With the end of this season fast approaching, talk in the NBA has centered around who should win the various individual awards given out at season's end. I wish I had a vote, but since I don't, this blog post will have to do.
Most Valuable Player
Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets. In previous posts, I've allowed Celtic Pride to overcome my objectivity. But after watching Chris Paul play over the past few weeks, it's hard to argue against the League's best point guard. No one among the four consensus MVP candidates (which include Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Lebron James) does more with much less. James' team is crappy, but he hasn't elevated their play the way Paul has elevated his team's, hence Cleveland's lousy record (fourth in the East will not cut it).
Garnett has elevated the performances of the Boston Celtics, but how much better can these players be? Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are All-Stars on their own, and it's giving KG too much credit to say that it was he alone who convinced them to buy into the team concept. Allen and Pierce, as much as KG, deserve praise for contributing to the culture of winning that the Celtics now have.
If not for Paul's great season, Bryant would be my MVP. But man for man, he has a better team. The Lakers are ten men deep, and he has a great coach to boot. The Hornets' bench is laughable, even after acquiring Bonzi Wells and Mike James for Bobby Jackson.
The amazing thing about Paul is that he does his thing on both ends of the floor, orchestrating an efficient offense and giving the opposing point guard headaches on the defensive end. He leads the L in both assists and steals, while scoring just over 20 points a game, for a team that now sits atop the tough Western Conference. With him leading the Hornets, New Orleans has convincingly beat San Antonio (by 25!), Phoenix (ate Steve Nash alive), Dallas (made Jason Kidd look old), and LA (two times out of three). New Orleans, for God's sake.
Absolutely no one thought the New Orleans Hornets would be as good as they are now. They've exceeded all expectations, and they've done so because of this year's MVP, Chris Paul.
Best Defensive Player
Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics. He probably won't win the award because his stats don't reflect the amazing defense he's played over the course of the year. He just changes the way teams play. I remember the Celtics' first game, they played the Washington Wizards, and when Gilbert Arenas drove in for a layup, KG just blocked the hell out of that ball. That was a portent of things to come. Boston has the NBA's best defense, and it's anchored on the broad shoulders of Kevin Garnett.
Rookie of the Year
Kevin Durant, Seattle Supersonics. Good as advertised, the lanky Durant has shown that he's an unstoppable scorer when he's in the groove. He should run away with this award.
Most Improved Player
Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics. When the Boston Celtics got KG and Ray Allen, people thought that the point guard position was the starting five's weakest. But sophomore PG Rajon Rondo has played like he belongs on the court with the Big Three, holding his own against the best point guards of the L, like Steve Nash and Chris Paul. His shooting has improved immensely since last year, as teams sagging off him have painfully learned. His playmaking and decision-making is one of the reasons the Celtics are playing so well; he knows when to push the ball and when to slow it down. His defense has also been incredible, as he's used his speed to cover his man and pick off passes left and right. Few players have seen their play improve at such a degree this season, which is why Rondo should win this award.
First Team, All-NBA
Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Kevin Garnett, Amare Stoudemire. This one was easy.
All-Defensive Team
Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Shane Battier, Kevin Garnett, Marcus Camby. Bruce Bowen should probably be in here, but Shane Battier is, to me, the better all-around defender right now.
Most Valuable Player
Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets. In previous posts, I've allowed Celtic Pride to overcome my objectivity. But after watching Chris Paul play over the past few weeks, it's hard to argue against the League's best point guard. No one among the four consensus MVP candidates (which include Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Lebron James) does more with much less. James' team is crappy, but he hasn't elevated their play the way Paul has elevated his team's, hence Cleveland's lousy record (fourth in the East will not cut it).
Garnett has elevated the performances of the Boston Celtics, but how much better can these players be? Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are All-Stars on their own, and it's giving KG too much credit to say that it was he alone who convinced them to buy into the team concept. Allen and Pierce, as much as KG, deserve praise for contributing to the culture of winning that the Celtics now have.
If not for Paul's great season, Bryant would be my MVP. But man for man, he has a better team. The Lakers are ten men deep, and he has a great coach to boot. The Hornets' bench is laughable, even after acquiring Bonzi Wells and Mike James for Bobby Jackson.
The amazing thing about Paul is that he does his thing on both ends of the floor, orchestrating an efficient offense and giving the opposing point guard headaches on the defensive end. He leads the L in both assists and steals, while scoring just over 20 points a game, for a team that now sits atop the tough Western Conference. With him leading the Hornets, New Orleans has convincingly beat San Antonio (by 25!), Phoenix (ate Steve Nash alive), Dallas (made Jason Kidd look old), and LA (two times out of three). New Orleans, for God's sake.
Absolutely no one thought the New Orleans Hornets would be as good as they are now. They've exceeded all expectations, and they've done so because of this year's MVP, Chris Paul.
Best Defensive Player
Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics. He probably won't win the award because his stats don't reflect the amazing defense he's played over the course of the year. He just changes the way teams play. I remember the Celtics' first game, they played the Washington Wizards, and when Gilbert Arenas drove in for a layup, KG just blocked the hell out of that ball. That was a portent of things to come. Boston has the NBA's best defense, and it's anchored on the broad shoulders of Kevin Garnett.
Rookie of the Year
Kevin Durant, Seattle Supersonics. Good as advertised, the lanky Durant has shown that he's an unstoppable scorer when he's in the groove. He should run away with this award.
Most Improved Player
Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics. When the Boston Celtics got KG and Ray Allen, people thought that the point guard position was the starting five's weakest. But sophomore PG Rajon Rondo has played like he belongs on the court with the Big Three, holding his own against the best point guards of the L, like Steve Nash and Chris Paul. His shooting has improved immensely since last year, as teams sagging off him have painfully learned. His playmaking and decision-making is one of the reasons the Celtics are playing so well; he knows when to push the ball and when to slow it down. His defense has also been incredible, as he's used his speed to cover his man and pick off passes left and right. Few players have seen their play improve at such a degree this season, which is why Rondo should win this award.
First Team, All-NBA
Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Kevin Garnett, Amare Stoudemire. This one was easy.
All-Defensive Team
Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Shane Battier, Kevin Garnett, Marcus Camby. Bruce Bowen should probably be in here, but Shane Battier is, to me, the better all-around defender right now.
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