2015-2016 NBA League Awards

[PhoSita]

It's that time of year again ....


MVP - Stephen Curry, Warriors 

Comment: No debate here.

DPOY - Kawhi Leonard, Spurs

Comment: Draymond has an argument here, but the Spurs have been historic on defense.

MIP - C.J. McCollum, Trailblazers

Comment: Kemba, Lowry, Drummond, and even Curry have an argument here.  McCollum hasn't just gotten more minutes and more shots, though.  He's actually been more efficient, and raised his assist rate.  He went from a minor role player to a borderline star scorer.

6MOY - Enes Kanter, Thunder

Comment: Evan Turner comes in a close second for me here.  But nearly 14 points and over 8 rebounds per game in around 20 minutes a game is stupendous, even if his defense is still bad.

ROY - Karl Anthony Towns, Timberwolves

Comment: One of the best rookie seasons in recent memory.  No doubts here.

COTY - Greg Popovich, Spurs

Comment: He's the best in the game, he integrated a major new piece with no problem, and actually revamped the way his already-great team succeeds -- again!  In many ways what Pop has done this year is more impressive than the Warriors.

EOTY - Neil Olshey, Trailblazers

Comment: In the wake of LMA leaving, most assumed the Blazers would tank.  Many questioned his off-season strategy of letting all of the old mainstays of the team go apart from Damian Lillard.  Now the Blazers are in the playoffs again and Olshey has the last laugh.


All-NBA

1st team:  Curry, Westbrook, Kawhi, Lebron, Durant

2nd team: Paul, Lowry, Harden, George, Davis

3rd team: IT, Lillard, Draymond, LaMarcus, Deandre


Close calls: Derozan, Butler, Millsap, Kemba, Drummond


All-NBA Defense

1st: Paul, Bradley, Kawhi, Draymond, Deandre

2nd: Curry, Crowder, George, Millsap, Gobert


Comment: It's hard to pick the wing players aside from Kawhi, so I rewarded guys I've watched the most.

All-Rookie

Towns, Jokic, Porzingis, Okafor, Booker


Comment: I'm only doing one rookie team.  Somebody pointed out to me that there's no position requirement for rookies, so this is what I'm going with.   Top 5.


Who ya got?

[celticsclay]

It's that time of year again ....


MVP - Stephen Curry, Warriors 

Comment: No debate here.

DPOY - Kawhi Leonard, Spurs

Comment: Draymond has an argument here, but the Spurs have been historic on defense.

MIP - C.J. McCollum, Trailblazers

Comment: Kemba, Lowry, Drummond, and even Curry have an argument here.  McCollum hasn't just gotten more minutes and more shots, though.  He's actually been more efficient, and raised his assist rate.  He went from a minor role player to a borderline star scorer.

6MOY - Enes Kanter, Thunder

Comment: Evan Turner comes in a close second for me here.  But nearly 14 points and over 8 rebounds per game in around 20 minutes a game is stupendous, even if his defense is still bad.

ROY - Karl Anthony Towns, Timberwolves

Comment: One of the best rookie seasons in recent memory.  No doubts here.

COTY - Greg Popovich, Spurs

Comment: He's the best in the game, he integrated a major new piece with no problem, and actually revamped the way his already-great team succeeds -- again!  In many ways what Pop has done this year is more impressive than the Warriors.

EOTY - Neil Olshey, Trailblazers

Comment: In the wake of LMA leaving, most assumed the Blazers would tank.  Many questioned his off-season strategy of letting all of the old mainstays of the team go apart from Damian Lillard.  Now the Blazers are in the playoffs again and Olshey has the last laugh.


All-NBA

1st team:  Curry, Westbrook, Kawhi, Lebron, Durant

2nd team: Paul, Lowry, Harden, George, Davis

3rd team: IT, Lillard, Draymond, LaMarcus, Deandre


Close calls: Derozan, Butler, Millsap, Kemba, Drummond


Who ya got?

This all seems fair, but am surprised you would have IT on the 3rd team, but not have listed as MIP candidate. I have heard several national outlets float his name for that so he definitely deserves consideration. Also am very curious on the all-defensive teams. We have two players that are probably at least under consideration in Bradley and Smart (although Smart may not have played enough minutes).

[Kane3387]

Not sure why Anthony Davis should be on an all NBA team and cousins shouldn't

[Denis998]

Rather spot on, but makes me think if DA will get the executive of the year eventually. Also IT deserves some consideration for MIP, he did go from being a full time bench player (not even the 6th man of year), to being an All star, to raising conversation about an all NBA selection.

[PhoSita]

IT had a great year, but if you look at it, not so different from what he did when he had a full time gig with the Kings, his team is just actually good this time.

Not to take away from what IT has done.  He's been fantastic.  Better than I expected he could be, especially as the lead guy playing full starter minutes.  I can't say enough about what he's done this year.  He's the star I didn't think the Celts had.

