I know it's a little late, but it would be cool to see who we all think should win the annual NBA awards at the (semi)midseason mark. So, I'll start. MVP: Shawn Marion Probably different than most others think but I just feel they wouldn't be anywhere as good (especially missing Amare & a whole new roster) without him. DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ben Wallace Almost put Camby but I think Big Ben has been more consistent mostly due to injuries by Camby. Marion was a consideration as well. SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Mike Miller Can't think of any other player with a bigger impact off the bench. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Chris Paul This one is obvious. MOST IMPROVED: Boris Diaw Went from obscure, bench-warmer in Atlanta to probably the most versatile player in the league. ALL NBA 1ST TEAM: PG: Billups SG: Kobe SF: Marion PF: Dirk C: Yao ALL NBA 2ND TEAM: PG: Nash SG: Wade SF: Lebron PF: Brand C: B. Wallace ALL NBA 3RD TEAM: PG: Iverson SG: Hamilton SF: Pierce PF: Duncan C: Shaq ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM PG: Billups SG: Kobe SF: Kirilenko PF: Marion C: B. Wallace
maybe I'm beating a dead horse, but if we are to give the mvp to a pheonix player, I failed to see how it is not nash.
Shawn Marion? Last year many fans claimed it's Amare and this year it's Marion? Is it coincidence that Nash is on their team? Nash makes average players look good and good players look great and great players look like the GOAT. I think Nash is lucky to join a team which has a system FULLY utilized his strengths and D'Antoni is lucky to have Nash to implment his system.
You think Duncan is not one of the 4 best forwards in the NBA? Really? Why is San Antonio challenging for the best record in the Western Conference, the coaching genious of Greg Pops?
MVP: Steve Nash Okay, i might simply be a biased Canadian - but if he won it last year, i don't see how he doesn't win it this year. The team has less talent and he is doing more...I'd also strongly consider Elton Brand, Kobe Bryant, and Allen Iverson. DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Andrei Kirilenko The obvious list of candidates would include: Ben Wallace, Marcus Camby, Elton Brand, and Shawn Marion. Also Gerald Wallace if he were healthier. But i'm gonna go with AK47. He's had a very strong performance this year. SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Mo Williams In my mind...it could go to either: Mo Williams, Mike Miller, or Jerry Stackhouse and i wouldn't mind too much. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Chris Paul obvious...though Villanueva and Frye have definately exceeded expectations, along with Garcia. MOST IMPROVED: Boris Diaw Definately Diaw...thanks to the system he's in more than his improvement. ALL NBA 1ST TEAM: PG: Nash SG: Kobe SF: Lebron PF: Brand C: Ben Wallace ALL NBA 2ND TEAM: PG: Iverson SG: Wade SF: McGrady PF: Duncan C: Yao ALL NBA 3RD TEAM: PG: Chris Paul SG: Paul Pierce SF: Vince Carter PF: Kevin Garnett C: Chris Bosh ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM PG: Iverson SG: Wade SF: Marion PF: Kirilenko C: B. Wallace
I agree with the first post's stuff for the most part (except switch Wallace and Yao, 1st for 2nd team). For the record, I think I'd pick Nash over Marion for MVP. However, for all those bashing his choice of Marion...yeah, Nash has made him better. But surely Nash hasn't helped him defensively. Compare what the 2 have done for the team on the defensive end, and it's no contest. Marion leads his team (and close to the league lead) in rebounds, blocks a lot of shots, defends the other teams 3 or 4, plays out of position half the time, gets steals.. on the other hand Nash, while improved, is still average at best against other points. The Suns have made enormous strides defensively this year, and without Marion, they'd be about dead last still in the L. To say Marion is completely undeserving is wrong...I think it could go to either Marion or Nash. (Nash's case can be made by most, so I won't state it here.)
