<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Rookie of the Year: Andrea Bargnani. The Toronto Raptors used the NBA's No. 1 overall pick on Bargnani, and it looks like they made the right selection in a weak draft. After a slow start, Bargnani has begun to find his confidence with increased playing time. He has three-point range, can put the ball on the floor and, at 7 feet, can shoot over the top of people. Bargnani's numbers aren't great (10 points and four rebounds in 23 minutes of action), but he is showing great potential. Bargnani beats out Brandon Roy, who has more impressive numbers (15 points a game), but Roy missed 20 games due to a left heel injury. Still, Roy looks very impressive and should be the Portland Trail Blazers' starting two guard for a long time to come. Adam Morrison also deserves consideration for averaging 13.5 points for the Charlotte Bobcats, but he has been plagued by inconsistent shooting (37.7 percent). Honorable mentions: Paul Millsap (Jazz), Randy Foye (Timberwolves) and Jordan Farmar (Lakers). Coach of the Year: Phil Jackson. Most observers felt the Lakers were several years away from being contenders when Jackson returned to the sidelines last season. However, they're contenders right now. And once Lamar Odom comes back from his knee injury, L.A. will be a team no one will wants to deal with in the playoffs. Jackson has given his team direction and, as he has done his entire career, given confidence to his bench players. It is no coincidence that Luke Walton, Smush Parker, Sasha Vujacic, Ronny Turiaf, Jordan Farmar and Maurice Evans are all enjoying solid seasons. Jackson's triangle offense gets the role players involved and provides them opportunities to score. Jackson wins out over Avery Johnson and Jerry Sloan, each of whom has led his team to division leads. Johnson ? the Coach of the Year winner last season ? has continued his renovation of the Mavericks, who two years ago were a shoot-first scoring machine but are now terrific defensively and the NBA's most balanced team. Sloan has brought the Jazz back from a couple of sub-par seasons, and he has done it the same way he's always coached: by getting his players to play hard, execute offensively with sharp cuts and ball movement and compete every night. Honorable mentions: Eddie Jordan (Wizards), Mike D'Antoni (Suns) and Jeff Van Gundy (Rockets). Sixth Man Award: Leandro Barbosa. Ben Gordon was in the midst of running away with this award until Scott Skiles put him back into the Chicago Bulls' starting lineup. That leaves Barbosa, who is the Suns' energizer off the bench. With backup point guard duties added to his role this season, he has been a stabilizing force behind Steve Nash. But his main job is to come into the game with Nash and increase Phoenix's already blistering tempo. Barbosa runs the wing as fast as anyone in the NBA, and his unusual looking shot is surprisingly effective. He is scoring 16 points per game, shooting 46 percent from the field and 39 percent from the three-point stripe. He wins the award over Corey Maggette, Earl Boykins and Kyle Korver, all of whom are scoring points and producing offense for their teams. But as a general rule, you don't win awards unless your teams are winning, so that eliminates all three. Honorable mentions: Brent Barry (Spurs) and Maurice Evans (Lakers). Most Improved Player: Luke Walton. After losing 15 pounds in the offseason, Walton added a level of quickness that has allowed him to get around defenders. As a result, he is much more feared as an offensive threat. Walton has also gained confidence in his outside shot and is shooting much better from the three-point line (39 percent). With Lamar Odom's injury, Walton became the Lakers' second-best player after Bryant, and his play has helped L.A. maintain a place among the league's top five or six teams. Walton gets the nod over Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz and the Sacramento Kings' Kevin Martin. Williams' terrific point guard play has helped the Jazz become a premier team in the NBA again. He's a threat to score or pass, and he usually makes the right decision on which one to do. And the biggest thing? He's gained the confidence of Jerry Sloan. If Williams hadn't played so well in the final third of last season, he probably would be more qualified than Walton to win the award. The same goes for Martin, who showed flashes of brilliance at the end of last season, then took over the starting guard spot in Sacramento after the departure of Bonzi Wells. Martin is having an all-star type season, averaging 20.6 points and shooting the ball extremely well (49.6 percent). His quickness is too much for most defenders to handle. Honorable mentions: Smush Parker (Lakers), Josh Howard (Mavericks), Matt Carroll (Bobcats). </div> Link I know it's only midseason, so these awards are meaningless. But it's nice to see so many Lakers getting recognition. Bryant was also mentioned for the MVP award (click link)
The fact that so many Lakers, not named Kobe Bryant, are being mentioned as possible candidates for end of the season awards, is the reason they are the position they are right now. That is really a credit to Phil Jackson and Kobe for being able to put their differance aside, and in a mere two years turn the Lakers, who looked like a disaster the year Phil was out, back into contenders.
Well, I'm a big fan of Kobe Bryant, but he hasn't been better than Nash so far. To be honest. But I don't think that they're going to give him THIRD CONSECUTIVE MVP. Man, he would join the group with Bird, Wilt and Russell. All these guys were AMAZING and got many rings. I don't know why, but I have a feeling that they're going to give the ring to Dirk... Damn, it's my dream that Kobe will get the MVP award before he leaves the league. But it's very glad to read what Steve Kerr thinks. Walton has really made a great improvement this year. And Kobe has a very different role now on the team it's better for us. Our chemistry is better and it should turn even more better when Odom returns. And it's pretty much thanks to Phil. I don't think that it's easy to change a role on a guy like Kobe, who can score 35 points night in and night out. And Kobe has changed himself, too. He doesn't care about (well, that what he says) the scoring anymore so much and all he wants is his 4th ring. BUT, he needs 7 rings and some MVP's that 24 could be bigger than 23. In his early seasons, Kobe didn't listen much other coaches. They got the rings after Phil joined the team. Haha. MVP - Kobe Most Improved - Luke Coach of the Year - Phil.
Well, if the Lakers could end up with the best or 2nd best record in the whole league and Kobe could average 35.5 PPG again or 30/6/6 - I think they would give it to him. If we could only win the goddamn title again, then Kobe would have the Finals MVP problably.