All of that said, the leap McCollum made this year is really impressive, too, and it is a big part of why his team is in the playoffs when everybody expected them to be a bottom feeder.  Plenty of guys get a chance to take shots on bad teams, not many of them actually improve their efficiency and help their team win games when they step up to the plate.

[celticsclay]

Not sure why Anthony Davis should be on an all NBA team and cousins shouldn't

I guess I just skimmed over Davis' name. I think he will be 3rd team at best and it is 50-50 he doesn't. I am pretty sure he has like 25 million dollars riding on whether he makes one of the teams.

[footey]

Great list. TP!!

[PhoSita]

Not sure why Anthony Davis should be on an all NBA team and cousins shouldn't

This is a fair point.

I guess when it comes down to it, I think Anthony Davis is amazing, and I don't blame him for his team being so bad because he had a lot of non-NBA guys around him, and they were pounded mercilessly by injuries from day one.

Whereas the Kings have been an ongoing joke, a trainwreck, especially on defense.  I blame Cousins for a lot of that because that team follows his lead emotionally and he takes a lot of possessions off.  His teammates are too good for him to get a pass on that.

Ultimately, I only have room for one huge stats bad team guy, and I choose Davis.

[jpotter33]

It's that time of year again ....


MVP - Stephen Curry, Warriors 

Comment: No debate here.

DPOY - Kawhi Leonard, Spurs

Comment: Draymond has an argument here, but the Spurs have been historic on defense.

MIP - C.J. McCollum, Trailblazers

Comment: Kemba, Lowry, Drummond, and even Curry have an argument here.  McCollum hasn't just gotten more minutes and more shots, though.  He's actually been more efficient, and raised his assist rate.  He went from a minor role player to a borderline star scorer.

6MOY - Enes Kanter, Thunder

Comment: Evan Turner comes in a close second for me here.  But nearly 14 points and over 8 rebounds per game in around 20 minutes a game is stupendous, even if his defense is still bad.

ROY - Karl Anthony Towns, Timberwolves

Comment: One of the best rookie seasons in recent memory.  No doubts here.

COTY - Greg Popovich, Spurs

Comment: He's the best in the game, he integrated a major new piece with no problem, and actually revamped the way his already-great team succeeds -- again!  In many ways what Pop has done this year is more impressive than the Warriors.

EOTY - Neil Olshey, Trailblazers

Comment: In the wake of LMA leaving, most assumed the Blazers would tank.  Many questioned his off-season strategy of letting all of the old mainstays of the team go apart from Damian Lillard.  Now the Blazers are in the playoffs again and Olshey has the last laugh.


All-NBA

1st team:  Curry, Westbrook, Kawhi, Lebron, Durant

2nd team: Paul, Lowry, Harden, George, Davis

3rd team: IT, Lillard, Draymond, LaMarcus, Deandre


Close calls: Derozan, Butler, Millsap, Kemba, Drummond


Who ya got?

I agree with your reasoning above with everything but Coach of the Year, though I'd add that Crowder is a candidate for MIP.

But I think it's criminal that you left Brad off of the COTY talk, especially since many people are already labeling him as the frontrunner. I think you're ignoring the history of the award being one that awards coaches of teams that overachieve given their talent level, and I'm not sure there's ever been such an overachievement as this year's Celtics. They truly are a team where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and the level of difference between that whole and the sum of its parts value and skill-wise is pretty major. If you look at our roster, there's no way that this team should be winning 50 games, but we have a legitimate shot of doing just that. Right now, if we get home court advantage, then I think it's Brad's spot to lose. I think it's a fairly uncontroversial statement to say that Brad has the most effect on his team's chances of winning. I'd also put Clifford and Casey in the mix, as well.

I also see Bradley on the first team All-Defense and one of Smart or Crowder on the second team All-Defense. I think Smart deserves the second team nod more, but the fact that he's a bench player rather than a starter might make Jae's case better.

[PhoSita]

But I think it's criminal that you left Brad off of the COTY talk, especially since many people are already labeling him as the frontrunner. I think you're ignoring the history of the award being one that awards coaches of teams that overachieve given their talent level, and I'm not sure there's ever been such an overachievement as this year's Celtics. They truly are a team where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and the level of difference between that whole and the sum of its parts value and skill-wise is pretty major. If you look at our roster, there's no way that this team should be winning 50 games, but we have a legitimate shot of doing just that. Right now, if we get home court advantage, then I think it's Brad's spot to lose. I'd also put Clifford and Casey in the mix, as well.

I didn't give a list of my "also-rans" on COTY.

Pop is #1 for me.  He gets it every year on my meaningless personal ballot, but this year I think he especially deserves it.  I don't much care what the history of the award is.

Brad's on the shortlist of the next names.  Brad Stevens, Dwayne Casey, Steve Clifford, Dave Joerger, Terry Stotts.


I don't entirely agree with you on the overachiever thing.  The Celts HAVE overachieved.  I didn't expect them to be this good.  I thought 45 wins was their ceiling with this roster.

