December 23, 2008
Zach Harper's First Trimester Awards
For all intents and purposes, every team in the
NBA is pretty much done with one-third of the regular season. This may
sound a little contradictory and it certainly is to some degree but I
hate it when people talk about playoffs and make a statement such as,
"If the playoffs started today..." It's arguably the dumbest statement
you can make because it's completely hypothetical and at the same time
undeniably impossible. The playoffs will never start earlier than
after the last scheduled day of the regular season. It just won't
happen. Shannon Doherty has a better chance of someone asking who her
plastic surgeon was because they like that doctor's work.
But people want to know where players stand throughout the season in regards to which guys are winning the awards. If the season won today, who would win what awards? Who are the frontrunners? Who is deserving of what accolades? It seemingly goes against everything I stated above in terms of "if the season started today" but there is one important difference. People often get confused when it comes to giving out yearly awards because one good stretch of basketball instead of looking at the whole season in its entirety sways them. It's dumb to look at the landscape of the NBA and say if the season ended today then so and so would make the playoffs.
However, it is almost necessary to stop and look at the award races now so that nobody sneaks up on us a couple of months from now. Here are the award frontrunners thus far in the NBA season:
MVP - LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Runner-Ups: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Dwyane Wade
Not only is the media dying to give LeBron James the MVP award but he actually deserves it so far. LeBron James has been the most unstoppable offensive player in this league and is playing the passing lanes so well that the Browns have offered him a deal to be the strong safety next season. His Cavs team should not be this dominant with the players and talent they have but he's leading them perfectly and has them as one of the biggest surprises in the first trimester (on pace for 69 wins). He also seems to rarely play a fourth quarter this season due to blowouts so it makes his numbers even more impressive.
Question You Might Be Asking Yourself - Why is KG on this list?
KG is getting a semi-unfair rep right now for being a trash talker of annoying proportions. But look at what his team is doing and how he's leading them. They're on pace to win 76 games and are a historic 26-2 so far. KG brought a title to this town and has them so focused and intense that they're doing an even better job this despite losing James Posey in the off-season. The stats don't look like he deserves consideration but the most important number (wins) says it all. Sometimes stats don't mean everything.
Rookie of the Year - O.J. Mayo, Memphis Grizzlies
Runner-Ups: Derrick Rose, Rudy Fernandez, Greg Oden, D.J. Augustin
Derrick Rose has really been fantastic this season but the best and most consistent rookie so far has been O.J. Mayo. He's averaging 20.3 points per game on 46% shooting from the field. He is killing teams from the three-point line and playing solid defense. But most of all, he's turned a pathetic, ragtag franchise into somebody that most teams don't want to play. They're no longer a pushover on the schedule. The Memphis Grizzlies have some swagger this season that gives them confidence when they shouldn't have any (see: recent games against Hornets and Lakers). Derrick Rose has been great and turned a wildly disappointing Bulls team into a mildly disappointing Bulls team. He's almost unstoppable going to the basket despite the fact that teams are trying to force him to shoot jumpers. But Mayo has been better.
Question You Might Be Asking Yourself - Where's Michael Beasley?
Michael Beasley has been terribly inconsistent this season and doesn't appear to be a potential star player just 26 games into his NBA career. His 13.6 points per game average is nothing to be mad about but his defense is almost non-existent. His numbers are eerily similar to what Adam Morrison did in his rookie season. Aside from a late season shooting dip that killed his already bad percentage from the field, their numbers are equally as (un) impressive.
Most Improved Player - Devin Harris, New Jersey Nets
Runner-Ups: Jameer Nelson, Nene, John Salmons, Danny Granger
The sad thing for the runner-ups this season is any other year and they'd probably each walk away with this award. Jameer Nelson has been incredible and is a big reason that the Magic is 22-6 despite Hedo Turkoglu's struggles. Nene is making the Nuggets forget Marcus Camby's name. John Salmons is putting up impressive numbers for the lowly Kings and Danny Granger has become a star. But Devin Harris has been unstoppable for the New Jersey Nets and is sixth in the league in scoring with 23.8 points per game. His previous career high in scoring was 15.4. Plus the Nets have no business being a good team and he's helped lead them to a 13-14 record.
