Ira Winderman - A Rocket Hater?

Link:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/sfl-ira17apr17,0,4117583.column

WINDERMAN: NBA Sunday column
The winners are ...
Published April 17, 2005

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

The award is selected by media, with the ballot requiring the listing of five names in order.

This ballot: 1. Shaquille O'Neal, Heat; 2. Steve Nash, Suns; 3. Tim Duncan, Spurs; 4. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks; 5. Allen Iverson, 76ers.

Reasoning: While a case certainly can be made for Nash, the bottom line is that the point guard left the Mavericks and Dallas still was pretty good this season. By contrast, O'Neal left the Lakers and now the lottery awaits.

While O'Neal hardly produced career stats, if one went solely by numbers, Iverson would rate closer to the top, as would Nowitzki. So so much for that argument.

Also worth considering: Ray Allen, Sonics; Kevin Garnett, Timberwolves; LeBron James, Cavaliers; Amare Stoudemire, Suns; Dwyane Wade, Heat.

2004 winner: Kevin Garnett, Timberwolves.

COACH OF THE YEAR

The award is selected by media, with the ballot requiring the listing of three names in order.

This ballot: 1. Rick Carlisle, Pacers; 2. George Karl, Nuggets; 3. Mike D'Antoni, Suns.

Reasoning: Ron Artest brawled his way to a November conclusion of his season. Suspension and injury took Jermaine O'Neal away for half the schedule. Then there was the time the league mandated Stephen Jackson sit and the foot problems that sidelined Jamaal Tinsley. Through it all, the Pacers go into the final games contending for home-court advantage in the playoffs. Remarkable.

While Karl was around about as much as some of those aforementioned Pacers, he emerged as Coach of the Half Year and a fitting runner-up to Carlisle. In any other year, D'Antoni could have run away with the honor.

Also worth considering: Mike Fratello, Grizzlies; Eddie Jordan, Wizards; Nate McMillan, Sonics; Scott Skiles, Bulls; Stan Van Gundy, Heat.

2004 winner: Hubie Brown, Grizzlies.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER AWARD

The award is selected by media, with the ballot requiring the listing of three names in order.

This ballot: 1. Marcus Camby, Nuggets; 2. Kevin Garnett, Timberwolves; 3. Bruce Bowen, Spurs.

Reasoning: There is a reason George Karl was able to get his team's defense to come around. The reason was Camby. And the reason the Nuggets endured was because Camby endured beyond the usual injury setbacks.

Garnett's rebounding numbers keep him at the top of this field, with the perimeter nod that last season went to Artest this season given to Bowen.

Also worth considering: Tyson Chandler, Bulls; Larry Hughes, Wizards; Andrei Kirilenko, Jazz; Shawn Marion, Suns; Tayshaun Prince, Pistons; Ben Wallace, Pistons.

2004 winner: Ron Artest, Pacers.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

The award is selected by media, with the ballot requiring the listing of three names in order.

This ballot: 1. Ben Gordon, Bulls; 2. Emeka Okafor, Bobcats; 3. Dwight Howard, Magic.

Reasoning: Gordon made a difference on a team that made a difference. No, he did not have to toil with an expansion team like Okafor, but the guard helped prevent Chicago from looking like one again.

Okafor certainly had the numbers, but he also had a former UConn teammate, in Gordon, who made more noise. And yes, we agree with the thinking that years from now Howard could mature into the prize of this class.

Also worth considering: Andre Iguodala, 76ers; Josh Smith, Hawks; Beno Udrih, Spurs.

2004 winner: LeBron James, Cavaliers.

SIXTH MAN AWARD

The award is selected by media, with the ballot requiring the listing of three names in order.

This ballot: 1. Ben Gordon, Bulls; 2. Vladimir Radmanovic, Sonics; 3. Ricky Davis, Celtics.

Reasoning: No player has produced more double-figure scoring totals in the fourth quarter than the Bulls rookie. He changes the complexion of a game when he enters, which is the definition of the award.

Although injured at the end of the season, Radmanovic provided a spark for a team that relied on its bench to emerge as a contender. Davis has always been a dynamic scorer, but he essentially has played starters' minutes in producing his bench points.

Also worth considering: Earl Boykins, Nuggets; Antonio Daniels, Sonics; Donyell Marshall, Raptors; Antonio McDyess, Pistons; Jerry Stackhouse, Mavericks; Wally Szczerbiak, Timberwolves.

