We’re halfway through the most anticipated NBA season in recent memory and it certainly hasn’t disappointed so far. We’ve somehow managed to find ourselves at the midway point of the season already and before you know it, the playoffs will be here. But let’s take it one day at a time. Since we’re at the halfway point, let’s stop and catch our collective breath while I hand out Mid-Season Awards.
MVP | Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls
Before the season began and everyone was still kicking around preseason MVP candidates, Derrick Rose said, “Why can’t I be the MVP of the League? Why can’t I be the best player in the League?” No one can deny the fact that Rose is a beast, but at the time I thought he must have been drunk when he made that comment. My humblest apologies, Mr. Rose. I don’t think there’s any question that Rose has had the greatest impact on his team than any other guy in the league. He accounts for about 35% of his team’s offensive production (points and assists) and he’s just 1 guy on a 15 man roster. Without Rose, the Bulls would be one of the worst teams in the league, but instead they are 3rd in the East. Oh yeah, and did I mention that he’s now officially the best PG in the league? Yeah, I said it.
6th Man of the Year | Wilson Chandler – New York Knicks
Wilson has started a handful of games for the Knicks so far this year but has primarily been coming off the bench. If he comes off the bench enough to qualify for the award, at the end of the year, he’s the winner. Aside from Amar’e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton, Chandler has been the best player for the much improved Knicks and has really provided an offensive punch for the second unit.
Most Improved Player | Russell Westbrook – Oklahoma City Thunder
Where did this guy come from? Seriously. We always knew he could jump but he has proven to be much more than that this year and early on in the season he convinced me that he was the most underrated player in the league. He has raised his point production from 16ppg last year to 23ppg this year and he has inadvertently taken his teammate, Kevin Durant, out of the MVP discussion with his play.
(Honorable mention: Kevin Love)
Coach of the Year | Gregg Popovich – San Antonio Spurs
Typically in sports, the coach of one of the most improved teams wins the Coach of the Year Award by default. The inaccurate assumption is that the coach is the reason for the improvement (See Scott Brooks last year, when Kevin Durant’s emergence was the reason the Thunder were that improved). In this case, that doesn’t apply because Pop has somehow led his aging Spurs to the best record in the NBA so far. Last year the Spurs showed signs that maybe the run was over. Apparently that isn’t the case. The team is largely the same from last year, but they’re a year older. Therefore, Pop deserves credit.
Rookie of the Year | Blake Griffin – Los Angeles Clippers
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a rookie demand this type of buzz around the Association. In fact, it was probably 8 years ago in Cleveland. Blake’s 22 and 13 make him a viable All-Star selection and he has single handedly made the Clippers very relevant. He should be commended for that alone.
Defensive Player of the Year | Dwight Howard – Orlando Magic
As long as he is in the league and is performing the way the currently is, Dwight Howard should always be defensive player of the year. He continues to make a difference on the defensive end and is currently the only guy in the top 5 in both rebounding (2nd overall) and blocks (4th overall), which are the two most telling defensive stats.
First Team All-NBA
G – Derrick Rose
G – Dwyane Wade
F – LeBron James
F – Amar’e Stoudemire
C – Dwight Howard
Second Team All-NBA
G – Rajon Rondo
G – Kobe Bryant
F – Kevin Durant
F – Blake Griffin
C – Pau Gasol (While he’s typically a 4, he’s listed as a 5 on the Lakers official website)
I’ll stop there for now. There’s plenty of ball left to be played so we’ll see how it all ends up.
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
