUY IS AN ALIENNNN!!!

Most Underated: Antawn Jamison and Chris Bosh

Jamison puts up sick numbers (21.4, 10.2) a game, but how often do people talk about him? People only write about Kobe, Lebron, Dirk, or Duncan, but this guy plays day in and day out. He’s the star of the Wizards, not Arenas. Chris Bosh too is never talked about, just cause he’s in Canada. He went off for 40 points against the Magic, that’s with Howard in the paint, and averaged (22.7,8.3,2.4) for the season. If he were anywhere else, he might get recognition.

Most Overated: Jermaine O’Neal and Ben Wallace

Ok, these guys USED to be good, and people still think that. At one point, O’Neal was a young star who led the pacers to playoff appearances, was a threat in the paint, and was a nasty shot blocker. Same goes for Wallace who won back to back Defensive Player of the Year with the Pistons and was an absolute rebounding Machine. These guys couldn’t rebound if their life depended on it now. O’neal hasn’t played all year and people are still saying he’s good, and Wallace has played, but I dont think games of 5 and 5 are gonna do it for the Cavs

Runner up: Kirk Hinrich- what happened to him?

Best player who makes do with what he has: Brandon Roy

This guy doesn’t have a lot of speed, he doesn’t have a huge body, and isn’t that tall, but this guy is smart. He’s led the Trailblazers to a .500 record when everyone thought that, without Oden, they would be one of the worst teams. He played with what he had and became a star.

Biggest Pain in the Ass: Stephon Marbury

This guy is a joke. He was good, and then thought he was the best. I’m sorry for all you New York fans that had to put up with him and his talking, but hey, at least him and Isiah are gonna be gone next year.

Runner up: Ron Artest- just cause he’s Ron Artest

I was thinking about the rookie team:

C: Al Horford

PF: Luis Scola/ Joakim Noah

SF: Kevin Durant/ Al Thorton

SG: Nick Young

PG: Javaris Crittenton

I know the backcourt wouldn’t be that strong, but com’on, that’s a pretty sick group of big men, and with Kevin Durant and Al Thorton doing a lot of the scoring, I’d like to see these guys play together.

The most excellent We Rite Goode are stretching it out – have a look at their first installment.  A worthwhile read…

He transformed the organization. A once proud Celtics franchise had hit rock bottom, finishing with a lowly 24 wins while setting a team record with 18 straight losses. Despite having the second worst record in the league the club had no luck at the draft lottery falling to the fifth pick and well outside the reach of Oden and Durant. Ainge flipped the script and instead of going young went out and landed two veteran all-stars in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, using his youthful pieces and friendly contracts as the bait. He did all this while holding onto franchise player Paul Pierce, and also Rajon Rondo. Danny soon went to work on his bench adding veterans to provide the framework surrounding his youthful supporting cast. Boston would turn it’s previous abysmal season into a regular season titan.

