It certainly looked shaky there for a moment, but both sides finally came to their senses and the long, arduous and frankly, avoidable lockout was finally resolved, subsequently salvaging the season. As we got deeper in the November, for the first time during the work stoppage, and I actually felt as if the season was going to be cancelled. Perhaps that was just the frustrated fan in me. Nevertheless, that is all behind us now and we can set our sights on this abbreviated 66-game sprint that will commence this Sunday with a magnificent slate of games.
After the NBA reached popularity at the likes of which the League hasn’t enjoyed since Michael Jordan gave Bryon Russell a tiny shove some 11 years ago, last season proved to be very special. But as meaningful as last year’s campaign was, the lockout looked to be equally as damning. But somehow, all seems to be forgotten as basketball heads are clamoring for Sunday at noon like never before. Given the unique circumstances surrounding the League now, this year is highly anticipated for many reasons. Without further ado, here is how I see this season shaking out:
Scoring champ – Kevin Durant
The crazy thing about this is that Russell Westbrook will be top 5 as well.
Coach of the Year – Vinny Del Negro
Typically in sports, the coach of the most improved team wins Coach of the Year honors by default. It’s just the way it works. Even though the Clippers have an improved roster, Del Negro will be credited for working magic.
Rookie of the Year – Derrick Williams
I’ve stated from day one that if it were up to me, I would’ve taken Derrick Williams first overall in the draft. He agrees with me. I think his game will translate nicely and he’ll be able to make an immediate impact to the Timberwolves, who should be much improved.
Defensive Player of the Year – Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard set an NBA record last year by winning three consecutive DPOYs. As long as he is healthy and still in his prime, he should continue to win this award each year.
Most Improved Player – DeAndre Jordan
One of the most coveted free agents this past off-season, Jordan showed flashed of what he was capable of last year. Now he’s a year better, a year more experienced and should be an impact player for the upstart Clippers.
Sixth Man of the Year – James Harden
Harden is good enough to be a starter in the NBA, but on the Thunder it works well with him coming off the bench. He came on strong down the stretch for OKC and I fully expect that to be the case all year long (assuming he comes off the bench enough to qualify for the award).
MVP – Derrick Rose
Rose shocked the world least year and won MVP because without him, you could make the argument that the Bulls would’ve missed the playoffs rather than being the top seed in the East. This was primarily because he had to do the bulk of the scoring. Although the Bulls did acquire Rip Hamilton this summer, Rose will still have to shoulder the load in order for Chicago to be considered one of the best teams in the East again. So at the very least, he’ll be in the discussion again.
Finals – Heat over Thunder
If you’re looking for your everyday, predictable basketball talk, then go somewhere else, because Kevin Burke of The Kevin Burke Project brings provocative, thought provoking content about basketball as only he can. Kevin also hosts The Hoop Doctors weekly podcast show, which you can subscribe to for free on iTunes. Follow Kevin on Twitter and Facebook
