NBA Awards

[wardjdim]

In My Opinion:

Most Improved Player: Hedo Turkoglu (Orlando)
Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Camby (Denver)
Coach of the Year: Byron Scott (New Orleans)

Rookie Teams:

2nd team:
G- Stuckey (Detroit)
G- Conley (Memphis)
C- Noah (Chicago)
F- Landry (Houston)
F- Moon (Toronto)

1st team:
G- Durant (Seattle)
G- Navarro (Memphis)
C- Horford (Atlanta)
F- Scola (Houston)
F- Thornton (L.A. Clippers)

Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant (Seattle)


All-Star Teams

3rd team:
G- Ginobili (San Antonio)
G- Nash (Phoenix)
C- Duncan (San Antonio)
F- Gasol (L.A. Lakers)
F- Anthony (Denver)

2nd team:
G- McGrady (Houston)
G- Williams (Utah)
C- Stoudemire (Phoenix)
F- Boozer (Utah)
F- Nowitzki (Dallas)

1st team:
G- Bryant (L.A. Lakers)
G- Paul (New Orleans)
C- Howard (Orlando)
F- Garnett (Boston)
F- James (Cleveland)

MVP: Chris Paul (New Orleans)

[mvblair]

This is always a fun thing to decide. My answers will probably change by next hour, but here is what I think:

1st Rookie Team (same as War)
G- Durant (Seattle)
G- Navarro (Memphis)
C- Horford (Atlanta)
F- Scola (Houston)
F- Thornton (LA)

ROY: Durant (only by statistics, Scola for everything else)

3rd team:
G- McGrady (Houston)
G- Nash (Phoenix)
C- Duncan (San Antonio)
F- Jamison (Washington)
F- Boozer (Utah)

2nd team:
G- Ginobili (San Antonio)
G- Bryant (LA)
C- Stoudemire (Phoenix)
F- Gasol (LA)
F- Garnett (Boston)

1st team:
G- Williams (Utah)
G- Paul (New Orleans)
C- Yao (Houston)
F- Nowitzki (Dallas)
F- James (Cleveland)

MVP: ...LeBron James (Cleveland) or Chris Paul (New Orleans)
Coach of the Year: Maurice Cheeks (Philadelphia) - He's done a great job moving this team along
Sixth Man: Ginobili (San Antonio) - There is no other competition for 6th man
Most Improved: Andrew Bynum (LA) - Turkoglu is the obvious choice, but he was great in Sacramento and SA before, so I don't think he's really improved
Defensive: Bruce Bowen (San Antonio) - I guess...

[Test]

nice and accurate predictions. lets hope durant will not receive any award for his 2-17 fieldgoals.

[mvblair]

nice and accurate predictions. lets hope durant will not receive any award for his 2-17 fieldgoals.

I think Durant has a good attitude, but I agree with you. The way he plays the game is based on the past 12 years of players just chucking up their shots. Honestly, I'd be happy with Horford, Scola, or Navarro, who I think are the other top rookies that will stay in the league.

[Richey666]

Navarro to Rookie 1st team???
Come on, he aint even getting it done in one of the weakest NBA clubs. 1-2 great games doesnt get him into the team. I would take Rodney Stuckey any day over him.

[ArnoldPettybone]

1-2 great games doesnt get him into the team. I would take Rodney Stuckey any day over him.

LOL...The pure definition of "1-2 great games" is stuckey's last performances..
Navarro has been consistent all season long after he got a break, and also after that trade.
In any other season he wouldn't have got near the rookie all-team, but this year the rookie class sucked big time. Luis Scola, with all the appreciation and respect, should not even dream about whispering in the back's of kevin durant for rookie of the year. But he did, up until a few weeks ago.

[mvblair]

I might change my Most Improved Player Award from Andrew Bynum to Beno Udrih. ...that's a tough call for me.

Navarro to Rookie 1st team???
Come on, he aint even getting it done in one of the weakest NBA clubs. 1-2 great games doesnt get him into the team. I would take Rodney Stuckey any day over him.

