The outcomes for the NBA awards can be trickling in quickly, so it is time for a spotlight reel of my picks, in addition to my playoff predictions.
It is at all times an honor to be among the many media members chosen to vote for the awards, although my eyes have glazed over watching video games and analyzing stats, and I’ve undoubtedly misplaced sleep pondering some very powerful selections.
However alas, the poll has been stuffed out. The playoffs are starting. And here is how I feel every little thing ought to go down.
This 12 months, the perfect participant on the perfect crew deserves the award. Gilgeous-Alexander led the youngest crew within the NBA to a 68-win season, averaging a league-leading 32.7 factors a recreation on a particularly environment friendly 51.9 p.c capturing. He had essentially the most 20, 30, 40 and 50-point video games of anybody within the league. To not point out, he had the bottom turnover share of anybody along with his utilization charge or increased for the final 20 seasons.
However what actually pushed him over the sting for this award was his phenomenal two-way play. He was one of many high defenders on the top-rated defensive crew within the league. He not solely led the NBA in win shares, but additionally in defensive wins shares, rating top-five in steals.
Whereas his competitors for the award, Nikola Jokic, additionally put up astounding numbers on the offensive finish, Gilgeous-Alexander’s play on each ends of the courtroom gave him the benefit in a really shut two-horse race.
Defensive Participant of the 12 months: Draymond Green
When Victor Wembanyama’s season got here to an sudden finish due to a deep vein thrombosis in his proper shoulder in February, this award grew to become up for grabs. Inexperienced has distinguished himself from his opponents. The very best argument for Inexperienced to win Defensive Participant of the 12 months? Watch him play. He can guard one-through-five, he reads the courtroom higher than anybody and his genius lies in stopping performs earlier than they even occur, a phenomenon that does not present up in field scores. Take a look at what he did in opposition to Zion Williamson and Giannis Antetokounmpo this season, for reference.
After the All-Star break, the Warriors had been the top-rated defensive crew within the league. (They completed seventh total.) And although the stats solely inform a part of the story in relation to Inexperienced, he shined in superior metrics, coming in No. 1 within the league for defensive LEBRON,
Coach of the 12 months: Kenny Atkinson
Beneath Atkinson, the Cavaliers did not simply surpass their expectations, they shattered them. They went from being regarded as a crew that ought to make the playoffs, to turning into a crew that not solely clinched the highest seed within the Japanese Convention, however can also be thought of a shoo-in to succeed in the Japanese Convention Finals.
Atkinson rejiggered the Cavaliers’ offense, emphasizing ball motion and 3-point capturing, whereas additionally taking among the load off of All-Star Donovan Mitchell. The Cavaliers opened the season with a 15-0 report and have not misplaced a lot steam since, ending with the top-rated offense within the league, an enormous leap from their Sixteenth-place end final 12 months.
Rookie of the 12 months: Stephon Castle
Citadel averaged 14.7 factors on 42.8 p.c capturing, 4.1 assists and three.7 rebounds in 26.7 minutes over 81 video games this season. He led all eligible rookies in scoring and was named MVP of the Rising Stars recreation over All Star weekend, in addition to ending second within the slam dunk contest. Citadel is considered one of 4 rookies to have a number of 30-point video games this season. The sphere for this award wasn’t robust this season, and Citadel did simply sufficient to separate himself.
Finals: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Within the East, the reigning champion Celtics are going to advance, with the duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in the end getting the perfect of the Cavaliers. Regardless of the Cavs’ unimaginable season, they do not have sufficient expertise taking part in collectively in high-stakes video games to get previous a duo that has performed collectively for eight seasons, reaching the Convention Finals six instances and the championship spherical twice.
Within the West, the Lakers are going to make the Finals as a result of a sure 40-year-old named LeBron James is aware of that that is considered one of his remaining alternatives to win his fifth championship, and he now really believes he has an opportunity to make it occur alongside Luka Doncic. James is aware of methods to go all the best way, profitable 4 championships and making 10 Finals appearances, together with eight in a row from 2011-2018. Doncic, in the meantime, took the Dallas Mavericks to the Finals final 12 months, earlier than they shocked the world by dealing a 25-year-old in his prime to considered one of their rivals in February. James and Doncic take their video games to a different stage come playoff time, and, collectively, alongside Austin Reaves, will create nightmares for defenses.
Finals MVP: Luka Doncic
Publicly humiliate a generational famous person by buying and selling him from a franchise he needed to play for his total profession, name him out of form … and watch what occurs.
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA author for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand coated the league for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Instances, the Bay Space Information Group and the San Antonio Specific-Information. Observe her on Twitter @melissarohlin.
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