Question You Might Be Asking Yourself - Should Granger qualify for this?
The common misconception about the MIP award is that second-year players are the most likely candidates. It's a often a completely moronic idea to give it to a guy that has improved in his second NBA season because nearly every decent player will have a considerably better year than his first go-round with the league. But in Danny Granger's case, he had a "breakout year" last season when he averaged 19.6 points per game. This year, Granger has become a crunch time, go-to guy that is currently fifth in the league in scoring. He seems to drop 40 points once every eight games and is eighth in the league in three-pointers made. He definitely deserves consideration for this award.
Defensive Players of the Year - Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
Runner-Ups: Kendrick Perkins, Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Dwyane Wade
Say what you want about this selection but it should be a no-brainer in my opinion. Chris Paul has been the most dominant defensive force that we've seen this year. His consistent dominance has been evident in the NBA record he just broke by racking up a steal in his 106th straight game. He's like having Ron Artest guarding the point guard on the defensive end except you don't have to worry about terrible shots once he steals the ball and there's very little chance of him going into the stands for anything other than a loose ball. Chris Paul has been the best defensive player this year and it's not even that close.
Question You Might Be Asking Yourself - Why Chris Paul over Dwight Howard?
No disrespect due to Dwight Howard and the year he's having but there's a fundamental flaw in the reason people are picking him for DPOY - the blocked shot. The blocked shot is one of the most overrated statistics in all of sports because we never know how many times that the defensive team acquired the ball due to the blocked shot. Especially with Howard, he often tries to block the ball out of bounds instead of keep it in play for his team to get it and get out into transition. Sure, it's stopping the opposing team from scoring but if you just give them another opportunity right away, how much have you honestly done there? Take Chris Paul's 70 steals this year and they're far more impressive than Howard's 95 blocks. Chris Paul's team has scored 43 of the 70 times he's stolen the ball. When he gets a steal, the other team isn't keeping possession. And six of the steals by Paul have come at the end of quarters or games to ensure that a shot attempt never happened. Now, you tell me which one is more dominating.
Sixth Man of the Year - Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks
Runner-Ups: Andrei Kirilenko, Nate Robinson, Rudy Fernandez, James Posey
It's hard to find a better scoring force off the bench that has changed games like Jason Terry. He's 15th in the league in scoring with 21.2 points per game and is averaging 21.7 points with 48% shooting, 3.8 assists, and 44 made three-pointers. Normally, this has been a race between Manu Ginobili and Leandro Barbosa but with Manu's injuries so far and Leandro not resembling a basketball player on most nights under Terry Porter, Terry has made this an open and shut case.
Question You Might Be Asking Yourself - Is scoring all that matters for this award?
Scoring definitely isn't everything when it comes to this award but it is very important. Guys like Andrei Kirilenko and James Posey have come off the bench this season and done everything from playing impeccable defense to making the extra pass when needed. These guys are changing the game with their hustle and grit. However, Jason Terry is 15th in the league in scoring. That's nearly impossible to pass over in giving out this award right now.
Coach of the Year - Mike Brown, Cleveland Cavaliers
Runner-Ups: Doc Rivers, Mike D'Antoni, Lawrence Frank, Gregg Popovich
Even though Doc Rivers has his team at a 26-2 record after 28 games, Mike Brown is easily the most deserving of this award in this first trimester. The Cavs have the second best record in the league with a 23-4 mark and are on pace to tie the second best regular season record in NBA history. They're sporting the highest differential in the league with +13.2. They're perfect at home with a 13-0 record, which nobody else can say. And he's doing it with guys like Wally Szczerbiak, Daniel Gibson, and Sasha Pavlovic prominently involved.
Question You Might Be Asking Yourself - How is Mike D'Antoni on here with a losing record?
