Ok, so we're 41 games into the season now, half way through. What are your predictions for awards, titles etc. Here are mine: M.V.P: Steve Nash Rookie Of The Year: Adam Morrison Coach Of The Year: Avery Johnson Defensive Player Of The Year: Shane Battier 6th Man: Leandro Barbosa Most Improved: Kevin Martin NBA Championship: Dallas Mavericks
M.V.P: Kobe Bryant (sleeper pick) Rookie Of The Year: Andrea Bargnani Coach Of The Year: Mike D'Antoni Defensive Player Of The Year: Jermaine O'Neal (3.2 blocks a game) 6th Man: Leandro Barbosa Most Improved: Monte Ellis NBA Championship: CHICAGO BULLS ( ) __________________
M.V.P: Steve Nash Rookie Of The Year: Brandon Roy Coach Of The Year: Phil Jackson Defensive Player Of The Year: Emeka Okafor 6th Man: Ben Gordon Most Improved: Caron Butler NBA Championship: Phoenix Suns
MVP: Steve Nash Rookie of the Year: Brandon Roy Coach of the Yeak: Avery Johnson Defensive Player of the Year: Okafor 6th man: Ben Gordon Most Improved: Kevin Martin NBA Champion: Phoenix Suns
MVP: Kobe Bryant Rookie Of The Year: Brandon Roy Coach Of The Year: Jerry Sloan Defensive Player Of The Year: Shane Battier 6th Man: Leandro Barbosa Most Improved: Kevin Martin NBA Champions: Detroit Pistons All-NBA Teams: <u>1st Team</u> G - Steve Nash G - Kobe Bryant F - Dirk Nowitzki F - Kevin Garnett C - Yao Ming <u>2nd Team</u> G - Gilbert Arenas G - Dwyane Wade F - LeBron James F - Carlos Boozer C - Dwight Howard <u>3rd Team</u> G - Jason Kidd G - Allen Iverson F - Tracy McGrady F - Tim Duncan C - Amare Stoudamire
Hahahaha, I changed my DPOY back to Battier after seeing VC's post, as I stated originally, I havent seen many games this season to comment on defense.
MVP: Steve Nash (but Dirk may win it just because three years in a row seems crazy) Rookie Of The Year: Brandon Roy Coach Of The Year: Avery Johnson Defensive Player Of The Year: Emeka Okafor 6th Man: Leandro Barbosa Most Improved: Kevin Martin NBA Champions: Phoenix Suns All-NBA Teams: 1st Team G - Steve Nash G - Kobe Bryant F - LeBron James F - Dirk Nowizki C - Yao Ming 2nd Team G - Gilbert Arenas G - Dwyane Wade F - Carmelo Anthony F - Kevin Garnett C - Dwight Howard 3rd Team G - Jason Kidd G - Allen Iverson F - Tracy McGrady F - Carlos Boozer C - Amare Stoudemire
MVP - Steve Nash Rookie of the Year - Brandon Roy Coach of the Year - Mike D'Antoni Defensive Player of the Year - Emeka Okafor 6th Man - Leandro Barbosa Most Improved Player - Josh Howard/Caron Butler NBA Champions: Phoenix Suns
<div class="quote_poster">Blur Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Ben Gordon has already started too many games, he is no longer eligable for the sixth man award.</div>What's the limit? Just wondering. Cause I don't see how he could have started too many when he's only started 12. However, with how well he's been playing recently, it's tough to see him going back to the bench. MVP: Kobe Bryant - I don't foresee Nash winning three in a row, cause that simply doesn't happen. Beyond this, Bryant has been sensational, and who ever though the Lakers would be 12 games over .500 by the halfway mark? ROY: Andrea Bargnani - Roy would be my pick if it wasn't for the fact he's missed 1/4 of a season already. COY: Phil Jackson - No one has done more with less and no one saw the Lakers being as good as they've been. He's an absolutely huge reason as to why the Lakers have had so much success and deserves a ton of credit. DPOY: Marcus Camby - Has there been a better post defender this season? He's getting 3 blocks per game, getting a steal, and averaging 13 rebounds, 10 of them on the defensive end. 6th Man: Leandro Barbosa - I'd love to give it to Ben Gordon, cause he's been phenomenal, but it looks like he could stay a starter, so Barbosa gets it. He's been great off the bench for the Suns and has been a big key to their success, giving them a guy that can give Nash a breather but also step in and play the 2 when needed. MIP: Monta Ellis - Initially had it going to Kevin Martin, but he's fallen off as of late. Ellis has been consistent and is still putting up points now that he's been demoted to 6th man. Averaging over 4 assists doesn't hurt either. Champs: Mavs - They're the most complete team in the NBA; they play defense, they average 100 ppg, and they're deep. I don't care about Phoenix and their win streaks, Dallas is still the best team in this league. All NBA Team G - Kobe Bryant G - Steve Nash F - LeBron James F - Dirk Nowitzki C - Dwight Howard (Yao has been chillin' on the IL too long) 2nd Team G - Gilbert Arenas G - Dwayne Wade F - Kevin Garnett F - Carlos Boozer C - Amare Stoudemire 3rd Team G - Jason Kidd G - Deron Williams (or Allen Iverson) F - Carmelo Anthony F - Tracy McGrady C - Tim Duncan Please note that the only reason Yao isn't on any of the teams is because he's been out for a while and will still be out for a while, so realize that. It's not that he isn't deserving, because he would be, he's just missed too many games for my liking.
