End of year predictions
So I don’t have a vote for the NBA awards (maybe someday). But that won’t stop me from lending a hand in naming them anyway…
MVP: Derrick Rose
Sure, it’s easy to pick the guy who the media has named MVP in a remarkable season for the catalyst of the unexpected number one team in the east. But hey, the guy checks every box you would want in an MVP candidate. He averages 32.8 combined assists and points per game, second only to LeBron James. At 22 years old, he is the unquestioned leader of the Bulls, and a huge part of why the team has bought in to rookie coach Tom Thibedeau’s system. It’s a lot easier to coach a new team when your superstar follows your lead without question (just ask Erik Spoelstra). Beyond the statistics, he has improved his on-the-ball defense remarkably. He is the go-to guy and a killer in crunch time, unlike LeBron (the best player in the first 46 minutes of a game you will ever see). The only knocks on the guy are absurd stats within stats that question his efficiency. However, like my father said, there are lies, there are damn lies, and then there are statistics. Behind his lead, the team kept winning without Joakim Noah and/or Carlos Boozer for 60 games. Would the team be lost with an average point guard at the helm rather than Rose? With their outstanding team defense, and the brilliant Thibs, the answer is no. But they would not be the number one team in the east, either. Go-to scorer, willing passer, crunch time assassin, solid defender, and selfless teammate. Sounds like your 2010-11 MVP to me.
Runner-up: Dwight Howard
Defensive player of the year: Dwight Howard
How many years will this be Howard’s consolation prize for MVP? If your argument for value in a player is who would field the worst team without their best player, it would be Howard. But he can’t win a game like Rose can. Defensively, however, Howard has no peers. He is surrounded by a team of some of the worst on-the-ball defenders in the league, and that’s after dumping half-man half-amazingly-lethargic Vince Carter. While he needs a lesson from Bill Russell on keeping those blocks in bounds and saving possession, he erases his teammates’ mistakes more than anyone in the league. He shuts down the other teams’ big man, and stops penetration from everyone not named James, Wade, or Rose. He would win this award every season until his legs become old and Shaq-like if not for the simple reason that the voters feel the need to share the love fro time-to-time with the awards (see: Charles Barkley’s and Karl Malone’s MVP awards over Jordan in the ‘90’s).
Runner-up: Kevin Garnett
Rookie of the Year: Blake Griffin
With all due respect to John Wall, this is the by far the easiest award to pick. Blake Superior quite literally hurdled the competition, and a car, on his way to this award. King Blake puts up 22/12/4 and is still just a freak of an athlete, not a basketball player. The sky is the limit for Shake N Blake, but only he will determine how high it goes. He can continue at this pace and be a hell of an All-Star for the next decade plus. Or, he can follow the Derrick Rose method and polish his weaknesses to the point that he has none, making himself a perennial MVP candidate, thrusting himself into the best player in the game conversation, while simultaneously pressuring Dwight Howard for title of BBD (Biggest Baddest Dude). The Griffin has already taken LeBron’s fiercest dunker title, and it seems the polish on the rest of his game is two hard summers of work away. If they can get a full season of health from Eric Gordon, look out for the Clippers in 2012-2013.
P.S. After experimenting with the Blake Griffin nickname charade, I have decided that nothing sounds more badass/sounds better for Blake Griffin than Blake Griffin. And that’s that. No more nicknames, please.
Runner-up: John Wall
Most Improved Player: Kevin Love
This award could go to a number of players, pending how your opinion of most improved. Often it goes to the player who goes from marginal contributor to solid producer, similar to Kris Humphries. You could also go the route of star-turned superstar, a la Derrick Rose. In this case, you can’t deny Kevin Love going from solid player to historic performer. His rebounding numbers alone could seal it, but he also is an all-around offensive threat that averages 20ppg and shoots 42% from deep. For a franchise that seemed completely lost and without an identity, he has given the Timberwolves their first franchise player since the Kevin Garnett trade. Beasley has already established himself as a solid number two, and if the team gets a point guard (Ricky Rubio anyone??), GM David Kahn is not embarrassing all the writers out there who dream of being an NBA General Manager.
Runner-up: J.J. Hickson
6th Man of the Year: Lamar Odom
Odom has been arguably the second most important player for the defending champs this year. He has truly been a real glue guy. Ron Artest is imploding? The team is bickering and pointing fingers? Bynum or Gasol are hurt? A little dab of Odom will do it. Lamar has selflessly accepted his role, knowing full well he would be the second best player on a lot of playoff teams, as he was in Miami before the Shaq trade. For his whole career I have wondered why Odom is not Kevin Garnett. They have similar build and athletic ability, and Odom may have a more-rounded skill set (he’s definitely a better ball handler and playmaker). Regardless, cool, calm, collected, and multi-talented, Odom was the perfect player to keep this team together when the pressure of the media seemed to get to them. If they do indeed meet his athletic alter ego in June, Odom will be key to the Lakers’ three-peat.
Runner-up: Jason Terry
Coach of the Year: Doug Collins
This is a toss-up. George Karl did a phenomenal job handling the Carmelo insanity. However, with or without Melo, the Nuggets have far more talent than Doug Collins has to work with in Philadelphia. With largely the same roster as one of the worst teams in the league last season, Doug Collins made the 76ers the six or seven seed in the east. They will be a competitive out for Miami and Boston, and if either team overlooks the hungry Sixers, Philly could give them a six or seven game scare. The one significant addition to the team, number 2 overall pick Evan Turner, did not even perform well (7.1ppg). However, he was a slow starter at Ohio State, not blossoming until his Player of the Year junior season. If Turner can play up to his draft status, and team with Andre Iguodala, the 76ers will have one of the most athletic and well-rounded 2-3 combinations in the game. They need Turner to perform, but look out for this team in the next two seasons.
Runner-up: George Karl
Next up….
March Madness gives way to Awesome April and May Mayhem. Playoff Predictions!!
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