1. Turned a lack of draft lottery luck into a valuable piece. Despite missing Oden and Durant in falling to the fifth pick, Ainge managed to use the pick as a primary chip to land all-star Ray Allen. The exact deal was Ray Allen, the 35th pick for Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, and the No.5 pick. The reaction from Boston and the media was mixed. Many were disappointed that Danny didn’t continue to add quality youth. The fifth pick was the highest selection Boston had held since the infamous 1997 draft. The 2007 draft was considered deep and talented. Ray was a 32 year old shooting guard on a maximum contract, he didn’t fit the profile. Ray was seen as last ditch resort because better options fell through which is fairly true but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some virtue to it. Personally I loved the deal, it was daylight robbery, Danny just mugged Sam Presti on national TV. Ray Allen had just finished his best statistical season averaging 26/4/4, he was still in the prime (tail end) of his career, and he only had one year more on his contract than Wally did. Wally or Ray? Ray right? Of course it’s Ray. So how much value did the other pieces have? Well the fifth pick was a doozy. The draft was top 4 heavy and had a huge drop off on the next pick, the rest of the draft was fairly even through the first round. Holding the fifth pick or the 15th pick (Stuckey) or the 27th pick (Tiago Splitter) didn’t matter much because the differences in talent level weren’t large enough. This was known before the draft and should have been given more consideration by Presti. Luckily for Danny he did not. As for Delonte, he isn’t much, very easy to replace. Eddie House signed later and has outplayed Delonte all season long. Delonte didn’t last long in Seattle, either did Wally for that matter. Now here’s the funny part, Danny even got the second round pick off of Presti. Remember the deep draft and all that. Well he nabbed Glen Davis who would have been a borderline lottery pick the year prior and could just have easily gone top 20 as 35th. Complete steal. Great trade by Danny.
2. Brought Kevin Garnett in for Al Jefferson, an expiring contract (Theo) and loose change (Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Wolves No.1, Celtics No.1). Seven players for one player. A bunch of those are write offs (Green, Theo) and the others are low level (Gomes, Telfair, Celtics pick). The only one that mattered was Al Jefferson. 10-15 years of Al getting 20/10, who at the time of the trade was already a top 5 low post player in the league or 5-8 years of KG with 3-5 more of KG at an All-NBA level who in conjunction with Ray and Pierce would vault the Celtics to true contender? Tough call. I differ on most people because I firmly believe Al, Pierce, Ray and an upgraded veteran supporting cast was a contender. KG definitely brought them to another level with his defense and instant credibility but I thought they would have been a contender in the East anyway. No 66 win team though, closer to 52-57. So I don’t value this trade as highly as most. This deal is all about how Al Jefferson develops and how many titles KG wins in green. It probably can’t be evaluated until then. Instant contender in move …. that’s always good though, right? I think so. Very good trade.
3. KG/Pierce/Ray would form the new Big Three. Capable of matching any teams best trio across the league.
4. Danny held onto Doc Rivers (heck he even gave him an extension) despite several dissendant voices from fans and media alike. Doc has turned in a CoY season and has played a huge role in how quickly the team came together and also how focused it has remained.
5. Following the KG trade the bench was fairly empty. Danny went out and added veterans Eddie House, Scott Pollard and James Posey to supply the help. Boston’s bench had gone from weak to respectable. Steady contributions from Glen Davis and Leon Powe only strengthened the crew. At mid-season Danny continued to strengthen the crew adding Sam Cassell and PJ Brown. Filling the remaining gaps at point guard and a defensive big.
6. Boston set a new record for a single season turnaround eclipsing the previous 36 win record with a phenomenal mark of 42 wins more.
7. Boston went on to become the league’s top defensive team. Danny added more quality defensive pieces than any other team in the league with Garnett as his anchor, Jame Posey, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce standing out. There’s not a single big man on the roster that’s a below average defender, that’s saying something. The expected weakest defenders coming into camp were Ray Allen and Eddie House and they’ve been far more intelligent defensively (team D) and better than advertised. The strong group defense helps hide their (Ray/Eddie) flaws but they’ve really stepped up to the plate also.
8. Danny didn’t go out and add a veteran point. He trusted the young sparkplug out of Kentucky and allowed him the chance to run the show. Rajon Rondo has been one of the most improved players in the league and established himself as a solid starting point guard with a bright future. Nice call.

Daryl Morey

Daryl Morey had big shoes to fill when he arrived in Houston to replace Carroll Dawson, and it would be no easy first summer. Houston had just been knocked out in the first round again, their two star players had yet to taste a playoff victory. His head coach was unsure of his future and the Rocket’s were unsure of his. His point guard was being slammed in the media and that would only increase over the summer. But steadily, quietly, and consistently Daryl Morey strung together a few deals to create a brighter deal in Houston.

