Since All-Star Weekend has come and gone, and it is now halfway through the season, I thought it appropriate to list my predictions for Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and of course, Most Valuable Player of the Year. I should warn you however that most of my votes may not be those of majority public opinion but since this is my blog I am going to tell things from my perspective, still welcoming any rebuttals of course.
ROY: Tyreke Evans. Anyone who has watched him play for even a few minutes out of a game should be able to recognize that he is a beast. He was an amazing player in high school, averaging something like 32 points per game by his senior year, and although he struggled a bit in college, he still came out strong, being placed as the starting point guard in his school's 11th game of the season. He was the 4th overall pick in the 2009 Draft, chosen by the Sacramento Kings, and since then has been not only putting up impressive numbers such averaging 20 points per game, but was named NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played from the beginning of the season through November, as well as the 2010 Rookie/Sophomore Game MVP at 2010 NBA All-Star Weekend. To me however, though all of these stats and awards back up my vote, it is watching him play that makes me give it to him in the first place. He brings more energy to the table than many veterans in the league and it is clear to see he loves what he is doing. It is true that most of the rookies this season impress me, but to me, no one deserves this honor more than Tyreke.
MIPOY: Derrick Rose. Now before you start rolling your eyes and blaming this choice solely on the fact that I'm from Chicago and love the Bulls, think back to the beginning of this season, when Derrick was too afraid to even try driving the ball to the hoop, in fear of his ankle getting reinjured. I don't think anyone can disagree with the fact that he has come a long way since then and has been one of the top, if not the only, reason that the Bulls are currently in the sixth seed. He went from averaging around 16 points per game in his rookie season, to 20 points a game now, but beyond that has become a lot more aggressive and a lot more selfish, things which in this case are positive, showing improvement. And who can forget that he made the All-Star team? Derrick has room to grow, and I have no doubts that he will, but for now, at least in my opinion, he deserves some recognition for the handful of changes he has already made.
SMOY: J.R. Smith. Ok, this one was difficult. Very difficult. And I'm not even sure if I fully agree with the name I just typed out. There are so many amazing guys who come off the bench for so many teams, so picking just one is near impossible. However, for the sake of this blog post, I'm going to have to make a decision, and my decision is J.R. I know his behavior has a lot of people shaking their heads, saying he is too full of himself, and that he doesn't seem to give other players the respect they deserve, but talking strictly about skill, he has it. I mean, they don't call him J.R. Swish for nothing, right? He is currently averaging 15 points per game, and though at times takes some questionable shots, hits threes like none other when he gets fired up. The Nugs are one of the deepest teams in the league and players like J.R. are the reason why. He treats his minutes on the floor like any starter, giving it his all. Big head and temper problem or not, I like the guy.
COY: Vinny Del Negro. KIDDING. Though in his defense he has picked up some of the slack from last year and earlier this season, when his poor coaching abilities left many praying he got fired. Moving on to my real pick though...this too, like sixth man, is a hard choice. It seems as though many coaches this season have changed up their strategies and improved, but if I had to pick one, I would have to go with...oh hell, I don't know. On the one hand George Karl has taken his Nuggets from good players, to great players, with more than a chance at winning the ring this year, but on the other hand, a coach like Rick Carlisle deserves to be paid attention to as well, having to not only deal with injuries but with being part of a major trade, a trade that in my opinion did the Mavs well. And then there is also Stan Van Gundy, a personal favorite, who did not let his team's Playoff loss to the Lakers bring him down, but instead brought in a new batch of players, players who are currently putting the Magic in the second seed for the East. So who really knows who deserves Coach of the Year? This one is could go in a handful of different directions but I think one of the three I just mentioned would probably end up getting my vote.
DPOY: I think I'm going to have to go with the popular vote on this one and say Dwight Howard. Do I think hes slightly overrated? Yes. Do I think he could improve? Yes. But I still believe defensively, if only due to his size, he kills it. When Dwight is on the floor, no one gets by him, and he is currently averaging 13 rebounds per game, something that at least strikes me as pretty damn good.
MVP: Carmelo Anthony, hands down. Now I know most people want this award to go to either Kobe or Lebron, and I get it. They are both the best in the game, are continuing to get better with time, and belong to two of the top teams in the league, but hear me out. Carmelo is a shot maker, averaging close to 29 points a game. He is a playmaker, instructing his teammates where to go and when. And he is a presence. A presence that any basketball lover, Nugget fan or not, cannot deny. After getting knocked out of the Playoffs earlier than desired, Carmelo used the summer as a clean state, working on his game and developing new technique. And it shows. In the first two games of this season, he totaled 71 points, proving to everyone he is not messing around. Despite his injuries this season, Carmelo has not given up on both improving as a player, and helping to improve his team, and I truly believe this year is his. I would love the Nuggets to go all the way this year, and believe they can, but the team aside, Carmelo has achieved many goals of his own, and for that, in my eyes, he is MVP.
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