2004 winner: Antawn Jamison, Mavericks.

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

The award is selected by general managers, with the ballot requiring the listing of a single name (since we're not a GM, we'll list our top three).

This ballot: 1. Pat Riley, Miami; 2. Bryan Colangelo, Suns; 3. John Paxson, Bulls.

Reasoning: Riley traded for Shaquille O'Neal without giving up his best player, Dwyane Wade. Enough said.

Had Shaq not been dealt by the Lakers, then Colangelo would have been hailed for the heists of Nash and Quentin Richardson, as well as the canny additions of Jim Jackson and Walter McCarty. Only such thefts shut out Paxson from cashing in on the drafting of Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and Chris Duhon, as well as the signing of Andres Nocioni, and the perseverance to retain his other young players.

Also worth considering: R.C. Buford, Spurs; Carroll Dawson, Rockets; Ernie Grunfeld, Wizards.

2004 winner: Jerry West, Memphis.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

The award is selected by media, with the ballot requiring the listing of three names in order.

This ballot: 1. Bobby Simmons, Clippers; 2. Dwyane Wade, Heat; 3. Tayshaun Prince, Pistons.

Reasoning: While it could be argued that Wade, or even LeBron James, made the most difficult of strides, from star to superstar, this award generally has gone to players who emerged from obscurity.

In that respect, Simmons makes more sense in the lineage of previous winners Pervis Ellison, Ike Austin, Alan Henderson and Darrell Armstrong.

The irony is that this originally was the Comeback Player award, in which case we might have made an argument for Reggie Miller.

Also worth considering: Chris Bosh, Raptors; Primoz Brezec, Bobcats; Dan Dickau, Hornets; LeBron James, Cavaliers; Joel Pryzbilla, Trail Blazers; Amare Stoudemire, Suns.

2004 winner: Zach Randolph, Blazers.

ALL-NBA TEAMS

This award is selected by media, with the ballot requiring three, position-specific teams.

First team: G Steve Nash, Suns; G Allen Iverson, 76ers; F Tim Duncan, Spurs; F Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks; C Shaquille O'Neal, Heat.

Second team: G Dwyane Wade, Heat; G Kobe Bryant, Lakers; F Kevin Garnett, Timberwolves; F Ben Wallace, Pistons; C Amare Stoudemire, Suns.

Third team: G Gilbert Arenas, Wizards; G Ray Allen, Sonics; F LeBron James, Cavaliers; F Shawn Marion, Suns; C Marcus Camby, Nuggets.

Also worth considering: F Vince Carter, Nets; F Rashard Lewis, Sonics; F Tracy McGrady, Rockets; G Paul Pierce, Celtics; C Yao Ming, Rockets.

ALL-ROOKIE TEAMS

The award is selected by coaches, with the ballot requiring two, non-position-specific teams.

First team: G Ben Gordon, Bulls; F Emeka Okafor, Bobcats; F Dwight Howard, Magic; F Andre Iguodala, 76ers; G Josh Smith, Hawks.

Second Team: G Beno Udrih, Spurs; G J.R. Smith, Hornets; F Luol Deng, Bulls; F Al Jefferson, Celtics; C Nenad Krstic, Nets.

Also worth considering: G Tony Allen, Celtics; F Matt Bonner, Raptors; G Josh Childress, Hawks; G Chris Duhon, Bulls; G Jameer Nelson, Magic; F Andres Nocioni, Bulls; F Anderson Varejao, Cavaliers.

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAMS

The award is selected by coaches, with the ballot requiring two, position-specific teams.

First team: G Bruce Bowen, Spurs; G Larry Hughes, Wizards; F Shawn Marion, Suns; F Ben Wallace, Pistons; C Marcus Camby, Nuggets.

Second team: G Kobe Bryant, Lakers; G Dwyane Wade, Heat; F Kevin Garnett, Timberwolves; F Tayshaun Prince, Pistons; C Tim Duncan, Spurs.

Ira Winderman sucks, Both Yao and T-Mac can't even make the 3rd All-Nba team. Carroll Dawson should be Top 3 candidate of Executive of the Year, T-Mac and JVG are not even mentioned in MVP and Coach of the Year Awards!

 

Exactly, can't find a worse selection by anybody else. He is obviously a homer!