Really? Navarro is a great shooter. His average statistics (not very important, I admit) are far better than Stuckey's. Now that Detroit is resting all of their starters and giving Stuckey extra time and freedom, he's put up great numbers, but a 27-point game against Minnesota doesn't mean he's better than Navarro for the year. I'll take Navarro.

In any other season he wouldn't have got near the rookie all-team, but this year the rookie class sucked big time. Luis Scola, with all the appreciation and respect, should not even dream about whispering in the back's of kevin durant for rookie of the year. But he did, up until a few weeks ago.

What!? Arnold, that's more outrageous than what Richey said!! He was putting up 20-point games back in November, plays great defense, and he barely touches the ball. He's a smart cookie, man! No, he's not a superstar, but I think he's on a big-time team and making serious contributions. Put him in Minnesota and he'll be an All-Star.

[ArnoldPettybone]

I don't know if your being sarcastic or not, but I meant every word.
Scola IS a great and is a shoe-in for 1st All-rookie team. But in any other season (or just a season with a healthy Oden) he wouldn't be considered for ROTY, not for one minute.
Just shows the lousiness of the current rookie class- look at Durant. Probably the worst ROTY to be since Mike Miller, to correlate with my point here.

[mvblair]

I don't know if your being sarcastic or not, but I meant every word.

No, I'm not being sarcastic either.

Scola IS a great and is a shoe-in for 1st All-rookie team. But in any other season (or just a season with a healthy Oden) he wouldn't be considered for ROTY, not for one minute.
Just shows the lousiness of the current rookie class- look at Durant. Probably the worst ROTY to be since Mike Miller, to correlate with my point here.

You might be right. I agree that this current rookie class is bad, especially if you look just at the draft picks from 2007. They're not very good. I agree that Durant is probably the best, but he's going to be a marginal star at best. I even doubt whether Oden is going to be that good.

Another thought: Scola was drafted several years ago and he's been playing professionally for many years, so I don't think he should even be eligible for Rookie of the Year. That's just my personal opinion, though.

But we're going to have to agree to disagree about Scola, Arnold. I know you like him, but I guess I just like him a lot more.

[ArnoldPettybone]

Disagree about what? I think he was the best inside player in Europe in the last years. I think hes gonna win the All-Rookie 1st team honors this year. I think that in the next years his gonna post close to DD numbers averages, in a 50+W team, in the next couple of years.
Whats here not to like?

[mvblair]

Disagree about what? I think he was the best inside player in Europe in the last years. I think hes gonna win the All-Rookie 1st team honors this year. I think that in the next years his gonna post close to DD numbers averages, in a 50+W team, in the next couple of years.
Whats here not to like?

Fine. I agree to disagree about not agreeing if we disagree.

[Test]

Fine. I agree to disagree about not agreeing if we disagree.

haha LOL

btw thanks for this signature

[mvblair]

Kenny Smith gave his awards:

NBA Awards -- by Kenny Smith, Yahoo! Sports, April 17, 2008

...Executive of the Year

In recent seasons the league’s GMs have been hesitant about making blockbuster trades, worrying that the gamble was too great, that the risks outweighed the eventual payoff. Not this season.

Shaquille O’Neal went to Phoenix. Jason Kidd went to Dallas. Danny Ainge brought Ray Allen then Kevin Garnett to Boston. Atlanta traded for Mike Bibby.

None of those trades, however, will have the long-term impact that bringing Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers will have. The Lakers should now be a perennial power far longer than the others, even Boston. The cost of landing Gasol? Marginal: a couple of first-round picks, Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton and the rights to Marc Gasol.

Winner: Mitch Kupchak, L.A. Lakers.

Coach of the Year

So many coaches have done extraordinary jobs improving their respective teams, which makes this choice very tough.