I'm surprised no one is picking Nowitzki to be the MVP. If the Mavs end up with the best record, Dirk has the edge over Nash.
MVP: Steve Nash (if he continues at this pace, I don't give a sh*t if he's won 2 or 6, he deserves it) Rookie Of The Year: Andrea Bargnani Coach Of The Year: Phil Jackson, hands down. Defensive Player Of The Year: Can't really comment, but I'll go with the casual pick and throw Shane Battier's name in here. 6th Man: Leandro Barbosa Most Improved: Caron Butler or Kevin Martin NBA Champions: No one from the East for sure. I want the Suns to win it, so I'll go with the <u>Pheonix Suns</u>. Last year they came close to beating the Mavs with a worn down Nash, no Amare and a depleted front line. This year, Nash seems extra-motivated, Amare's slowly regaining his old form, thier front line is fine, and they're playing even BETTER than last year when they stretched the Mavs to six. I don't see the Suns losing. Suns in 7 over Dallas and a 4-1 series win over whoever they face from the East (Hibachi?).
MVP: Steve Nash (coz everybody loves him and doesnt take into fact that he's playing with amare and marion)
Dirk's playing with Josh Howard, Jason Terry, Devin Harris, etc, what's your point? Kevin Garnett played with Latrell Spreewell, Sam Casell and got an MVP. Shaq played with Kobe, Robert Horry, Rick Fox and got an MVP, MJ played with Pippen, Kukoc, Rodman, and got an MVP. I know you'll say "Amare and Marion are all all-stars etc etc". Nash is the heart and soul of that team. All of the Suns have said so. Do you think without him they would have made it to the WCF for 2 years straight? He runs that position to perfection in D'Antoni's system. You guys knock him for things he can't even control. "Oh, he's in D'Antoni's system." So? What's the point? Kobe is in the triangle offense; if he wins an MVP, would you say it's not legit because he's being coached by one of the greatest coaches in NBA history on one of the most sucessful offensive schemes in the NBA? Exactly, didn't think so.
<div class="quote_poster">kobe23 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">MVP: Steve Nash (coz everybody loves him and doesnt take into fact that he's playing with amare and marion)</div> MVP: Kobe Bryant (So I can make Kobe jock riders feel happy)
<div class="quote_poster">durvasa Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I'm surprised no one is picking Nowitzki to be the MVP. If the Mavs end up with the best record, Dirk has the edge over Nash.</div> I dont really think he should win it to be honest, I think he should definatley be considered up there, but realisticly, he's been playing like this for about 5 or so seasons now, and his name has never come into discussion before, I dont know why it should now all of a sudden. I personally think the Mavs recent success is more due to the emergence of Josh Howard, and Avery Johnsons coaching than down to Dirk's stellar play, as I mentioned, he has been playing like this for a good 5 or so seasons now. Steve Nash makes that Phoenix team what it is, I mean they went from a 20 win team, to a 60 win team as soon as Nash jumped on board, he makes everyone else on that team better, to me, thats what an MVP is. I feel as though Dirk makes the Mavericks a better team, not the players around him better. In saying that though, I dont think Steve Nash will end up winning it either (even though I think at this stage he should), I think the fact he has won it the last 2 seasons will count against him in the long run. Its definatley got to be out of Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, and Dirk Nowitzki though. I wouldnt be surprised at Gilbert Arenas either.
