Rapper
02-01-2009, 12:37 PM
Mike Monroe - Express-News On my desk I have a souvenir coffee mug, now a repository for pens and pencils, from the 34th NBA All-Star Game at Denver’s McNichols Sports Arena. Beneath the mountain-themed logo is the date of the game: Jan. 29, 1984.
I’m not sure how, or why, All-Star Weekend has been pushed so deep into the season, but the mug is a reminder that there once was a time when it was held at, or very near, the halfway point in the 82-game regular-season grind.
If that were still the case, the 2009 All-Star Game would be held today. Instead, it won’t be played for three more weeks, and some publications will use the occasion to examine the first “half” of the season.
We’re not waiting for an arbitrary, and inexact, opportunity to look at what happened in the first half of the season. Here are the rest of the first-half awards, noting that we already have declared Lakers guard Kobe Bryant our pick for first-half most valuable player:
Defensive player
Dwight Howard, Magic
I don’t care how much better LeBron James is defending perimeter players for the Cavaliers, one of the NBA’s best defensive units. He is not leading the league in both blocks and rebounds. That’s Howard, and that is why he is the choice for this one.
Coach
Jerry Sloan, Jazz
This was a two-person race. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy has done a wonderful job with his team, but Sloan has kept the Jazz in the Western playoff mix despite missing Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko and Paul Millsap for long stretches. It’s one of Sloan’s best coaching jobs ever.
Rookie
Derrick Rose, Bulls
This race figures to get much more interesting in the second half if Greg Oden continues to produce as he has over the past week, but for the first half, Rose was the cream of this rookie crop. Memphis’ O.J. Mayo is the top scorer among first-year players, but Rose is the most effective, distributing as well as scoring.
Sixth man
Jason Terry, Mavericks
Manu Ginobili can relax. The Spurs star is not going to be embarrassed about accepting another Sixth Man Award, even if it appears he will qualify for it again. As long as Terry averages more than 20 points coming off the Mavericks bench, as he did in the first half of the season (20.2 PPG), this award is a lock for him.
Most improved player
Devin Harris, Nets
Until a spate of recent injuries, Harris was on track to make his first All-Star appearance. Asked to carry a much bigger share of the scoring role, his scoring average is up more than six points a game, to a career-high 21.8. Mostly, he has made himself a much more consistent perimeter shooter, and that is the result of lots of hard work. That’s what we want from an MIP.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Half_the_battle_NBA_midseason_awards.html
I’m not sure how, or why, All-Star Weekend has been pushed so deep into the season, but the mug is a reminder that there once was a time when it was held at, or very near, the halfway point in the 82-game regular-season grind.
If that were still the case, the 2009 All-Star Game would be held today. Instead, it won’t be played for three more weeks, and some publications will use the occasion to examine the first “half” of the season.
We’re not waiting for an arbitrary, and inexact, opportunity to look at what happened in the first half of the season. Here are the rest of the first-half awards, noting that we already have declared Lakers guard Kobe Bryant our pick for first-half most valuable player:
Defensive player
Dwight Howard, Magic
I don’t care how much better LeBron James is defending perimeter players for the Cavaliers, one of the NBA’s best defensive units. He is not leading the league in both blocks and rebounds. That’s Howard, and that is why he is the choice for this one.
Coach
Jerry Sloan, Jazz
This was a two-person race. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy has done a wonderful job with his team, but Sloan has kept the Jazz in the Western playoff mix despite missing Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko and Paul Millsap for long stretches. It’s one of Sloan’s best coaching jobs ever.
Rookie
Derrick Rose, Bulls
This race figures to get much more interesting in the second half if Greg Oden continues to produce as he has over the past week, but for the first half, Rose was the cream of this rookie crop. Memphis’ O.J. Mayo is the top scorer among first-year players, but Rose is the most effective, distributing as well as scoring.
Sixth man
Jason Terry, Mavericks
Manu Ginobili can relax. The Spurs star is not going to be embarrassed about accepting another Sixth Man Award, even if it appears he will qualify for it again. As long as Terry averages more than 20 points coming off the Mavericks bench, as he did in the first half of the season (20.2 PPG), this award is a lock for him.
Most improved player
Devin Harris, Nets
Until a spate of recent injuries, Harris was on track to make his first All-Star appearance. Asked to carry a much bigger share of the scoring role, his scoring average is up more than six points a game, to a career-high 21.8. Mostly, he has made himself a much more consistent perimeter shooter, and that is the result of lots of hard work. That’s what we want from an MIP.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Half_the_battle_NBA_midseason_awards.html