The NBA season is coming to a close which means it's time to discuss the regular season awards. The MVP Award is a two man race between Kevin Durant/LeBron James and will likely come down to the very last game so I will save that discussion for another time. This thread will discuss Rookie of the Year, 6th Man of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year, and Coach of the Year.
Rookie of the Year- Kyrie Irving. This is an easy one and became even easier once Ricky Rubio got hurt. Kyrie Irving put up big numbers and shot the ball at a high percentage from the field, 3 point range, and the free throw line. He has a bright future ahead of him.
6th Man of the Year- James Harden. Another easy one as Harden is basically a starter for the Thunder. He is averaging just under 17 ppg this season and is the Thunder's third best player. Durant and Westbrook get all the praise but Harden is damn good in his own right.
Defensive Player of the Year- Tony Allen. Most people will give this to Dwight Howard, LeBron James, or Tyson Chandler but Tony Allen gets the nod for me. He is one of just a few shut down defenders left in the league. Think Bruce Bowen with a little more offensive ability. Memphis has a ton of offensive talent but they wouldn't be as successful without Allen there to guard the opponents best wing player. One of the more underrated players in the NBA.
Most Improved Player of the Year- Greg Monroe. This is a little bit of a homer pick but Monroe definitely deserves it. He had a good rookie season last year but didn't really get going until the second half. He has been consistent all this year and, along with Rodney Stuckey, has been one of the main reasons the Pistons are once again a respectable opponent. His scoring, rebounding, and assist numbers have all improved greatly this season.
Coach of the Year- Greg Popovich. This was supposed to be the year that the Spurs finally fell from the top of the conference. There were some who didn't even think they would make the playoffs. Tim Duncan is a year older, Manu missed half the season, and George Hill was traded to Indiana. Despite all of that, the Spurs are currently sitting atop the Western Conference as I type this. Duncan has stayed consistent, Parker has had his best season in the last three years, and they have gotten great contributions from guys like Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.
Rookie of the Year- Kyrie Irving. This is an easy one and became even easier once Ricky Rubio got hurt. Kyrie Irving put up big numbers and shot the ball at a high percentage from the field, 3 point range, and the free throw line. He has a bright future ahead of him.
6th Man of the Year- James Harden. Another easy one as Harden is basically a starter for the Thunder. He is averaging just under 17 ppg this season and is the Thunder's third best player. Durant and Westbrook get all the praise but Harden is damn good in his own right.
Defensive Player of the Year- Tony Allen. Most people will give this to Dwight Howard, LeBron James, or Tyson Chandler but Tony Allen gets the nod for me. He is one of just a few shut down defenders left in the league. Think Bruce Bowen with a little more offensive ability. Memphis has a ton of offensive talent but they wouldn't be as successful without Allen there to guard the opponents best wing player. One of the more underrated players in the NBA.
Most Improved Player of the Year- Greg Monroe. This is a little bit of a homer pick but Monroe definitely deserves it. He had a good rookie season last year but didn't really get going until the second half. He has been consistent all this year and, along with Rodney Stuckey, has been one of the main reasons the Pistons are once again a respectable opponent. His scoring, rebounding, and assist numbers have all improved greatly this season.
Coach of the Year- Greg Popovich. This was supposed to be the year that the Spurs finally fell from the top of the conference. There were some who didn't even think they would make the playoffs. Tim Duncan is a year older, Manu missed half the season, and George Hill was traded to Indiana. Despite all of that, the Spurs are currently sitting atop the Western Conference as I type this. Duncan has stayed consistent, Parker has had his best season in the last three years, and they have gotten great contributions from guys like Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.
