Rookie of the Year
The contenders:
Brook Lopez, Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, Kevin Love, OJ Mayo.
The WINNER:
Derrick Rose. 16.8 ppg, 6.3 apg, 3.9 rpg
Not really a hard decision. Rose was the best rookie from the outset, matched by OJ Mayo (real name: Ovinton J'Anthony. Wonder why they call him OJ) early on. OJ's production dropped, and Rose has stayed pretty much level throughout the year. He's been the most consistent rookie and of all the contenders, his team is by far the best.
Oh and he's just plain fun to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj9Uvsb4XRA
Oh and he's just plain fun to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj9Uvsb4XRA
Most Improved Player
The contenders:
Danny Granger, Devin Harris, Nene Hilario, Paul Millsap, Rajon Rondo.
The WINNER:
Devin Harris. 21.3 ppg, 6.9 apg, 3.4 rpg
Very close race for me, with Harris and Granger at the top of the list, battling for the award. The reason I chose Harris was the fact that he was traded last season, and nobody expected anything from him. Certainly not that he'd burst into an All-Star. Granger showed signs of this level of play last year. Harris is completely surprising. Just some props for Rajon Rondo. He was an absolute beast early in the year and his play has kept the Celtics afloat with the injuries and additions.
6th Man of the Year
The contenders:
Jason Terry, JR Smith, Nate Robinson, Travis Outlaw, Trevor Ariza.
The WINNER:
Jason Terry. 33 mpg, 19.5 ppg, .461 FG%, 0.880 FT%
Jason Eugene Terry (aka JET) is the clear winner of this award this year. None of the other contenders' numbers are as good as his, and while his closest competition is Ariza, this award is usually based on stats, and Ariza doesn't have them.
Coach of the Year
The contenders:
Jerry Sloan - Jazz, Mike Brown - Cavaliers, Nate McMillan - Trailblazers, Rick Adelman - Rockets, Stan Van Gundy - Magic.
The WINNER:
Mike Brown. 66-15, 39-1 at home, 4th in Offensive Efficiency, 3rd in Defensive Efficiency
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the best team in the league this year. Dominating teams at home, playing top-notch defense & improved offense, and just beating the crap out of teams. Sure, Coach Brown does have King James at his disposal, but he's integrated Mo Williams, and has made his offense more than: stand around and watch Bron Bron go to work.
Defensive Player of the Year
The contenders:
Courtney Lee, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo.
The WINNER:
Dwight Howard. 13.9 rpg, 2.9 bpg, 1.0 spg, Magic rank 1st in Defensive Efficiency
Dwight completely owned this award this season. His numbers are beastly and he's the reason for the Magic's surprisingly good defense. Oh, and he's protecting the paint with the ferocity of a rottweiler protecting his bone. He's more than just stats (but just LOOK AT HIS STATS), as he alters pretty much every shot in the lane while he's in the game.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=901VmJ3nueM
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=901VmJ3nueM
Most Valuable Player
The contenders:
Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James.
The WINNER:
LeBron James. 28.4 ppg, .489 FG%, 7.6 rpg, 7.3 apg, 1.2 bpg, 1.7 spg, 66 wins
This is pretty tough. How do you decide? Do you give it to the best player in the league (Kobe Bryant)? Do you give it to the most physically dominant player in the NBA who carries his team every game (Dwight Howard)? Do you give it to the player who has single-handedly lifted his team to a new level or kept it alive (Dwyane Wade & Chris Paul)? Well King James is a reasonable answer to all three categories. He's been the best player on the best team. If he doesn't win this award, it's a travesty. Kobe will probably walk away with the ring, but LeBron James is your 2009 NBA MVP.
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