1. He let Jeff Van Gundy go and replaced him with Rick Adelman. Just a great choice. Tracy McGrady was breaking his back trying to get shot attempts out of Van Gundy’s offense. They were predictable, dull and simply not good enough offensively. Van Gundy had taken the team far and improved it tremendously during his time there but there was a sense that he’d taken it as far as he could. The team needed a fresh start and a new system. Adelman was the perfect choice. A great coach, a player’s coach, an offensive genious, and a better defensive coach than he’s been given credit for. Adelman is currently a candidate for CoY, it’s working out great.
2. Traded Juwan Howard to Minnesota for Mike James and Justin Reed. In Mike James, he took on an extra year of contract, but he added a player that just two seasons ago sparked a great Rocket’s run and fit the bill for what they needed. Toughness, outside shooting, energy, defense, more size at the point. Unfortunately Mike James never really found a role for himself in Houston and would be packaged off later. I still like the trade because James added a good skill set and could have contributed had Adelman given him minutes. Also because Howard was finished, useless and needed to be replaced.
3. Drafted Aaron Brooks (26th) and acquired Landry (31st). Landry has had a sensational rookie season and combined with Scola he has provided one of the best one-two punches at power forward in the league. Brooks is an extremely talented young point guard. He blew up at summer league and was dominant at US practices with Bryant and several other vets coming away very impressed. His actual NBA season has been up and down. He’s looked good when he’s played but the team didn’t need scoring from the point and they desperately needed more experience so his game time vanished, but he’s very promising.
4. Traded Spanoulis, 2009 2nd round pick to San Antonio for the draft rights to Luis Scola and Jackie Butler. Butler was the cost of the deal. Scola was the find, an excellent power forward in Europe and International basketball. Scola has been one of the league’s finest rookies this season and he’s made a huge contribution to a 54 win team. The team began it’s 22 game win streak when Scola moved into the starting lineup. His passing, intelligence, rebounding and clever scoring has been a big key to Houston’s offense. Since Yao has gone down he’s stepped up as Houston’s best big averaging 13ppg and 8rpg in 30 minutes a night.
5. Signed Mike Harris. Waived Mike Harris at training camp, little choice. Signed Mike Harris again late on in the season. Mike was a big help in the close of the year. Nice pickup.
6. Signed Steve Francis. Morey brought back the franchise, unfortunately injury ended any hope of him being a contributor to the team. I would have loved to have seen him be the primary scorer in that second unit and lead the bench night after night. Could have been sight. Might still be. Great pickup. Bad luck.
7. Re-signed Dikembe Mutombo and Chuck Hayes. Deke has been vital since Yao went down, he’s their only interior presence defensively and a huge difference maker. Chuck Hayes started part of the season and has been a steady rotation player since. Two good defensive role players.
8. Morey stayed quiet and confident throughout Houston’s early season struggles. Helping give Adelman the time he needed to get his new squad on board.
9. Traded Bonzi Wells and Mike James to New Orleans for Bobby Jackson. I disliked the deal at the time and I still do. The one blemish on his season. I always felt Mike James could contribute but Bonzi was the kicker. He was the Rocket’s third best scoring option and only go-to scorer off the bench. He was gave Houston a second post option, an aggressive rebounder, and a player that got to the free throw line. He was fundamental in small ball lineups next to Yao because of his strong post play. He was vital to the team. They shouldn’t have let him go. They would have felt his loss come playoff time even with Yao on board, without Yao their offense has been difficult to watch. It didn’t help matters that Bonzi torched his old club when they met up either. The move wasn’t totally without virtue though. Bobby Jackson filled a big need, he was a veteran point that knew the system. Adelman had never gotten comfortable with any of the backup point guards, he wanted more experience and guidance out of the position and he wasn’t getting it. Jackson also knew the system inside and out from his Sacramento days, he’s been able to teach his teammates how to use the system better. I just don’t think he was as valuable as Bonzi Wells.
10. 54 win season. 22 straight victories, second all-time. One of the league’s best defenses. Big contributions from more rookies than any other contender. Developing and exciting offense.
11. Overall, he turned minimal flexibility and trade assets into several quality acquisitions (Scola, Landy, Jackson, Bonzi, Hayes, Deke, Brooks, Francis). In doing so he created the strongest Rocket’s supporting cast since it’s championship days.

Kevin Pritchard

Great chocies. Some were easy but still great.

