Ahh… what an NBA season it’s been so far. We’ve had some great games and some great individual performances. Halfway through the year, conversation about the NBA awards start popping up. Who are the favorites through the first half of this season?
Coach of the Year, Jeff Hornacek: This one was tough, but Hornacek deserves it. The Phoenix Suns were predicted by many to be tanking this year, but what are they doing? Being 25-17 and having the 7th seed in a stacked Western Conference. Phoenix is one of the better stories in the league this year. They had an impressive victory on Wednesday night against Indiana. With Hornacek leading the way and keeping this young team motivated, he should win this award.
Defensive Player of the Year, Roy Hibbert: Hibbert doesn’t put up crazy numbers, but his defense is something else. His shot-blocking ability is unreal and he is great at altering shots. I’m sure most players get a little nervous going to the rim when they’re playing against Pacers and see Hibbert on the floor. He’s a big part of why the Pacers are leading the East right now.
Most Improved Player, Lance Stephenson: Man, this guy just keeps getting better, and I love Stephenson’s game. He can knock down the mid-range shot or get you with his killer crossover and attack the rim. On the defensive side, he’s also picking up right where he left off last season. He can lock down some of the better two guards in the league, and that’s pretty impressive. Don’t be surprised if we see Stephenson playing in the NBA All-Star game; he deserves it.
Rookie of the Year, Michael Carter-Williams: The future is bright in Philly with Carter-Williams. Most people felt that he should’ve waited another year to go to the NBA so he could work on his game. Of course as a rookie you are going to have some off nights, but he’s been playing well most of the season. He is greatly exceeding expectations that saw him slip a little on draft day. Keep working, Michael; The sky is the limit with your talent.
Sixth Man of the Year, Nick Young: My boy Swaggy P. The only good thing coming out of the Lakers this year. Averaging about 18 points off the bench, he’s having one of his better seasons. The Lakers may have found a keeper in Young. Yeah, he throws up some crazy shots sometimes, but he’ll also knock some of those crazy shots down. Also, props to Young for being selected by Kobe Bryant and Nike to debut the Kobe 9; a great honor.
MVP, Kevin Durant, (for now): Kevin Durant has been on an absolute scoring tear. Putting up 40+ the past 10 games, he’s pretty much been unstoppable. This may be the year he finally knocks off King James for MVP, but don’t rule out Lebron just yet. He will definitely show everyone why he deserves it for a third year straight. And with KD and LeBron facing off next week, we’ll see who wants it more.
So with that being said, these are the favorites for the NBA awards in my opinion. These are my bets heading into the second half, but there is a lot of basketball to play before we crown the true winners. Until then, let’s just enjoy the second half of the season.
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Main Photo Credit: Andrew Bernstein,
