Curry spices NBA award possibilities
One man’s opinions on those deserving of recognition
MIAMI — The award ballots are due Thursday, the day after the close of the regular season. Like the standings, plenty remains to be decided.
So, for now, one man’s view at the moment, very much subject to change, of the NBA’s postseason awards.
Most Valuable Player (weighted ballot on 10-7-5-3-1 basis requires five names): 1. Stephen Curry, 2. James Harden, 3. Chris Paul, 4. LeBron James, 5. Anthony Davis.
Thoughts: The best player on the best team is never a bad way to go, especially when that best team put together a season like the Warriors’ season. Yes, Curry had more in support than Harden, but he still stood as the definitive face of the Warriors. All of that said, LeBron James remains the best player in the game, but he also played in the Eastern Conference, where value is relative.
Defensive Player of the Year (weighted ballot on 5-3-1 basis requires three names): 1. Draymond Green, 2. Kawhi Leonard, 3. Rudy Gobert.
Thoughts: The Warriors played defense this season, really good defense. Andrew Bogut was a big part, but Green was the face of the defensive consistency. Given a few more weeks at his currently ridiculous defensive pace, Leonard likely would have been the choice. And Gobert was Whiteside- like in the middle, just more consistent.
Coach of the Year (weighted ballot on 5-3-1 basis requires three names): 1. Steve Kerr, 2. Mike Budenholzer, 3. Jason Kidd.
Thoughts: A truly loaded field, with Kerr the pick by the slightest of margins over Budenholzer, with both accomplishing the same wonderful objective: getting their teams to play like a team. Any other year, Kidd might rank higher for merely keeping the Bucks afloat, no matter where the Bucks finish.
Sixth Man Award (weighted ballot on 5-3-1 basis requires three names): 1. Mo Speights, 2. Isaiah Thomas, 3. Lou Williams.
Thoughts: Another case of when in doubt, return to the Warriors. By the slightest of margins. Thomas has been exactly what a sixthman should be, a fuse that sizzles and often leads to an explosion. Williams has experienced a revival in Toronto.
Most Improved Player (weighted ballot on 5-3-1 basis requires three names): 1. Jimmy Butler, 2. Draymond Green, 3. Hassan Whiteside.
Thoughts: Amid the constant uncertainty with Derrick Rose, Butler continued to rise as arguably the Bulls’ most essential player, a two-way force. Green similarly went from role player to invaluable amid the Warriors’ ascent. And coming back from nowhere deserves notice for Whiteside.
Rookie of the Year (weighted ballot on 5-3-1 basis requires three names): 1. Andrew Wiggins, 2. Nikola Mirotic, 3. Elfrid Payton.
Thoughts: This is among the toughest calls, because Mirotic’s contributions came in minutes that mattered. But do you penalize Wiggins because he was traded to the Timberwolves from the Cavaliers (where he might have offered more than Kevin Love)? Payton proved to be a differencemaker with an impressive motor. As for Nerlens Noel, the stats just seem empty, like the 76ers’ season.
All-NBA teams (three teams, position-specific, five points for first-team vote, three for secondteam vote, one for thirdteam vote): First team: C: DeMarcus Cousins; F: LeBron James, Anthony Davis; G: Stephen Curry, James Harden. Second team: C: Marc Gasol; F: Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge; G: Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook. Third team: C: Tim Duncan; F: Kawhi Leonard, Pau Gasol; G: Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson.
Thoughts: Hate the fact that this not only is positionspecific, but that it’s not even like the All-Star ballot, with three front-court players, but rather comes with a specific position designation at center.
All-Defensive teams (two teams, positionspecific, five points for first-team vote, three for second-team vote, one for third-team vote): First team: C: Andrew Bogut; F: Kawhi Leonard, Draymond Green; G: Tony Allen, Trevor Ariza. Second team: C: Rudy Gobert; F: Tim Duncan, Anthony Davis; G: Patrick Beverley, John Wall.
Thoughts: As the game moves to the perimeter, never have wing defenders been more important. This was an impressive class this season. As with so many of these awards, just difficult to find a place for any Hawks.
All-Rookie teams (two teams, not position-specific, five points for firstteam vote, three for second-team vote, one for third-team vote): First team: Andrew Wiggins, Nikola Mirotic, Elfrid Payton, Nerlens Noel, Marcus Smart. Second team: Jordan Clarkson, Jusuf Nurkic, Zach LaVine, Langston Galloway, Bojan Bogdanovic.
Thoughts: What a middling rookie class. The injuries to Jabari Parker, Joel Embiid and Julius Randle made it difficult to come up with 10 names.