1. Lucked out with the No.1 draft pick. Selected Greg Oden over Durant. Great selection.
2. Some overlapping credit for Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. Brandon Roy became an all-star this season while Aldridge developed himself into a solid starter and a go-to scorer. Both youngsters can get much better and are for the future.
3. Also drafted Josh McRoberts, Taureen Green, Kaponen, Fernandez. Fernandez looks a truly great find while the others were solid low value picks.
4. Traded Zach Randolph, Fred Jones and Dan Dickau to NY for Steve Francis and Channing Frye. This opened the door for Aldridge and added a quality backup big in Frye. This was a great move, addition by subtraction (and I like Randolph).
5. Bought out Steve Francis. Another good move. They didn’t need his self centred ways, he wouldn’t have stepped aside for rookies and youngsters.
6. Re-signed Travis Outlaw. Travis has become one of the best 6th men in the league. Great decision.
7. Acquired James Jones. Steady role playing vet that supplys good defense and is one of the league’s finest three point shoots. Good vet. Gym rat. Great fit. Helpful throughout the season.
8. Portland turned around their previous 26 win team into a .500 squad despite the loss of Greg Oden to injury for the whole season.

Joe Dumars

Detroit had a difficult summer ahead of them following their collapse against Cleveland in the Conference Finals. Break up the squad or not? Trade Sheed or not? Re-sign Billups or not? How much to spend on Billups? Can this crew get back to contention?

1. He kept Flip Saunders on as coach. This really works against him.
2. With the 15th pick of the draft Joe selected Rodney Stuckey. Stuckey has been a steal and I firmly believe he could have put forth a hefty challenge for RoY if he recieved more minutes and scoring opportunities. He’s an excellent penetrator, good disributor, good scorer, good passer, good ballhandler, great size and athletcisim, good defender. Very nice combo guard and a huge part of Detroit’s future.
3. With the 24th pick of the draft Joe took Aron Afflalo. Afflalo has been Detroit’s best stopper since the first day of training camp. He’s a very mature (game wise) rookie who does a great job of staying within his capabilities and filling a role. He could be the next Bruce Bowen. Very talented young man.
4. Traded Carlos Delfino to the Raps for two future 2nd round picks. This is a nothing deal. Delfino while talented had failed to establish himself in Detoirt and desperately needed a fresh start. I don’t think he would have had the season he has had he stayed with the Pistons. Undervalued on the trade but Joe didn’t have much of a choice.
5. Re-Signed Chauncey Billups. Chauncey has returned the favour by putting in one of his best seasons to date. The deal is worth $60mil over 5 seasons with the fifth year a team option. Nice protection with the fifth year. I think Chauncey has lost a step and that his game has slipped a notch but he’s still a very effective floor general. He’s worth the money and likely will continue to be. Very nice move.
6. Re-signed Amir Johnson. Great move by Joe Dumars. This kid is ridiculously talented. He’s had a solid season although I would have liked to have seen more, more minutes and more opportunites offensively. Very good young player.
7. Signed Jarvis Hayes on a one-year contract worth $2.5mil. Hayes has been the best bench player, their bench’s leading scorer and the only veteran consistently playing off the bench. He’s been their (bench) leader. Great signing.
8. Signed Cheik Samb. Young 7 footer, who while raw has good potential. Nice move.
9. Signed Antonio McDyess to a contract extension. McDyess has been their best rebounder and a very good interior defender. He’s solidified that hole Ben Wallace left behind. Great move.
10. Traded Nazr Mohammod to Charlotte for Primo Brezec and Walter Hermann. Unbelievable move. Incredible move. He rid himself of an awful contract for two expiring deals. This gives Joe the option of spending his MLE once again if he so chooses. Great move. Walter Hermann was a talented pickup although he hasn’t played. Brezec was a useful player too but he didn’t fit the profile (needed more interior play, didn’t play D or hit the boards hard enough).
11. Traded Brezec to Toronto for Juan Dixon. Jury still out. Doesn’t look important. Not wild about either guy. Neither should crack the Pistons rotation.
12. Signed Theo Ratliff. So far Theo has been a perfect fit. His interior defense has been a welcome addition and a great help. Nice insurance policy.
13. Detroit won 59 games while having a top starting lineup and a top bench. Top defensive side. Top offensive side. Great guard play. Good play from bigs.

Joe did something incredible. He held onto his starting unit and kept his foundation while flooding his team with talented youth (Stuckey, Amir, Maxiell, Afflalo). At the same time Joe built the best bench Detroit has had since their title winning side (Hayes, youth, Theo).

Mitch Kupchak

Rebuilt the Lakers. Not just rebuilt, he built a potential dynasty.

