I thought it would be fun to take a look back at the various NBA awards from last season and see what I would have done differently. I've gone through all of the major awards, with the exception of Defensive Player of the Year (which is hard to determine statistically), and ranked the players I believe should have received recognition for their contributions, and I've included their actual rank in the final voting in parentheses.
Most Valuable Player
1. LeBron James - CLE - (1) - 29.7 pts, 7.3 reb, 8.6 ast
LeBron won this award by a mile, and with good reason. He set career highs in assists and field goal percentage, was 2nd in the league in scoring average, and led his Cleveland Cavaliers to the league's best record. He wins no matter how you define MVP: as the best player in the league, the best player on the best team, or as the player who contributed most to his team's success.
2. Kobe Bryant - LAL - (3) - 27.0 pts, 5.4 reb, 5.0 ast
Kobe had yet another very solid year, finishing 4th in the league in scoring and leading the Lakers to the best record in the West and another NBA title. He obviously has to be ranked behind LeBron, who bettered him in every statistical category, but it's undeniable that Bryant remains one of the NBA's best players.
3. Kevin Durant - OKC - (2) - 30.1 pts, 7.6 reb, 2.8 ast
At only 21 years of age and in his 3rd year in the NBA, Kevin Durant led the league in scoring and set new career highs in every category while leading the very young Oklahoma City Thunder to a playoff berth. The Thunder were able to take two games from the top-seeded Lakers before falling in the first round, 4-2.
4. Dirk Nowitzki - DAL - (7) - 25.0 pts, 7.7 reb, 2.7 ast
Dirk averaged at least 20 points per game for the tenth consecutive season and set a new career high in free throw percentage. The Mavericks won their division again, and Dirk was unquestionable their top player, but they once again fell short in the playoffs, losing to the Spurs in the first round.
5. Dwight Howard - ORL - (4) - 18.3 pts, 13.2 reb, 2.8 blk
Dwight Howard led the NBA in rebounding for the 3rd straight season and blocks for the 2nd straight year and helped Orlando finish with the second-best record in the league, just behind the Cavaliers. He also led the league in field goal percentage for the first time and won his second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award.
6. Pau Gasol - LAL - (NR) - 18.3 pts, 11.3 reb, 3.4 ast
Pau finished with nearly identical numbers to Dwight Howard, but didn't receive the same attention from the MVP voters, probably because he was overshadowed by his more famous teammate, Kobe Bryant. Anyone who doubts Pau's value to the Lakers just needs to look at the team's record before Pau arrived and afterward. They went from 42 wins one year to 57+ over Pau's first 3 years with the team.
7. Carmelo Anthony - DEN - (6) - 28.2 pts, 6.6 reb, 3.2 ast
Carmelo was the league's 3rd leading scorer, nearly setting a new career high, and helped the Nuggets tie for the division title with the rival Utah Jazz. Sadly, they lost to those same Jazz in the first round of the playoffs, ending Carmelo's great year on a sour note.
8. Amare Stoudemire - PHX - (10) - 23.1 pts, 8.9 reb, 1.0 ast
The Suns' leader in points and rebounds was a big reason that they were able to return to the playoffs after a one-year absence and eventually return to the Western Conference Finals for the 3rd time in his career in Phoenix. He is another case of a dominant big man who doesn't get the recognition he deserves because of a more famous backcourt teammate.
9. Carlos Boozer - UTA - (NR) - 19.5 pts, 11.2 reb, 3.2 ast
Boozer's healthy return from injury gave Utah the boost it needed to gain a tie for the division title and a first round win over the division-rival Denver Nuggets. He was also shut out of the NBA voting in favor of a Deron Williams, but it's hard to ignore his contribution to another great season for the Jazz.
10. Dwyane Wade - MIA - (5) - 26.6 pts, 4.8 reb, 6.5 ast
The defending scoring champion had a dropoff in every major statistical category, yet was still able to end up in fifth place in the MVP voting despite only helping his Heat to 4 more wins than the previous season and a first-round playoff exit. This is an example of voting for the name rather than the game.
Rookie of the Year
1. Tyreke Evans - SAC - (1) - 20.1 pts, 5.3 reb, 5.8 ast
The #4 pick played more like the #1 pick from the beginning of the season until the end, joining the very exclusive 20-5-5 club in just his first season. The Kings still finished with one of the worst records in the NBA, but luckily for Evans, the ROY vote does not usually hinge on the team's success.
2. Stephen Curry - GSW - (2) - 17.5 pts, 4.5 reb, 5.9 ast
Curry was another top 10 pick who was able to prove that he was worth the risk, shooting over 43% from 3-point range and 88% from the free throw line while starting nearly every game for the Warriors. His contribution still wasn't enough to help Golden State make the playoffs, but he gives them a solid player to build around.