What Mike D'Antoni and the New York Knicks have accomplished under their circumstances this season is nothing short of remarkable. This is a Knicks team from last season who was the joke of the league and a blessing to play when you were playing a bad stretch of basketball. They were the NBA's equivalent of a slump-buster. D'Antoni took away their point guard with the most skill (Stephon Marbury) and then dealt with the team getting gutted in hopes of landing LeBron James in 2010 (sorry for the reference but it's internet law to mention it once in every basketball article). And yet they still remain competitive. They haven't quit once during a game this season and it is all Mike D'Antoni's doing.
But people want to know where players stand throughout the season in regards to which guys are winning the awards. If the season won today, who would win what awards? Who are the frontrunners? Who is deserving of what accolades? It seemingly goes against everything I stated above in terms of "if the season started today" but there is one important difference. People often get confused when it comes to giving out yearly awards because one good stretch of basketball instead of looking at the whole season in its entirety sways them. It's dumb to look at the landscape of the NBA and say if the season ended today then so and so would make the playoffs.
However, it is almost necessary to stop and look at the award races now so that nobody sneaks up on us a couple of months from now. Here are the award frontrunners thus far in the NBA season:
MVP - LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Runner-Ups: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Dwyane Wade
Not only is the media dying to give LeBron James the MVP award but he actually deserves it so far. LeBron James has been the most unstoppable offensive player in this league and is playing the passing lanes so well that the Browns have offered him a deal to be the strong safety next season. His Cavs team should not be this dominant with the players and talent they have but he's leading them perfectly and has them as one of the biggest surprises in the first trimester (on pace for 69 wins). He also seems to rarely play a fourth quarter this season due to blowouts so it makes his numbers even more impressive.
Question You Might Be Asking Yourself - Why is KG on this list?
KG is getting a semi-unfair rep right now for being a trash talker of annoying proportions. But look at what his team is doing and how he's leading them. They're on pace to win 76 games and are a historic 26-2 so far. KG brought a title to this town and has them so focused and intense that they're doing an even better job this despite losing James Posey in the off-season. The stats don't look like he deserves consideration but the most important number (wins) says it all. Sometimes stats don't mean everything.
Rookie of the Year - O.J. Mayo, Memphis Grizzlies
Runner-Ups: Derrick Rose, Rudy Fernandez, Greg Oden, D.J. Augustin
Derrick Rose has really been fantastic this season but the best and most consistent rookie so far has been O.J. Mayo. He's averaging 20.3 points per game on 46% shooting from the field. He is killing teams from the three-point line and playing solid defense. But most of all, he's turned a pathetic, ragtag franchise into somebody that most teams don't want to play. They're no longer a pushover on the schedule. The Memphis Grizzlies have some swagger this season that gives them confidence when they shouldn't have any (see: recent games against Hornets and Lakers). Derrick Rose has been great and turned a wildly disappointing Bulls team into a mildly disappointing Bulls team. He's almost unstoppable going to the basket despite the fact that teams are trying to force him to shoot jumpers. But Mayo has been better.
Question You Might Be Asking Yourself - Where's Michael Beasley?
Michael Beasley has been terribly inconsistent this season and doesn't appear to be a potential star player just 26 games into his NBA career. His 13.6 points per game average is nothing to be mad about but his defense is almost non-existent. His numbers are eerily similar to what Adam Morrison did in his rookie season. Aside from a late season shooting dip that killed his already bad percentage from the field, their numbers are equally as (un) impressive.
Most Improved Player - Devin Harris, New Jersey Nets
Runner-Ups: Jameer Nelson, Nene, John Salmons, Danny Granger
The sad thing for the runner-ups this season is any other year and they'd probably each walk away with this award. Jameer Nelson has been incredible and is a big reason that the Magic is 22-6 despite Hedo Turkoglu's struggles. Nene is making the Nuggets forget Marcus Camby's name. John Salmons is putting up impressive numbers for the lowly Kings and Danny Granger has become a star. But Devin Harris has been unstoppable for the New Jersey Nets and is sixth in the league in scoring with 23.8 points per game. His previous career high in scoring was 15.4. Plus the Nets have no business being a good team and he's helped lead them to a 13-14 record.
Question You Might Be Asking Yourself - Should Granger qualify for this?