1. Drafted Javaris Crittenton (18th), Sun Yue (40th), and Marc Gasol (46th). Hate the Sun Yue pick, I don’t think he’s an NBA level player. Love the other two. Crittenton looked incredible in summer league and during limited NBA action. He’s one for the future, adds a little discpline and understanding to his game and he’s going to be something else. Marc Gasol was a nice pickup, looks a good backup centre.
2. Re-Signed Luke Walton and Chris Mihm. Didn’t like the money they sent Walton’s way but he was hard to price and they needed to keep him. Signing Mihm was a good call, they needed another big and missed him sorely the season prior.
3. Signed Coby Karl. I like Coby so giving him a plug. He’s an NBA player.
4. Signed Derek Fisher. Great move. Fisher took huge pressure off of Kobe Bryant’s shoulders. Kobe trusts Derek, himself and Fish have an understanding on the court. Fish is a leader. A solid defender. A good perimeter shooter. A very good floor general. Everyone talks about the frontcourt but it’s their backcourt that makes them so tough. This is the 9th season Kobe and Fisher have played together, they’ve won countless games, playoff games, and 3 championship rings. They out-experience every backcourt in the league. They provide the toughness. They set the tone. They provide the leadership. They make sure the offense is executing. They step up when the team needs the bucket. They understand how to win and ensure their team is on the right track at all times. Fisher was an absolutely huge signing. Perhaps the most valuable signing of the off-season.
5. The young bench he had built had begun to find it’s place in the league. Andrew Bynum (10th pick two years prior) became a leading candidate for MIP after averaging 13/10/2/2 over the first 35 games. Jordan Farmar (26th) had become the bench’s leading go-to scorer and floor general and bright young prospect. Turiaf (37th pick two years ago) brought energy, heart and hustle. He was the perfect utility player to fill gaps. Vujacic had continued to improve. Walton’s class and intelligence rounded out the group. Oh and veteran MLE signing Radmanovic finally began to find his way in the Triangle. The Lakers bench has been top 5 in ppg, rpg, FG%, assists all season long. Nice work with minimal assets.
6. Signed Phil Jackson to an extension. Best coach in the league. Great move.
7. Traded Mauric Evans and Brian Cook for Trevor Ariza. Ariza had great success following the move before his injury. He’s a keeper and a great fit in La-la-land. The other didn’t mean much at all to the Lakers. Great upgrade.
8. Signed Ira Newble. Solid move. Fill the bench in Ariza’s absence, adds the defensive stopper they might need.
9. Traded Aaron McKie, Javaris Crittenton, Kwame Brown, Marc Gasol and two future first round picks for Pau Gasol. He turned nothing into an all-star 7 footer with a low post game. A perfect fit for the Triangle with his intelligence, post moves, passing, shooting ability, high post play, mobility. Unbelievable trade. He pulled it off by taking advantage of a bad rule that allowed him to resign retired player McKie and package him as an expiring contract to help make the numbers work. This one move turned LA into a legitimate contender. Despite their early success they still needed a second scoring option next to Kobe (Odom wasn’t up to the job and Bynum wasn’t there yet), Gasol was exactly that.

Steve Kerr

This is all about Shaquille O Neal really.