3. Brandon Jennings - MIL - (3) - 15.5 pts, 3.4 reb, 5.7 ast
Jennings caught everyone's attention when he scored 55 points against Golden State in just the 7th game of his career, but his production slowly declined as the season progressed. He was able to accomplish something the two rookies ahead of him weren't however, as Milwaukee made the playoffs with Jennings as a full-time starter.
4. Darren Collison - NOH - (4) - 12.4 pts, 2.5 reb, 5.7 ast
Collison spent most of the season as Chris Paul's backup, but was given the opportunity to start while Paul was out with an injury and showed that he has the potential to be a very good NBA point guard. The 21st pick in the draft also made the All-Rookie First Team, and was the only member of that team who had played a full four years of college basketball.
5. Jonny Flynn - MIN - (5) - 13.5 pts, 2.4 reb, 4.4 ast
Flynn had a solid season as the starting point guard for the Timberwolves, but just like the top 2 ROY candidates, his team finished far from a playoff berth. He never reached 30 points, 10 rebounds, or 10 assists in a game during the season, but did show that he has a future in the league.
Sixth Man of the Year
1. Manu Ginobili - SAS - (4) - 16.5 pts, 3.8 reb, 4.9 ast
I think that some voters just got tired of voting for Manu every year, so they gave someone else the opportunity to win the award, but you can't deny that Manu coming off the bench gave the Spurs a spark and helped them reach the playoffs once again. This may be the last time he is eligible for this award, as he has become a full-time starter in 2010-11.
2. Carl Landry - HOU/SAC - (8) - 16.8 pts, 5.9 reb, 0.8 ast
Landry was a huge contributor off the bench for the Rockets before a trade to the Kings made him a starter for the remainder of the season, which is why he didn't receive the votes he deserved for this award. He only started 29 games over the course of the season, so he is still eligible for the award, and his production didn't increase that much when he became a starter, with increases of 0.7 pts and 0.4 rebounds from his Houston averages at the end of the season.
3. Jamal Crawford - ATL - (1) - 18.0 pts, 2.5 reb, 3.0 ast
Crawford may have scored more than the two players ranked ahead of his on this list, but his contribution to the Hawks basically ends there. He is not much of a rebounder or passer, and he is just an average shooter. He was able to make his first NBA playoff appearance this season, which may have contributed to the voters picking him over more worthy candidates.
4. Lamar Odom - LAL - (6) - 10.8 pts, 9.8 reb, 3.3 ast
Odom was overlooked for this award largely because his overall production took a big hit with his relegation to the bench. He had a career low in scoring, but was still a solid rebounder and gave the Lakers size off the bench in their quest for the championship.
5. Kevin Love - MIN - (11) - 14.0 pts, 11.0 reb, 2.3 ast
Love missed 22 games for Minnesota over the course of the season, but when he played he showed why he was the fifth pick in the draft, and he played himself into a starting role for the current season. His contributions still haven't made the Timberwolves winners, but he's a solid big man that they can build around for years to come.
Most Improved Player
1. Danilo Gallinari - NYK - (14) - 15.1 pts, 4.9 reb, 1.7 ast
Playing a full season with the Knicks helped Gallinari adapt to the NBA game, and he ended up among the league leaders in 3-pointers made. With some more experience he could continue to progress as a player and possible make an All-Star game at some point in his career.
2. Aaron Brooks - HOU - (1) - 19.6 pts, 2.6 reb, 5.3 ast
Brooks came out of nowhere to become the leader of the Rockets after both Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming were lost to injuries and did not return to the team. He led the league in 3-pointers made and played in every game for a team that desperately needed healthy leadership.
3. Channing Frye - PHX - (14) - 11.2 pts, 5.3 reb, 1.4 ast
Frye had made a total of 20 3-pointers in his NBA career before hitting 172 in his first season in Phoenix. His production cooled as the season progressed, but he easily had his best season overall and was a productive member of a team that made the Western Conference Finals.
4. George Hill - SAS - (4) - 12.4 pts, 2.6 reb, 2.9 ast
Hill went from benchwarmer to starter for the Spurs during the season, and the jump in his production showed the difference. He more than doubled his scoring average and increased his shooting percentage from 40% to 48% compared to his rookie year.
5. Monta Ellis - GSW - (26) - 25.5 pts, 4.0 reb, 5.3 ast
Ellis led the league in minutes per game as he saw big jumps in his scoring and assist averages. Not many people considered him for this award because he had previously won the award in 2007, but a mention on this list is definitely deserved.
Predictions - 16 Dec
Upset picks are in italics.
NBA
Wizards at Nets - Nets by 6
Hawks at Celtics - Celtics by 12
Spurs at Nuggets - Spurs by 1
NFL
49ers at Chargers - Chargers by 14
College Basketball
Oral Roberts at (12) Missouri - Missouri by 12
Austin Peay at (19) Memphis - Memphis by 15
Northern Arizona at Arizona - Arizona by 19
Prediction Results - 15 Dec
NBA: 11/11 (1.000) 146/194 overall (.753)
College Basketball: 4/5 (.800) 89/106 overall (.840)
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