We are officially at the half-way point of the season, and things are starting to heat up. Teams are starting to hit their stride, the players are getting into a groove, and the front-runners of the awards are starting to become clear. As you can see here, some of my picks haven’t exactly hit the mark, but today we’re here to fix that. I want to break each award down into two parts: who I think should win the award, and who I think is going to win the award. That might be confusing at first, but you’ll see what I mean. Let’s jump into it.
Coach of the Year
Doc Rivers
I fully heartedly believe that Doc should win this award. I know that when he took the job in Philly, it was going to be an uphill battle from a PR standpoint. The roster didn’t look much better than last year, but through his coaching, and the play of Joel Embiid (more on him later,) I think the award belongs to Doc. It would be the second time that he would win the award, the first since he was a coach with the Orlando Magic. The 76ers are 24-12 coming out of the All-Star break, and exceeding everyone’s expectations. They are the current #1 seed in the East, and they way that they’ve been playing, I don’t expect that to change any time soon.
Quin Snyder
I don’t want to harp on the Jazz too much, especially after LeBron James and Kevin Durant bashed them on TNT the other night, but I know that the media are going to vote for Snyder. I do think that there is an argument for him to win the award, I’m not saying that there isn’t, but when a team is going 27-9 into the All-Star break, it’s hard not to notice. The Jazz have played very well, but when it comes to voting, sometimes it’s just about the numbers, and 27-9 looks a whole lot better than 24-12, which is why I think Quin will end up with the award.
6th Man of the Year
Carmelo Anthony
I know that I’ve made it no secret that Carmelo is one of my favorite players ever, but I dare you to tell me he hasn’t played like the 6th Man of the Year this year. He’s fully embraced his role in the Trailblazer’s offense, and he’s thriving. On the year he’s averaging 13.9 points per game, going 41% from the field and 38.7% from downtown. The numbers aren’t as eye popping as the likes of Lou Williams and Jamal Crawford over the past few years, but when you watch the games you can tell that he makes an impact. Melo has played well this season, and for embracing the role that he’s been given, I think he deserves to win the award.
Jordan Clarkson
Much like the Coach of the Year, it’s not that I don’t think Clarkson doesn’t deserve the award, because he most certainly does. On the year he’s averaged 17.9 points per game, on 44/37/96 shooting splits, and that is nothing short of spectacular. My biggest thing for him is that he’s got so much time left in his career to win the award. He’s realistically got 7 more productive years in him if he keeps coming off the bench, and I think that he could be deserving of the next 6. For this year, I think we need to honor one of the great ones before they ride off into the sunset.
Most Improved Player
Jaylen Brown
This one I got 1000% right. Jaylen Brown is becoming a bona fide two-way monster in the league, and his first All-Star selection proves that. He’s averaging nearly 25 points per game on really efficient shooting splits. When you’re watching the games, it is clear that he’s made a huge leap in his play, and now in Boston there is a Batman and a Superman that takes the floor every night. Year after year, Jaylen Brown has gotten better and better, and this is the year to acknowledge him for it.
Julius Randle
Another first time All-Star, Randle has really come to play this year. 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game is no easy feat, and the fact that he’s led the Knicks to a winning record is going to be the reason that he wins the award. All credit to him, I think he makes a very valid case to win, and I wouldn’t be angry if he did.
Rookie of the Year
LaMelo Ball
Only one selection for this award. It’s going to be LaMelo, right? He’s too flashy, and too good of a player for it to be anyone else. If James Wiseman was healthy, I’m sure he could have something to say about that, but for this year, there is only one answer: LaMelo. He’s averaging almost 16/6/6 on the year, and he’s starting to hit his stride while being a starter. He’s going to be in the league for a long time, and this is just his first accomplishment.
Defensive Player of the Year
Myles Turner
Let’s get this out of the way: his rebounding numbers for a 7-footer aren’t something to get too excited about. 6.5 rebounds per game sound more like some elite guard in the league, but what he lacks in rebounding, he more than makes up for it blocks, averaging 3.1 per game. Not only that, he seems to be the only guy in the league who could explode for 8 blocks on any given night. Watching Pacer games, you can tell that he’s the anchor, and even if he doesn’t get the block officially, he alters the shot enough to make the player miss, and that goes a lot further than what any box score can tell you.
Ben Simmons
I think he just spoke it into existence. No one was talking about him being the best defender in the league until he said it in a press conference, and now everyone is analyzing every move he makes. Don’t get me wrong, 8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game is good, and he often does have to guard the best opposing wing player, but I don’t think he’s played so well that he should be the odds on favorite. However, the media have already fallen in love with the narrative, so I couldn’t imagine anyone else winning the award this year.
Most Valuable Player
Kevin Durant/LeBron James
I know I’m kind of breaking my own rules here, but it’s my blog and I’ll do whatever I want. I predicted that either of these two would win the MVP award this year, and they haven’t disappointed. 25/8/8 for LeBron in year 18, and 29/7/5 for KD coming off a career threatening injury. Both of these players deserve the award, and I don’t think that there’s a person on earth that would be willing to argue otherwise. There are some detracting factors, though. KD has led the Nets this season, but he’s been out recently while they’ve gone on a run. Not to mention that adding a former MVP in James Harden devalued KD’s chances at getting the award. For LeBron, he and the Lakers have struggled a bit without Anthony Davis, and I think that the voters have taken notice of that.
Joel Embiid
I alluded to it in the beginning of this article, and the time has arrived. Embiid is the clear frontrunner for the MVP award and has been for some time. 30 points and 11 rebounds per game, going 52% from the field and a crazy 41% from deep. He’s taken the 76ers offense to a new level, all while maintaining his defensive presence, averaging a steal and a block per game. Without Embiid, this 76er team is a middle of the pack team, if not a bottom feeder, and Philly better be thanking their lucky stars for him. Embiid would be the first MVP in Philly since Allen Iverson, and I think that’s pretty good company.
Round The Game 
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