1. Made a few disgusting but neccessary deals to save money. Sending James Jones and Rudy Fernandez to Portland for cash. Sending Kurt Thomas and two first round draft picks to Seattle for a salary cap exception and a 2nd rounder, writing off 8mil of salary plus luxury tax payments.
2. Drafted Alando Tucker and DJ Strawberry. Not sure what to make of either. Some promise but they haven’t shown much.
3. Signed Grant Hill and Brian Skinner. Two excellent moves. Grant has taken a lot of pressure of Steve Nash. Grant’s ballhandling, passing, playmaking, intelligence and creativity were very much needed to stop a brilliant offense from becoming to predictable. His overall play was a huge reason Phoenix felt comfortable giving up Shawn Marion. He signed for the bi-annual exception (1.8mil, 2mil the following season) which makes him one of the league’s best bargains. Brian Skinner was a welcome replacement for Kurt Thomas, not as good as Kurt but for the minimum he more than hid those gaps. His defense, rebounding and suprising shooting ability have been great additions. He’s played less since Shaq joined. Useful player.
4. Traded Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks for Shaquille O Neal. Sacrificed a 17-10 player in his prime for a 36 year old no longer an all-star big man. Sacrificed their team’s style of play. Sacrificed the $60mil and three years remaining (including this season) on Shaq’s contract. Took a chance on a big man who hadn’t had much luck health wise in 18 months and was considered likely to only get worse. And it was brilliant. Shaquille had more left in the tank than most imagined but it was the other areas that shone brightest. Firstly, the money part, Banks had an awful contract. Marion had a bad contract and wanted a big extension. There was no extra financial risk. They would have had to pay Marion that to keep him anyway. Plus having Shaq helps merchandise, TV deals and all that. Secondly, Marion had poor trade value. He wasn’t a good enough scorer to bring back a top player. Thirdly, Amare Stoudemire needed more help under the glass. He was getting killed down there on a nightly basis. Out-manned, out-thought and out-muscled. He’s a weak defender and mediocre rebounder. It wasn’t working. Phoenix weren’t going to be a contender with their middle being so vulnerable. Shaq had brought the best out of Amare since joining the club. Amare gets to lunch on smaller four men these days. Fouth(ly), and most importantly, the Suns were not a contender before the trade and are now. Fifth, Nash only has limited time left at this level of performance, it was now or never. Sixth, the team had become stale and needed a jolt to spring it back to life. Great trade.
5. Signed Goran Giricek on the minimum. The team was desperate for another wing and another shooter. Giricek has filled in beautifully.

He took one of the biggest risks I can remember and he pulled it off, and his reasons were such that we never should have called it a risk. But pretty much every last one of us did until we let it, I know I did. About 45 minutes later I started to get close to neutral, by the time Steve explained it I saw his brilliance. Excellent move.

Usually, by this time of year, most of the playoff seedings have been finalized and the topic of discussion becomes the regular season awards. As you know, however, this hasn’t been the typical NBA season, and the debate over the game’s best rookie, coach, sixth man, etc. has been overshadowed by this marvelous finish to the regular season. So with just over a week left, still amid a fiercely contested race for the 8^th seed in the Western Conference, I thought it’d be prudent to hand out some hardware—even if it isn’t the most prevalent subject on people’s minds.

Most Valuable Player – Chris Paul

I’ve gone through this with much depth in a previous article. But here’s the gist: the Hornets have the best record in the West, despite have the league’s worst bench—30^th in points per game (24.3) and 29^th in efficiency (25.8). No one has done more with less this year. And whether it is stats, team success or leadership, Paul has all three in spades.

Ballot: 1. Chris Paul 2. Kobe Bryant 3. Kevin Garnett 4. LeBron James

Coach of the Year – Byron Scott

It’s got to be down to Scott or Doc Rivers, who coach the top teams in their respective conferences, with Phil Jackson not too far behind. Some pundits picked the Celtics, now equipped with three legitimate stars, to win the East. Can’t say the same about the Hornets. And by virtue of the fact that no one saw New Orleans coming, I have to give it to Scott. I still can’t understand how they have the best record in the West. Well, there’s Paul playing out of his mind. But while CP3 deserves a lot of credit, the rest most certainly goes to Scott.

Ballot: 1. Byron Scott 2. Doc Rivers 3. Phil Jackson 4. Stan Van Gundy

Rookie of the Year – Kevin Durant

Another two-man race, this between Seattle’s quick-firing Durant and Al Horford, who has been a near double-double machine on a playoff contender. But as poorly and disappointing (and I use both terms very loosely) as Durant was in the beginning of the season, the growth he has shown in the second half has been substantial. Factoring in everything—the reality that he’s the only threat on a bottom-feeding team, the pressure of the hype and the mid-season maturity, all as a 19-year-old—one begins to realize it’s Durant pretty comfortably.

Ballot: 1. Kevin Durant 2. Al Horford 3. Al Thornton 4. Luis Scola

Defensive Player of the Year – Kevin Garnett

Hard to ignore the stats of Marcus Camby (3.6 blocks, 10.3 defensive rebounds, 1.1 steals) and Dwight Howard (2.2 blocks, 10.9 defensive rebounds). But it’s equally hard to disregard how mediocre to awful their teams are defensively as a whole. Unlike Camby and Howard, whose defensive contributions have been mainly singular, Kevin Garnett has turned a traditionally soft bunch into the stingiest defense in the NBA. Not only has it been Garnett’s individual play but the mindset he instilled in his teammates the moment he set foot in Boston.

