NBA Awards
I know there is still one game left in the regular season, and if that had any impact on award nominations LeBron James wouldn't be sitting that one out. So, here are my top three players for each award (and five for MVP).
DEFENSIVE POY:
1) Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio)
2) Rudy Gobert (Utah)
3) Draymond Green (Golden State)
I chose Kawhi Leonard for this award mostly because he is the best lockdown defender in the NBA, and while his steals and blocks numbers aren't among the top of the league leaderboards, he will impact that side of the floor as much as anybody. And he actually has more steals than fouls in his career. This award is a long time coming for him. Gobert leads the league in blocks and Green leads it in steals, and those are among the reasons why they are in the running.
MOST IMPROVED POY:
1) Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee)
2) Myles Turner (Indiana)
3) Devin Booker (Phoenix)
Myles Turner has had a great second season, and is probably the best non-Paul George player on the Indiana Pacers, and Devin Booker has overtaken Brandon Knight in year two of his career as the guard next to Eric Bledsoe. But Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only one who has meteorically risen to (distant) MVP considerations, became the first All-Star for the Bucks since 2004 and led his team in all five major categories. Oh, and he's in the top 20 in the league in each of those as well.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
1) Dario Saric (Philadelphia)
2) Malcolm Brogdon (Milwaukee)
3) Buddy Hield (New Orleans/Sacramento)
I only am counting rookies that have played in more than half the season, so Joel Embiid doesn't count. As far as the 2016 draft class goes, Malcolm Brogdon has had the best overall season of anybody, and Buddy Hield has come on strong as the season wore on. But Dario Saric, drafted two years ago, came over from Europe and has cemented himself as a key young player for the Philadelphia 76ers. Trust the process.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR:
1) Eric Gordon (Houston)
2) Andre Iguodala (Golden State)
3) Zach Randolph (Memphis)
Eric Gordon leads all bench players in scoring, and that's usually what you expect from the guy you claim to be your "sixth man". He has provided a spark for the Houston offense and is James Harden's number two scorer. Iguodala effects that game in many ways that a stat sheet doesn't show, but he's been doing this for a while and I want to pick Eric Gordon for a change. Zach Randolph got bumped to the bench and had a productive season for the Grizzlies.
COACH OF THE YEAR:
1) Mike D'Antoni (Houston)
2) Erik Spoelstra (Miami)
3) Steve Kerr (Golden State)
Nobody expected Houston to be like this once Mike D'Antoni took over, and his run and gun style of play has made this team a lot like the old Phoenix Suns of the 2000's. He has led this team from the middle of the pack to the third best team in the NBA, and he deserves a lot of the credit. Spoelstra gets second place based on what he did to get his team into the playoff picture, and I honestly believed that at 11-30, Miami was dead in the water. Steve Kerr has led the Warriors to three straight 60 win seasons.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
1) James Harden (Houston)
2) Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City)
3) LeBron James (Cleveland)
4) Isaiah Thomas (Boston)
5) Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio)
This is a very crowded list for the MVP consideration, as players like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, John Wall and others deserve consideration, but I'm giving it to James Harden. Usually awards like this go to players who make the most difference on their teams, and Harden has been that difference for Houston and has the record to prove it. Russell Westbrook has the stats as well, but his team isn't as good, so Harden gets my nod. LeBron James takes games off and Cleveland has 30 losses, and I know they haven't won without him, but in every one of those games either Kevin Love or Kyrie Irving was out too.
ALL ROOKIE TEAM
G Malcolm Brogdon (MIL), G Buddy Hield (SAC), F Dario Saric (PHI), F Marquese Chriss (PHX), C Willy Hernangomez (NYK)
ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM
G Marcus Smart (BOS), G/F Jimmy Butler (CHI), F Kawhi Leonard (SA), F Draymond Green (GS), C Rudy Gobert (UTAH)
ALL NBA THIRD TEAM
G John Wall (WAS), G DeMar DeRozan (TOR), G/F Jimmy Butler (CHI), F Paul George (IND), C Marc Gasol (MEM)
ALL NBA SECOND TEAM
G Stephen Curry (GS), G Isaiah Thomas (BOS), F Kevin Durant (GS), F Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL), C Hassan Whiteside (MIA)
ALL NBA FIRST TEAM
G Russell Westbrook (OKC), G James Harden (HOU), F LeBron James (CLE), F Kawhi Leonard (SA), C Anthony Davis (NO)
OTHERS IN CONSIDERATION (No particular order)
Rudy Gobert (Utah), Damian Lillard (POR), Gordan Hayward (Utah), Chris Paul (LAC), Kyle Lowry (TOR), Draymond Green (GS), Klay Thompson (GS), DeMarcus Cousins (NO), Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)
