Monday, April 16, 2012

Sports Junkie Online's '11-'12 NBA Awards

Most Valuable Player - LeBron James, Miami Heat
With Derrick Rose missing an extended amount of time due to a nagging ankle injury, it was really a two-man race between James and Oklahoma City F Kevin Durant. I went with James due to the fact his shot selection has been much better this season (career-high 52.8% field goals), is a better passer (+2.8 assists per game) and better defender out of the two. Durant's time will come, but not this season.

Rookie of the Year - Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
Were it not for the injury to the T'Wolves Ricky Rubio, this decision would have been much more difficult. Irving has been the focal point of the Cavaliers' offense from the get-go, and while he's endured some growing pains, his numbers are among the best by a rookie point guard in the past ten seasons (18.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 46.8% FG, 41.4% 3PT).

Sixth Man of the Year - James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder
The best bench scorer in the league on the team with the league's best record seemed like a winning combination. Harden has been simply amazing this season for the Thunder, improving in nearly every statistical category. A no-brainer pick if there ever was one.

Defensive Player of the Year - Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City Thunder
Chris Paul and Dwight Howard both got serious consideration for DPOY, but I had to go with Ibaka. Ibaka reminds me a lot of Theo Ratliff, and is averaging a ridiculous 3.6 blocks per game in just 27.1 minutes per game (1.3 more blocks than his nearest competitor). Dwight Howard and Tyson Chandler were also in the running.

Coach of the Year - Frank Vogel, Indiana Pacers
Scotty Brooks and Tom Thibodeau were both in the discussion, but the job Vogel has done turning this team around has been terrific. They currently have the third-best record in the East (38-22), and do it by playing a selfless, team-oriented style of basketball. Memphis' Lionel Hollins was also in the mix.

Most Improved Player - Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks
Whether Lin truly improved, or was simply never given a real opportunity with Golden State last season, we'll never know. The fact is that for a stretch this season, Lin was the life jacket for the Knicks season. While he struggles to take care of the ball at times, Lin has shown a penchant for hitting the big shot, and had an eleven game stretch where he averaged 23.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 2.4 steals in which the Knicks went 9-2.

All-NBA First Team
G Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
G Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
F LeBron James, Miami Heat
F Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves
C Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

All-NBA Second Team
G Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
G Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
F Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
F Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
C Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles Lakers

All NBA Third Team
G Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics
G Deron Williams, New Jersey Nets
F Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
F Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks
C DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings

Thoughts: Team performance does factor in some on my All-NBA teams. For the first team, Paul has taken the Clippers from a fringe playoff team to a legitimate Western Conference contender. Kobe gets the nod over Dwyane Wade, though that could potentially change next season. LeBron got in over Durant for the same reasons I made him my league MVP. Kevin Love is the NBA's #1 rebounder and #4 scorer, while Dwight Howard gets the nod over Andrew Bynum, though it was a fairly tough decision.
Westbrook has at times been the best player for the Thunder, and though he's not a "pure" point guard, his physical tools make him a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. Wade is clearly a top-two shooting guard in the league, and could have easily made my first team. Durant was #2 in my MVP voting, but is behind LeBron at SF. Blake Griffin is a highlight reel waiting to happen, and a double-double machine. Bynum has a better all-around game than Dwight Howard, and the gap between them isn't as wide as some might believe.
Rondo is the driving force behind the Celtics' second-half surge up the Eastern Conference standings, and is the league leader in assists. I put Deron Williams on the third team over Derrick Rose due to the amount of time Rose has missed due to injury, as well as the team's surprisingly steady play without him. Since Mike Woodson took over for the Knicks, Carmelo has returned to form as a top-tier NBA scorer. Josh Smith has gone fairly unrecognized his whole career, and is one of the most underrated players in the league. Since the All-Star break, DeMarcus Cousins has been one of the most dominant big men in the league, though he still needs to improve on his field goal percentage.

NBA All-Defense First Team
G Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
G Tony Allen, Memphis Grizzlies
F Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers
F Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City Thunder
C Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

NBA All-Defense Second Team
G Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies
G Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
F Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks
F Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics
C Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks

Thoughts: Paul is a tenacious on-ball defender, and leads the league in steals. Tony Allen is perhaps the best perimeter defender in the league, though goes largely unrecognized playing for the Grizzlies. Iguodala uses his long arms and athleticism well on defense, and is right up there with Tony Allen. Ibaka is a no-brainer, as he has impeccable timing as a weak-side shot-blocker. Howard's combination of size, strength and athleticism make him impossible to bully in the post, and quick enough to switch on other forwards defensively.
Conley is second in the league in steals, and plays terrific pressure defense. Bryant is still one of the better on-ball defenders in the league, and rarely guesses incorrectly when playing the passing lanes. Smith is a stat-stuffer, averaging 1.4 steals and 1.8 blocks per game for the Hawks. Garnett may seem like a reputation pick, but plays some of the best positional defense of any big man in the league. Chandler (like Garnett) is a true student of the game, and has almost single-handedly made the Knicks a very good defensive team (though Mike Woodson replacing Mike D'Antoni definitely helps).

NBA All-Rookie First Team
G Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves
G Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
F Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
F Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets
C Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers

NBA All-Rookie Second Team
G Isaiah Thomas, Sacramento Kings
G Kemba Walker, Charlotte Bobcats
F Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
F Derrick Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves
C Bismack Biyombo, Charlotte Bobcats

Thoughts: Despite Rubio's missed time, he joins my rookie of the year on the first team. I gave Leonard the nod due to the fact he was able to become a solid rotation player for Gregg Popovich, who isn't known to play rookies significant minutes. Faried has been dynamite as a high-energy player for the Nuggets, and cracked the starting rotation at midseason. Thompson has had some struggles with shot selection (as well as playing out of position at center), but edges out Biyombo for first-team honors.
Both Isaiah Thomas and Klay Thompson make the second team based on a strong finish to the season. Walker has been steady for the Bobcats, but needs to work on his shot selection if he's to be a point guard for the 'Cats. Williams gets the edge over Houston's Chandler Parsons due to his ability to, at times, take over games. Biyombo is already one of the better shot-blockers in the league, but is still learning the game.

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