Ballot: 1. Kevin Garnett 2. Marcus Camby 3. Dwight Howard 4. Shane Battier

Sixth Man of the Year – Manu Ginobili

Easiest pick of the bunch. Some say he’s really a starter, but with more appearances as a sub than as a starter, he fits the criteria.

And forget the 6^th man award, Manu should justifiably garner some (probably just a little) MVP attention. Everything the Spurs do still revolves around Tim Duncan, but this year Ginobili has been their go-to scorer, and the lift he gives them off the bench has been vital to their success—particularly with Father Time catching up to Robert Horry, Michael Finley and, to a lesser extent, Bruce Bowen. Additionally, there was a one month period earlier in the season when Manu was dropping 35-point games like nothing, looking like the best player on the planet (i.e. as good as Kobe and LeBron).

Ballot: 1. Manu Ginobili 2. Leandro Barbosa 3. Luis Scola 4. Ben Gordon

Most Improved Player – Hedo Turkoglu

Over the years, this category has become the most difficult to decide, usually because of a packed field—and this is great for the NBA. There’s isn’t anything like watching so many players blossom, especially into possible superstardom and knowing that the league has a bright future. But I digress.

I’m reluctant, like others out there I think, to give the award to players who have already established themselves as stars. In a way, I view it as a coming-out or a I-didn’t-think-you’d-be-this-good prize. So Dwight Howard, Monta Ellis and Chris Paul are out of the running.

Rudy Gay has seen the greatest statistical jump but plays on a horrible team. Rajon Rondo has been key to the Celtics’ success, but he’s playing behind three All-Stars. Turkoglu, on the other hand, is having career highs in points (19.7), rebounds (5.9), assists (4.9) and field goal percentage (.454), all while being the second-best player on a postseason contender.

Ballot: 1. Hedo Turkoglu 2. Rudy Gay 3. LaMarcus Aldridge 4. Rajon Rondo

All-NBA First Team

G Chris Paul

G Kobe Bryant

F LeBron James

F Kevin Garnett

C Amare Stoudemire

All-NBA Second Team

G Deron Williams

G Steve Nash (Thought about swapping him with Ginobili for a second)

F Paul Pierce

F Tim Duncan

C Dwight Howard

All-NBA Defense

G Kobe Bryant

F Shane Battier

F Kevin Garnett

F Tim Duncan

C Marcus Camby

All of my picks are pretty safe the way they can happen. Kevin Garnett playing in the Celtics offense around Paul Pierce in Ray Allen, as well as seeing Rajon Rondo anchor the offense, and last but not least standing as another big beside Kendrick Perkins in the starting lineup sounds pretty nice. I still think Toronto has a great shot at winning the Atlantic, and I believe they will (not going to debate this here, I will however explain my prediction in future), but we are talking about the Most Valuable Player of the regular season and Garnett has the credentials and/OR could at least build on them this season to earn it.

For the NBA Finals this season a lot of people are going with the more sexier pick in the Dallas Mavericks or the Phoenix Suns. While I’m standing biased, but bias backed with facts, I’m shielding my pick with Tim Duncan leading the Spurs to their first ever consecutive titles streak. They have never accomplished that before, but I believe it’s time to shut the critics up and force them to say that the Spurs are a dynasty, even though they already are one now.

As for the Josh Smith pick, if you have never watched this cat play then you need to watch some film of his defensive abilities. He plays hard and gets after the ball; he’s fast which gives him a leverage to keep up with the offender. Going to the Kobe Bryant pick for scoring: isn’t that safe? Who would be more safe than that? I still think he will be in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform for the entire season, and believe in a lot of scoring, as usual, by the man.

Last but not least, a seemingly other “safe pick.” Without seeing Greg Oden in action this season, at least we’ll be able to watch Kevin Durant. However, there are other rookies that could snatch this away such as Al Thornton, Corey Brewer, and a shocker in Mike Conley.