Most Valuable Player
1. LeBron James - MIA - 24.7 pts, 6.5 reb, 7.1 ast (3)
The 2-time defending MVP may be able to pick up a third straight if he keeps up his recent performance level. He scored at least 30 in each of the Heat's 3 wins this week, but only 19 in their loss to Dallas, which ended their 12-game winning streak. He's not the obvious, dominant MVP he has been the past 2 years, but he is a very viable candidate to three-peat.
2. Dirk Nowitzki - DAL - 24.5 pts, 7.6 reb, .544 FG% (2)
Dirk and the Mavericks may have ended the Heat's winning streak this week, but Dirk's lone 20-point game was that win over Miami. His shooting percentage has taken quite a dip, thanks to his 37% over the past week, but his perfection from the free throw line over the past 5 games has nearly made up for it and kept him up here near the top.
3. Pau Gasol - LAL - 19.6 pts, 11.1 reb, 2.0 blk (1)
Pau failed to reach the 20-point plateau even once this week, and his 15-point performance in a loss to Milwaukee is the biggest reason that he lost his #1 ranking this week. The dropoff is partially due to Andrew Bynum's return, so he may return to the top unless Bynum gets injured yet again.
4. Dwyane Wade - MIA - 23.5 pts, 6.4 reb, 4.3 ast (6)
Wade had scored 20 or more in 11 straight games before sitting out against the Suns because of a sore knee. He is expected to play against the Lakers tomorrow, so the injury doesn't look like it will have any long-term impact on his production.
5. Kobe Bryant - LAL - 25.7 pts, 5.0 reb, 4.6 ast (4)
Kobe scored only 9 points in the Lakers win over Philadelphia this week, which appears to be due to a hurt finger. It does appear to be affecting his shooting, as he failed to make a single 3-pointer all week (0 for 7). Kobe rarely sits out for anything, so this injury could affect his production for a while, and his MVP chances.
6. Derrick Rose - CHI - 24.3 pts, 8.4 ast, 4.4 reb (9)
Rose made a big jump this week after averaging 27 points over 3 games, including 34 points and 8 assists in their close loss to the Clippers and his former coach, Vinny Del Negro. He appears to have fully recovered from his neck soreness, and may be looking to jump into the top 5 next week.
7. Kevin Durant - OKC - 27.5 pts, 6.6 reb, 3.0 ast (7)
Durant matched his average this week with 27.5 points per game over 4 games, but the Thunder managed to lose twice during the week, both in games they should have won. The Thunder are definitely going to make the playoffs, but they don't seem to have made the jump to title contender that many expected.
8. Russell Westbrook - OKC - 22.8 pts, 8.3 ast, 5.0 reb (5)
Westbrook's production was off again this week, with averages of only 19.5 points and 6 assists over four games, which the Thunder split. It now seems that Durant has regained his form from last year, but the Thunder need Westbrook to match his early-season production to make them true contenders.
9. Amare Stoudemire - NYK - 26.4 pts, 9.3 reb, 2.1 blk (8)
Amare's streak of 30-point games may have ended, but his streak of 14 consecutive 20-point games is still intact. The Knicks loss to Cleveland this week was disastrous, but they bounced back well in an upset of the Oklahoma City Thunder, which may have saved Stoudemire's spot in the top 10.
10. Deron Williams - UTA - 22.4 pts, 9.6 ast, 4.0 reb (10)
Williams didn't have his best week, reaching his customary 20-10 just once this week, but the Jazz lost just once, and Williams is obviously their team leader. His line of 10 points and 5 assists in a huge loss to New Orleans hardly looks MVP-worthy, but looking at his season as a whole, he still merits recognition.
Not quite on the nice list: Carmelo Anthony
Rookie of the Year
1. Blake Griffin - LAC - 20.9 pts, 12.4 reb, 3.2 ast (1)
The debate with Griffin isn't really whether or not he'll win the Rookie of the Year award, but whether or not he should be in the All-Star Game. Griffin now has 17 consecutive double-doubles, the last 6 with at least 20 points, so I would say that right now he deserves one of the reserve spots for the West.
2. Landry Fields - NYK - 10.4 pts, 7.5 reb, 1.9 ast (3)
Fields is now the leader in the race for #2 rookie, due mostly to fellow rookie John Wall's lingering knee injury that has caused him to miss 12 games this year. The gap between Fields and Griffin is pretty wide and not likely to shrink, but the Knicks' rookie did pick up a double-double in his last game. Just 16 more in a row to catch Griffin.
3. DeMarcus Cousins - SAC - 11.4 pts, 7.4 reb, 1.4 ast (5)
When Cousins is playing, he puts up decent numbers. The problem is, he is still so immature that disciplinary problems keep causing him problems. He was sent back to the bench following his choking taunt against the Warriors, and ended up with only 2 points and 5 rebounds in the following game.
