'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwf/2gAIAQEAAAAAjQf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAECEAAAADf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/9oACAEDEAAAAE//xAAgEAACAQQBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwIABBEhBQYSFWGB/9oACAEBAAE/AOUVZeOTcITIsW0GUJEYgQJYl90ceqV0cbtULlRZFbgGRj3jQO6//8QAFxEAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECEf/aAAgBAgEBPwCG1On/xAAcEQABAwUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAIDBBITUbH/2gAIAQMBAT8AqYm5bRocX//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Around 33% of games have been played in NBA 2017-18 season, and it's time we should discuss potential awards, surprises, busts and have a general discussion for the season.
Many superstars moved to the Western Conference this past offseason and the East was written off. But that was so far from the case, as East has had the upper-hand in the interconference matchups
A total of 6 teams are above 65% winning (3 in the East, 3 in the West) and a few new ones are knocking on the door. The Milwaukee Bucks are 11-5 after the Bledsoe trade, the Indiana Pacers are rolling (which I still can not believe) and the Minnesota Timberwolves are playing every game like it is the playoffs.
It will be interesting to see how long they can handle the momentum. It has been a fun season till now and now without further ado, let's jump into the 1/3rd season awards-
Best Team - Houston Rockets
Although it is tough to go against the Golden State Warriors but when a team is having the best offensive season of all-time, you have to give them a nod. Before the season started, everyone was wondering how a team will manage with two extreme ball handlers. The other spectrum of the argument was that the team will be run by a Hall of Famer point guard for 48 minutes, and the latter part came true.
Houston with Chris Paul haven't lost a single game, and James Harden is still playing like an MVP frontrunner, in fact even better than his past years. In the postseason, we will still pick Golden State in a seven-game series, but as of now, it is safe to say that Houston Rockets is the best team.
A shoutout to Boston Celtics though. Without Gordon Hayward, they are playing an extremely high level of basketball, especially on the defensive end. Kyrie Irving has been phenomenal in the clutch, Brad Stevens is a basketball genius and Al Horford is one of the DPOY front runners as of now.
Will someone be finally able to stop the King in the East? I don't think so, but let's see. If we are talking about whom I am picking for the finals, I am still going for the Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers contest barring any major injuries.
One is the most talented team, the other has the GOAT(Greatest of all time).
MVP - LeBron James
How does a guy clogging 50000+ minutes in his career, playing in his 15th season at the age of 32 have the best season of his career?
No basketball gods can explain it, but it still is happening. Irving leaving James has shown how his clutch game have improved way significantly. The Best All-around player of all-time, is averaging 28.1 ppg on 57.8% shooting along with 9.1 apg and 8.3 rpg. His player efficiency rating (PER) of 31.7, which is good for 5th all-time in a single season.
It seems like Harden will again be unlucky in the MVP race. But I am not one of those who will take it for granted what the KING does day in day out. Some stats to even support this claim more-
If one goes with Harden, I will gladly accept his opinion. It is a two-man race between Harden and LeBron right now and I will go with the King.
Rookie of the Year - Ben Simmons
This was one of the easiest awards to hand out currently. Ben Simmons is playing like he is not a rookie, which he technically isn't. His basketball IQ is extremely high that allows him to dominate even without a jump shot. His ambidexterity also helps. Although he is a left-handed jump shooter, he finishes most of the time with the right hand around the basket. He is averaging (17.5, 8.9, 7.7) at a PER of 18.53 (third among rookies). That is flat out ridiculous. Also, he is an excellent defender which also helps his case.
A shout out to Donovan Mitchell though, who has upped his game to at least make this race interesting. If we talk about only December, then Donovan Mitchell is the Rookie of the Year as he has been averaging 27.2 points per game in December on 49.2% shooting and is being the main offensive firepower of the defensive juggernaut that is the Utah Jazz. Being a 13th pick, this was a pleasant surprise for all the NBA fans. Just a random fact: Kobe Bryant was also a 13th pick.
Jayson Tatum has also been playing on NBA level directly. He has been averaging 50% from the downtown, which is an-NBA best right now. Also, his 4th quarter shooting percentages are amazing. Third in the race currently.
(Still waiting for LaVar Ball to shut up)
Most Improved Player - Victor Oladipo
This was one of the toughest awards to give. Kristaps Pozingis is playing on an extremely high level, but I am not giving this award to a 3rd-year guy who is supposed to improve.