The common misconception about the MIP award is that second-year players are the most likely candidates. It's a often a completely moronic idea to give it to a guy that has improved in his second NBA season because nearly every decent player will have a considerably better year than his first go-round with the league. But in Danny Granger's case, he had a "breakout year" last season when he averaged 19.6 points per game. This year, Granger has become a crunch time, go-to guy that is currently fifth in the league in scoring. He seems to drop 40 points once every eight games and is eighth in the league in three-pointers made. He definitely deserves consideration for this award.
Defensive Players of the Year - Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
Runner-Ups: Kendrick Perkins, Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Dwyane Wade
Say what you want about this selection but it should be a no-brainer in my opinion. Chris Paul has been the most dominant defensive force that we've seen this year. His consistent dominance has been evident in the NBA record he just broke by racking up a steal in his 106th straight game. He's like having Ron Artest guarding the point guard on the defensive end except you don't have to worry about terrible shots once he steals the ball and there's very little chance of him going into the stands for anything other than a loose ball. Chris Paul has been the best defensive player this year and it's not even that close.
Question You Might Be Asking Yourself - Why Chris Paul over Dwight Howard?
No disrespect due to Dwight Howard and the year he's having but there's a fundamental flaw in the reason people are picking him for DPOY - the blocked shot. The blocked shot is one of the most overrated statistics in all of sports because we never know how many times that the defensive team acquired the ball due to the blocked shot. Especially with Howard, he often tries to block the ball out of bounds instead of keep it in play for his team to get it and get out into transition. Sure, it's stopping the opposing team from scoring but if you just give them another opportunity right away, how much have you honestly done there? Take Chris Paul's 70 steals this year and they're far more impressive than Howard's 95 blocks. Chris Paul's team has scored 43 of the 70 times he's stolen the ball. When he gets a steal, the other team isn't keeping possession. And six of the steals by Paul have come at the end of quarters or games to ensure that a shot attempt never happened. Now, you tell me which one is more dominating.
Sixth Man of the Year - Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks
Runner-Ups: Andrei Kirilenko, Nate Robinson, Rudy Fernandez, James Posey
It's hard to find a better scoring force off the bench that has changed games like Jason Terry. He's 15th in the league in scoring with 21.2 points per game and is averaging 21.7 points with 48% shooting, 3.8 assists, and 44 made three-pointers. Normally, this has been a race between Manu Ginobili and Leandro Barbosa but with Manu's injuries so far and Leandro not resembling a basketball player on most nights under Terry Porter, Terry has made this an open and shut case.
Question You Might Be Asking Yourself - Is scoring all that matters for this award?
Scoring definitely isn't everything when it comes to this award but it is very important. Guys like Andrei Kirilenko and James Posey have come off the bench this season and done everything from playing impeccable defense to making the extra pass when needed. These guys are changing the game with their hustle and grit. However, Jason Terry is 15th in the league in scoring. That's nearly impossible to pass over in giving out this award right now.
Coach of the Year - Mike Brown, Cleveland Cavaliers
Runner-Ups: Doc Rivers, Mike D'Antoni, Lawrence Frank, Gregg Popovich
Even though Doc Rivers has his team at a 26-2 record after 28 games, Mike Brown is easily the most deserving of this award in this first trimester. The Cavs have the second best record in the league with a 23-4 mark and are on pace to tie the second best regular season record in NBA history. They're sporting the highest differential in the league with +13.2. They're perfect at home with a 13-0 record, which nobody else can say. And he's doing it with guys like Wally Szczerbiak, Daniel Gibson, and Sasha Pavlovic prominently involved.
Question You Might Be Asking Yourself - How is Mike D'Antoni on here with a losing record?
What Mike D'Antoni and the New York Knicks have accomplished under their circumstances this season is nothing short of remarkable. This is a Knicks team from last season who was the joke of the league and a blessing to play when you were playing a bad stretch of basketball. They were the NBA's equivalent of a slump-buster. D'Antoni took away their point guard with the most skill (Stephon Marbury) and then dealt with the team getting gutted in hopes of landing LeBron James in 2010 (sorry for the reference but it's internet law to mention it once in every basketball article). And yet they still remain competitive. They haven't quit once during a game this season and it is all Mike D'Antoni's doing.
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