4. Eric Bledsoe - LAC - 7.7 pts, 4.6 ast, 3.3 reb (4)
Bledsoe only reached double figures in scoring once this week, which may be partially due to the fact that the Clippers actually had a chance to win every game this week. Alongside Griffin and Eric Gordon, the Clippers have a good young nucleus to build around for the future.
5. Wesley Johnson - MIN - 9.3 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.1 ast (NR)
Johnson enters the rookie rankings this week after scoring 14 points in 40 minutes against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Like most of the best rookies, he won't be playing in the postseason, but if he can become more consistent, the Timberwolves could be a very scary team in the future.
Sixth Man of the Year
1. Wilson Chandler - NYK - 17.3 pts, 6.2 reb, 1.8 ast (1)
This will most likely be Chandler's final week on top of these rankings, but not because of a lack of production. He has started the past 12 games for the Knicks and therefore will be ineligible to win the Sixth Man Award, which leaves the door open for some other very talented bench players, including two former award winners.
2. Jason Terry - DAL - 15.9 pts, 4.4 ast, 1.5 stl (2)
Terry looks more comfortable as a reserve than any other player in the league right now, and has now hit double figures in scoring in 11 straight games. While some won't vote for him because he hasn't scored as much as he did over the past 2 seasons, he will most likely move into the top reserve spot in my rankings next week, right where he belongs.
3. Antawn Jamison - CLE - 14.0 pts, 5.9 reb, 1.5 ast (5)
After spending most of his career as a starter, Jamison has been playing a reserve role for the Cavaliers this year, and he's starting to fit into that role well. He scored 23 points against the Hawks and 21 against the Knicks this week, which moved him ahead of a couple of other contenders on this list.
4. Daniel Gibson - CLE - 13.7 pts, 3.4 reb, 3.0 ast (3)
Gibson is having the most productive season of his career off the bench, which he highlighted this week with 29 points, including 7 of 8 3-pointers, on Monday against Utah. He does show some inconsistency, like his 4 points against Indiana, but he's still done a lot to help Cleveland out in the first season without LeBron.
5. Jamal Crawford - ATL - 14.8 pts, 3.5 ast, 1.8 reb (4)
Crawford has now missed 5 straight games with a back injury, but the Hawks still managed to win 3 of those 5. He may be dropping off the list soon, unless Wilson Chandler's departure helps him hold on.
Most Improved Player
1. Dorell Wright - GSW - 14.6 pts, 6.0 reb, 3.2 ast (1)
Wright shot 50% only once this week, when he scored 17 points in a win over the Sacramento Kings. He's definitely good enough to be a starter, but he needs to improve his shot selection if he wants to become a star player.
2. Kevin Love - MIN - 20.9 pts, 15.6 reb, 2.3 ast (3)
Love's 43 points and 17 rebounds against the Nuggets this week may have been the best game by anyone this year, with the possible exception of his 31 point, 31 rebound game against the Knicks earlier in the year. Love has become a superstar, and it will be a crime is he isn't starting in the All-Star Game.
3. D.J. Augustin - CHA - 12.6 pts, 6.0 ast, 3.3 reb (2)
Augustin had a very down week, scoring in double figures only once and never dishing out more than 4 assists. It will be interesting to see if a new coach can help him get back to where he was when the season began.
4. Daniel Gibson - CLE - 13.7 pts, 3.0 ast, 3.4 reb (NR)
With LeBron out of town, Gibson's playing time has increased dramatically, and he may be able to eventually earn a starting spot with the Cavs if he keeps making his shots. The Cavaliers could desperately use the production, so this is a golden opportunity for him.
5. Paul Millsap - UTA - 17.9 pts, 8.1 reb, 1.6 stl (4)
Millsap had his first double-double of the month against the Timberwolves, finishing the game with 23 points and 11 rebounds in the win. He's looking like a future All-Star at this point, but he's not quite there yet.
NBA Player of the Day
Jared Dudley - PHX - 33 pts, 12 reb, 3 stl, 11-16 FG, 7-10 3P, 4-6 FT
The Suns may have lost to Miami last night, but Dudley certainly wasn't the reason. He set a new career-high for scoring for the second consecutive game and is making a case for a starting job in Phoenix now that Richardson has left town.
Predictions - 24/25 Dec
Upset picks are in italics.
NBA
Bulls at Knicks - Bulls by 2
Celtics at Magic - Celtics by 2
Heat at Lakers - Heat by 1
Nuggets at Thunder - Thunder by 2
Blazers at Warriors - Blazers by 2
NFL
Cowboys at Cardinals - Cowboys by 8
College Football
Tulsa at (24) Hawaii - Hawaii by 17
College Basketball
(15) Baylor vs. Florida State - Baylor by 1
Washington State vs. Butler - Washington State by 2
The Christmas Day NBA games all look like they will be very close, as do the college basketball games taking place in Hawaii. Baylor may be looking at a second straight upset, and Washington State may finally make a name for itself. Oh, and my formula's bowl perfection is still intact. Merry Christmas!
Good info...Interesting!
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