MVP: Nash, right now I'll go with Nash but Dirk could take it. Kobe would also be a goo pick this season since his team has been very good this year and I can see LeBron making a push for it. ROY: Brandon Roy, if he doesn't get injured I think he'll take this easily. COY: Phil Jackson, this ones not even close, Lakers were projected to be a low playoff seed but they've been almost at the level of an elite team. Great job by Phil, perhaps his best ever in terms of getting a lot of production out of a limited amount of talent. DPOY: This one's a toss up, probably Marion or Battier. 6th Man: Ben Gordon with Barbosa close behind and if Monta Ellis qualifies he should be there too. MIP: Monta Ellis, Martin has been slowing down a bit while Monta has been actually getting better even though hes been coming off the bench lately. Hit a huge game winning shot last night and I think it could propel him into another echelon of players. NBA Champions: Suns
MVP: Steve Nash Runner up: Kobe Bryant Rookie Of The Year: Andrea Bargnani Runner up: Brandon Roy Coach Of The Year: Phil Jackson Runner up: Avery Johnson Defensive Player Of The Year: Marcus Camby (Can you say underrated?) Runner up: Shane Battier 6th Man: Ben Gordon Runner up: Leandro Barbosa Most Improved: Monta Ellis Runner up: Kevin Martin NBA Champions: Miami vs. Phoenix in the finals, Suns win in 6.
MVP: Dirk Nowitzki Runner Up: Steve Nash Rookie Of The Year: Brandon Roy Runner Up: Andrea Bargnani Coach Of The Year: Jerry Sloan Runner Up: Phil Jackson Defensive Player Of The Year: Shane Battier Runner Up: Jermaine O'Neal 6th Man: Ben Gordon Runner Up: Leondro Barbosa Most Improved: Kevin Martin Runner Up: Monta Ellis NBA Champions: Phoenix Suns All-NBA Teams: <u>1st Team</u> G - Steve Nash G - Kobe Bryant F - Dirk Nowitzki F - Kevin Garnett C - Yao Ming <u>2nd Team</u> G - Gilbert Arenas G - Dwyane Wade F - LeBron James F - Carlos Boozer C - Tim Duncan <u>3rd Team</u> G - Jason Kidd G - Allen Iverson F - Tracy McGrady F - Caron Butler C - Dwight Howard Man, Dirk has been totally overlooked. I don't even really like him (something bout his on court personality--great person though) but I gotta give the man his due. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> I dont really think he should win it to be honest, I think he should definatley be considered up there, but realisticly, he's been playing like this for about 5 or so seasons now, and his name has never come into discussion before, I dont know why it should now all of a sudden. </div> Actually, since Nash has left, Dirk has stepped his game up to another level and he's been mentioned in MVP talks, especially last year. There's lots of talk about Josh Howard and how he's been huge, but yeah, so has Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire and company. The race competition between him and Dirk is really close though.
To all you people voting Steve Nash, I have this thought. Why should he win three, when Jason Kidd never won any, and what he did with the Nets was FAR more impressive than anything Nash is doing. That makes no sense to me, and I really hate the voters for it. I don't care what Nash is doing, people should not win three in a row, and beyond that, people like Dirk and Kobe deserve it just as much, if not more this year. Kobe is doing more with that Lakers team than anyone thought possible. He's got some of the least talent in the league, yet that team is in contention for a top 4 spot out West. Beyond that, he's had to battle through two key players getting injured in Kwame and Odom, and I don't see any other MVP candidate doing that. Everyone else that you can throw out there has had a fully healthy team from start to finish. The Lakers have had more injury issues than almost any team in the entire league, yet they remain to be 27-15, in an insanely tough Western Conference. Yet, everyone will take Nash cause he's the trendy pick, yet what is he doing that's so different than last year? Nothing. The team is still winning, he's still putting up roughly the same stats. Why not give it to someone else, someone actually more deserving for a change. But everyone is so obsessed with their win streaks that no one really cares about anything else anymore. No one realizes that his team might have the most talent in the entire league (Diaw, Nash, Stoudemire, Jones, Bell, Barbosa, Banks, Marion, Thomas, etc), while people like Kobe have very little compared to that. I swear, if Nash wins another MVP this year, I'm going to go crazy.