The lack of respect is astounding. Nash is missing his best player from last year, and nobody expected the Suns to do much with Amare out. Some of you are touting Boris Diaw for most improved player - maybe we should just call this award "Newest Nash teammate"? His FG% jumped 8% from 42% to 50% this year. The player closest to Nash is Chauncey Billups. Nash has 2 more assists per game (and 1.5 more TOs per game, I'm being straight with y'all), 1 more rebound a game, and he is out-shooting him .492 to .416. At worst he should be 1st team All-NBA, and he should be a strong contender for MVP again. Obviously I'd have Yao Ming or Shaq as 1st Team NBA center, and Wallace (or maybe Chris Kaman?) 3rd team. Wallace doesn't deserve to be 1st team based on defense alone - Yao has almost as much impact as he does, and he draws a constant double-team on offense.
Look, I didn't expect people to completely agree with me about Marion as MVP. I just thought it was too easy to put Billups or Nash there and wanted to just throw another name out there. I really don't believe Marion will ever be ahead of Nash in the voting and I agree that Nash is the guy that drives that team. Personally, I think Billups will win it in the end. Kaleidosky made some good points for me but I will add, as they said in the broadcast last night, that Marion is the only player in the league in the top 10 in every statictical category.
Imagine how it would look to hand Marion the MVP trophy and then him go on to his disappearing acts in playoffs. Marion chokes in playoffs and would be an embarassment to MVP trophy. NBA does not need another David Robinson incident.
I think the role players are much more important as a whole than duncan. Yao means more to our team than Duncan does to the spurs. They have smart players, players who can hit shots, and players who can defend.
Right now for MVP, it's Nash in a runaway. If the Suns continue their high level of play, game over. They may have problems with team chemistry when Amare comes back. One the 1st team PG, it's Nash over Billups. On the all-defensive team, Bruce Bowen belongs ahead of either Kobe or Kirilenko.
ALL NBA 1ST TEAM: PG: Nash SG: Kobe SF: Lebron PF: Duncan C: Yao ALL NBA 2ND TEAM: PG: Billups SG: Wade SF: Marion PF: Brand C: Shaq ALL NBA 3RD TEAM: PG: Iverson SG: GArenas SF: PPierce PF: Kevin Garnett C: BWallace
MVP: Dirk Nowitski Won't win it, should win it, the end. DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ben Wallace I guess... SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Mike Miller I guess... ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Chris Paul This one is very obvious. MOST IMPROVED: David West Big part of the Hornet's success. ALL NBA 1ST TEAM: PG: Nash SG: Billups SF: Marion PF: Dirk C: Yao ALL NBA 2ND TEAM: PG: Wade SG: Kobe SF: Lebron PF: Duncan C: B. Wallace ALL NBA 3RD TEAM: PG: Iverson SG: Arenas SF: Pierce PF: Brand C: Shaq ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM PG: Billups SG: Kobe SF: Kirilenko PF: Marion C: B. Wallace
He's not having as good a season as he had in the past - if you're judging an award based on the 50 whatever games that have been played this season, it's not entirely illogical to argue that Brand and/or Dirk have had better seasons.
I agree but it could easily go to diaw as well. I have both on my fantasy league team and diaw is a triple double threat every night but I believe he is benefitting from the system and playing with Nash. West though just came out of nowhere so I'd give him the nod for most improved. He definitely has surprised me.
MVP: Chauncey Have-Some Billups DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Removed by the NBA Rules Committee in their continuing efforts to permit unchecked scoring SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: I'd like to give it to Gordon again, but he's started a bunch of games ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Chris Paul MOST IMPROVED: David West This shouldn't even be a question. ALL NBA 1ST TEAM: G: Billups G: Nash F: Brand F: Dirk C: Bosh ALL NBA 2ND TEAM: G: Iverson G: Kobe F: Lebron F: Marion C: Yao ALL NBA 3RD TEAM: G: Wade G: Hamilton F: Pierce F: Duncan C: Shaq ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM G: Billups G: Bowen F: Marion F: Prince C: B. Wallace