That said, you'd have to say the Blazers have far exceeded expectations.  The Raptors have been even better than expected. 

I have NO IDEA how the Grizzlies are in the playoffs with all of their injuries.  They have every excuse to be a 30 win team and yet they're still in the mix. 

The Hornets are a quality playoff team even though their best three players are probably Kemba Walker, Nic Batum, and Marvin Williams.  Big Al has fallen off big time this year and MKG missed basically the whole season.

So yeah, plenty of other coaches in the mix.  But Pop takes it.

[jpotter33]

But I think it's criminal that you left Brad off of the COTY talk, especially since many people are already labeling him as the frontrunner. I think you're ignoring the history of the award being one that awards coaches of teams that overachieve given their talent level, and I'm not sure there's ever been such an overachievement as this year's Celtics. They truly are a team where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and the level of difference between that whole and the sum of its parts value and skill-wise is pretty major. If you look at our roster, there's no way that this team should be winning 50 games, but we have a legitimate shot of doing just that. Right now, if we get home court advantage, then I think it's Brad's spot to lose. I'd also put Clifford and Casey in the mix, as well.

I didn't give a list of my "also-rans" on COTY.

Pop is #1 for me.  He gets it every year on my meaningless personal ballot, but this year I think he especially deserves it.  I don't much care what the history of the award is.

Brad's on the shortlist of the next names.  Brad Stevens, Dwayne Casey, Steve Clifford, Dave Joerger, Terry Stotts.


I don't entirely agree with you on the overachiever thing.  The Celts HAVE overachieved.  I didn't expect them to be this good.  I thought 45 wins was their ceiling with this roster.

That said, you'd have to say the Blazers have far exceeded expectations.  The Raptors have been even better than expected. 

I have NO IDEA how the Grizzlies are in the playoffs with all of their injuries.  They have every excuse to be a 30 win team and yet they're still in the mix. 

The Hornets are a quality playoff team even though their best three players are probably Kemba Walker, Nic Batum, and Marvin Williams.  Big Al has fallen off big time this year and MKG missed basically the whole season.

So yeah, plenty of other coaches in the mix.  But Pop takes it.

The question is this: from watching all of those teams, does any of them affect their team's success as much Brad?

I'm a fairly avid NBA fan who watches a lot of other teams' games, and I can honestly say that I don't even think it's close. Brad's system has just been perfectly manipulated to play down our players' weaknesses while squeezing out every bit of value from each player in their respective role.

I forgot to add Stotts to the mix, because he's done a good job. However, a lot of that is from having ridiculous offensive talent in the backcourt. Lillard was a major snub from the All-Star game and will almost certainly be on an All-NBA team (where IT is pretty questionable), and McCollum will win MIP. I think those things have just as much to do with their success this year as Stotts.

EDIT: And I think you overstate what Pop did with integrating Aldridge into the lineup. Sure, he did a nice job of integrating them, but his role was clear when he signed - him and Kawhi are to be the future of the franchise. Thus, their older big 3 weren't necessarily a problem of getting them to accept the roles, because they're on their way out. So it's not like we're talking about a Doc-like effort here of integrating three future Hall of Famers onto one team.

[PhoSita]

I forgot to add Stotts to the mix, because he's done a good job. However, a lot of that is from having ridiculous offensive talent in the backcourt. Lillard was a major snub from the All-Star game and will almost certainly be on an All-NBA team (where IT is pretty questionable), and McCollum will win MIP. I think those things have just as much to do with their success this year as Stotts.

I agree.


Look, Brad would probably be my vote for #2 for COTY.  I just think Pop is the best AND his team has somehow integrated a major piece AND totally changed up their overall strategy AND won 65+ games despite all that.  It's an all-time coaching job.

[Vox_Populi]

I mostly agree except for Curry on All-Defense. He's good in their scheme and plays hard, but Lowry and Paul have been better, in my opinion. Other than that, I personally don't have a problem. Now, I do see a few that I predict the media will definitely pick differently though.

Also, I think you can only have two guards per All-NBA team. Maybe I'm wrong though.

[PhoSita]

I mostly agree except for Curry on All-Defense. He's good in their scheme and plays hard, but Lowry and Paul have been better, in my opinion. Other than that, I personally don't have a problem. Now, I do see a few that I predict the media will definitely pick differently though.

Also, I think you can only have two guards per All-NBA team. Maybe I'm wrong though.

I rewarded Curry for being on one of the best defensive teams.  Lowry's team is only 11th in Defensive Efficiency.  It was a tough choice, though.

As for positions ... yeah I played fast and loose with the All-NBA positions because I wanted to prioritize players I thought were actually the best.

Harden plays a lot of SF though so I think that's justified.

[PhoSita]

Anybody have some opposing arguments on Sixth Man?  I thought that was one hard to choose.

Anybody want to passionately argue in favor of a different DPOY candidate?  Maybe a third name that ought to be mentioned in the conversation at least?

I'm interested to see what other people have for All-NBA and All-Defense.