Why is it a trend that whenever someone gets out of Westbrook's shadow, they succeed? Last year, we all were thinking that the Oladipo trade for the Oklahoma City Thunder made was a fail. Oladipo not improving last year in Oklahoma in ppg and also averaging a career low in assists per game was thought to have hit his ceiling but that was so not the case.
One of the most assumed lopsided trades this offseason turned out exactly opposite. Oladipo has been carrying Indiana on his back completely as Myles Turner hasn't improved significantly as we thought (although he is having the league-best bpg right now) and is been great in the clutch this season. Last week Oladipo averaged (28.2, 7, 4.2) on 50+% shooting, 47.5% 3 point shooting, getting the Player of the Week award.
I have already mentioned Porzingis playing like a dark horse MVP candidate. I also would like to mention Aaron Gordon, who has gotten way better this offseason. He has worked over his three-point shooting, which is showing as he is hitting 40%+ on threes. Let's hope he continues to evolve even more.
DPOY - Al Horford
The Celtics are the best defensive team this season, and Al Horford is the biggest part of it. Kawhi Leonard and Rudy Gobert are obviously out of contention because of their respective injuries, and Draymond has been great but overall their defense hasn't. Although, once Draymond cranks it up a notch, he will become the most serious contender for this award.
As of now, the biggest contenders to Al Horford are Andre Drummond, Clint Capela, Joel Embiid and Paul George. Andre Drummond has the best defensive box plus/minus and the second-best defensive rating but his defense is not contributing to team's success as of late. And we have seen in the past that the players who lead elite team defenses have won the DPOY(Marc Gasol). So, if Celtics unable to get the first seed in East or Draymond gets madder, Horford is the front-runner.
Joel Embiid improves his team's defense by a big margin and is also a great team leader which also always riles up the crowds. Paul George hasn't been able to find his groove on the offensive end, but defensively he has been rolling, leading the league in steals per game.
A big shout out to Clint Capela, who is leading the league in defensive rating. Hidden under Houston's offensive prowess, his defensive contributions often get overshadowed. A serious dark horse candidate, if his team keeps on rolling like they are, he can definitely win out of nowhere.
Coach of the year - Brad Stevens
Easy.
Leading Boston Celtics to the best record in the East, the best defense in the league despite losing Gordon Hayward on the opening night, there is no doubt that he has been easily the best coach in the league. Everyone is riding the Irving coattails, how he has been leading the team, but I think that is the Brad Stevens genius that has been leading the Boston Celtics. That guy is a basketball genius.
As usual, a shout out to Gregg Popovich leading an old and broken San Antonio Spurs team to the third-best record in the West. I mean, are they ever gonna rebuild?
Sixth Man of the year - Lou Williams
Again easy.
With Blake Griffin out, Patrick Beverly out, the thirty-year-old rookie out, with an offensively limited 7ft guy, Lou had been leading the LA Clippers all by himself. He is averaging 20 ppg.
Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood, Will Barton, Tyreke Evans (but he has recently become a starter) and Eric Gordon are also some good choices for this award. Nothing more to write on this topic, as Lou has been running away with this award.
Most Underachieved and Overachieved team
Both can be mentioned by a single trade.
Oladipo and Sabonis for Paul George.
I mentioned Oladipo above how he has been carrying the team, but Domantas Sabonis has also been an amazing role player. He is constantly chipping in and has been a very important player for Indiana. No one, I repeat, no one thought that Indiana will be in the playoffs, let alone by winning 57% of the games. Everyone thought they will be fighting for the first pick against the Suns, Bulls and the Hawks, but man, they were so wrong.
On the other side of this trade, with the supposed winner of the trade, nothing is going correctly. On a given day, they look so great defeating Golden State Warriors then looking so abysmal the next three games, losing to the Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons and the Orlando Magic. I mean, come on.
They are playing amazing in the first quarter, but then they eventually start jacking up random isolated shots after just one pass in the possession (I don't even think that we can use this term here, ball movement). There are a total of 33 players who have attempted more than 15 shots per game, Westbrook is 33rd on the efficiency list among them, Carmelo is 32nd and Paul George is 30th. Amazing, isn't it? I still believe in them, and think they will definitely bounce back, but I personally think that first of all they have to shake things up a bit. Maybe change in the Coach's seat will do......
Guess the Lakers players!
