When it comes to executives this year, Daryl Morey is another stratosphere. He won the award before the first game of the season when he traded for James Harden. Because as all NBA intellectuals know, anytime you can trade for a superstar that is only 23 years old, you do it. So Daryl Morey could of spent the rest of the year drinking Mai Tais on a white sand beach somewhere and still won this award. But for good measure he pulled of another coup when he acquired last year's fifth overall pick Thomas Robinson from the Kings for spare parts. Because as all NBA intellectuals know, anytime you can acquire a top five talent for a role player such as Patrick Peterson and bench players, you do it. This one is for you Daryl Morey.
Coach of the Year: George Karl, Denver Nuggets
Any given year this award could go to Gregg Popovich and be a completely logical pick. Also, Erik Spolestra is also a very deserving canidate. Yet, the Heat are who we thought they were, the league's best team with the league's best player. But, this is the year George Karl finally wins his first Coach of the Year award. The Nuggets have the league's best home record and are poised to finish third in the Western Conference standings. Coming into the season most pundits had them pegged for the sixth or seventh spot out west. Some of those same pundits had the Nuggets as a potential Western Conference champs until Danillo Gallinari knee injury this week. George Karl has overachieved with the talent of his team more so than any other coach in the NBA and that is why he is my Coach of the Year.
Rookie of the Year: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard has had this award wrapped up since the new year. Anthony Davis the only rival for the award has been sensational the last few months but just dug himself to deep a hole with his early season injury. Damian Lillard has started every game for the Blazers this season, leading all rookies with 18.9 PPG and 6.5 APG. He has logged an astounding for a rookie 38.5 MPG this season. The big loser in this award is Nets GM Billy Knight who traded their first round pick to the Blazers for Gerald Wallace and only top three protected the pick because, "we felt the player that we may draft beyond the protection would be somebody that would probably take a couple years (to develop)." And this man has had multiple NBA GM jobs, WHAT? Send a thank you to Billy King Blazers fans, although I highly doubt you will receive a "your welcome" from Billy.
Most Improved Player: Paul George, Indiana Pacers
At the All Star break this was an actual competition between Paul George and Jrue Holiday. Yet, the disappearance of Jrue in the second half coupled with the fact that George has continued to grow and prosper in his role as the Pacers best player. He has posted career highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He also shined bright in his first All Star game with 17 points. George absolutely hounds opposing guards and forwards on the defensive end. He is third in the entire league in defensive rating this season with a 95.2. Paul George has shown this season that he will be on All Star teams for years to come.
Sixth Man of the Year: Jarrett Jack, Golden State Warriors
This was the toughest decision for me out of all the individual awards. The three finalists for me was Jack, JR Smith and Jordan Crawford. Crawford started out the season scorching hot as did the Clippers, but over the last few months has cooled down considerably. JR Smith's performances are as volatile as any player in the league. Jarrett Jack has been the most consistent of the three players. He has been a steady orchestrator of the offense all season for the Warriors. When he is on the court he allows Steph Curry to slide over to his more natural position of off guard. He has one of the most memorable moments of this season for me was Jarrett Jack's 30 points and 10 assists in the hideous shirt jerseys, in an overtime win over the Spurs. A win that ended a 16 game losing streak to the Spurs.
Defensive Player of the Year: Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls
This award came down to three people for me. Serge Ibaka, Roy Hibbert and Joakim Noah. Ibaka is most natural shot blocker of the three. Hibbert anchors the league's best defense. Yet, Joakim Noah is the best all around defender of three. He covers pick and rolls the best of the three. He is by far away the best rebounder of three. Those were the tie breakers for me. Noah is the fourth leading rebounder in the entire league. Sixth in the league in blocks. He also averaged 1.2 SPG this season which is extremely impressive for a big man. Noah has done all this while being the Bulls team leader this season with Derrick Rose's absence.
Most Valuable Player: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles LakersBy any statistic or advanced metric LeBron James has been this season's best player. But as I outlined last month Kobe Bryant has been this year's most "valuable" player. He has been more valuable to Lakers organization than any player has been to his organization this season. Now I know I get blasted for this point of view but this is not an award for the league's best player but the most valuable. I know I am grasping at straws with this argument because Kobe's ankle injury took a lot of wind out of the sails of my argument. But I am going down with the ship, Kobe Bryant 2013 NBA MVP. See you on the ocean floor.
All NBA Team
G: Chris Paul
G: Kobe Bryant
F: LeBron James
F: Kevin Durant
C: Dwight Howard
Chris Paul was the All Star game MVP and led the Clippers to their first 50 win season in franchise history. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant were all locks for the All NBA team. Durant led the league in scoring, Kobe was the league's most "valuable" player and LeBron is the best player on the planet. The only question of the team was Dwight Howard, but despite all his drama he led the league in rebounds by a full rebound. In terms of NBA centers Howard this season was the one eyed man in the land of the blind.
All NBA Defensive Team
G: Tony Allen
G: Avery Bradley
F: LeBron James
F: Serge Ibaka
C: Joakim Noah
Tony Allen led the entire league in defensive rating and is still the league's best perimeter defender. Avery Bradley is coming for Allen's thrown, he hounds any player for three quarters of the court. He forces every offense to set up later and further from the basket than they want to. LeBron is a physical god and is the only player in the entire league that can cover all five positions on the court. Ibaka is the league's best shot blocker averaging 3.0 BPG. Noah has been the league's best all around defender this year in terms of rebounding, blocks and steals.
No comments:
Post a Comment