Doc Rivers guided the Boston Celtics to the biggest turnaround in NBA history. Rick Adelman helped lead the Houston Rockets on a 22-game win streak, the second-longest in NBA history. Nate McMillan has the Portland Trail Blazers in position to finish with no worse than a break-even record, despite the team’s numerous injuries. Eddie Jordan in Washington and Reggie Theus in Sacramento have had surprise seasons.

But no one has had as unexpected a run as the New Orleans Hornets. They finished second in the toughest Western Conference race ever, even leading it for a good part of the way. Many people thought they would challenge for a playoff berth. No one thought they’d develop into legitimate championship contenders.

Winner: Byron Scott, New Orleans.

Most Improved

Last year’s winner, Monta Ellis of Golden State, has had another breakout season. Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge also is a deserving candidate. Beno Udrih couldn’t get minutes in San Antonio then signed with Sacramento and promptly made Mike Bibby expendable.

But this season’s winner resides in Florida. Dwight Howard did his Superman act at All-Star weekend and Rashard Lewis made headlines last summer for his $118 million contract, but Hedo Turkoglu has become the Orlando Magic’s most consistent performer.

Winner: Turkoglu, Orlando.

Sixth Man

This is the easiest award to hand out. Manu Ginobili is possibly the San Antonio Spurs’ most dynamic player, perhaps even more so than Tim Duncan. So it isn’t really fair he comes off the bench. You could even say the Spurs have six starters.

But, like it or not, Ginobili does come off the bench, and no one’s been better.

Winner: Ginobili, San Antonio.

Defensive Player of the Year

Over the last few of seasons, Ben Wallace, Marcus Camby and Ron Artest have distinguished themselves by winning this award. Bruce Bowen, even though he’s never received the honor, has made a name for himself as one of the game’s best perimeter defenders.

Prior to this season, however, no one considered the Boston Celtics a strong defensive club. Even when the Celtics traded for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, everyone thought their explosive offense would carry them through the season.

That hasn’t been the case. The Celtics win with defense. That’s their identity, and that’s due to Kevin Garnett, who has defended every position, from point guard to center.

Winner: Garnett, Boston.

Rookie of the Year

In my book, this is a two-man race: Seattle’s Kevin Durant and Atlanta’s Al Horford.

Horford’s numbers are impressive and he helped the Hawks break their long playoff drought. Durant? Well, he’s proven he can score.

Be that as it may, Durant has had to carry a team while Horford has had to fit in. Opposing defenses are designed to stop Durant. With Atlanta, they’re geared toward slowing Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Bibby.

Winner: Durant, Seattle.

MVP

The granddaddy of all awards has the tightest race. LeBron James has been off the charts this year. His statistical line almost mirrors one of the all-time greats, Oscar Robertson. Why not give it to him?

Garnet has given the Boston Celtics an identity. He’s led them to the NBA’s best record and the best season-to-season turnaround in league history. He, too, is deserving.

Paul has guided the Hornets to second place in the Western Conference when most people thought they would be a No. 7 seed at best. He has basically done for New Orleans what Steve Nash did for Phoenix. So why not hand the award to him?

Then there is Kobe Bryant, who has made good on his promise to turn the Lakers into an elite franchise again. His individual achievements have been stellar, but his ability to make his teammates better has been his greatest attribute.

Garnett was the best player in the season’s first half, Paul the second half. James has been the most dynamic player.

Bryant, in my opinion, has been the league’s second-best player in both halves of the season and the second-most dynamic behind James. That’s why I’m naming him MVP. His overall consistency was remarkable and he helped the Lakers win the fiercest conference race ever.

Winner: Bryant, L.A. Lakers.

[rikhardur]

My picks would be:

Coach of the year - Rick Adelman
MIP - Hedo Türkoğlu
6th Man - Manu Ginóbili (hands down)
Defensive Player of the Year - Marcus Camby
Rookie of the Year - Kevin Durrant ()
MVP - Chris Paul

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Ginobili Wins 2007-08 Sixth Man of the Year Award