Most improved, Parker > Diaw, Bowen top for DVP

[Rummpd]

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=sheridan_chris#20060108


Parker most improved player by Sheridan pardon me if posted already. (Part of much longer article most on the Knicks starting to get it together - incredibly they are only 3 games out of the East playoff race right now).


It is time to update our monthly look at the races for the league's individual awards, which we will continue to rerank in this blog early each month.

MVP: (1) Dirk Nowitzki. (2) Chauncey Billups. (3) Steve Nash.

A month ago I really liked LeBron James and Elton Brand. But they lose out, along with Vince Carter and Allen Iverson, to Nash in a close race for No. 3.

Rookie of the Year: (1) Chris Paul. (2) Andrew Bogut. (3) Channing Frye.

Frye drops from No. 2 and Deron Williams drops out. Frye could drop further if David Lee keeps his starting spot with the Knicks.

Coach of the Year: (1) Flip Saunders. (2) Avery Johnson. (3) Pat Riley.

Riles is 8-3 since Stan Van Gundy resigned, but Jerry Sloan might nudge him out next month if the Jazz keep winning as much as they have lately.

Defensive Player of the Year: (1) Bruce Bowen. (2) Alonzo Mourning. (3) Samuel Dalembert.

The Sixers' center makes the list by virtue of his 14 blocks in the past three games, along with 20 defensive rebounds. Gerald Wallace drops out.

Sixth Man: (1) Mo Williams. (2) Derek Fisher. (3) Devin Harris.

Big Mo is averaging 15.5 points and shooting 43 percent on 3s for Milwaukee.

Most Improved: (1) Tony Parker. (2) Boris Diaw. (3) Andre Iguodala

Parker is fourth leaguewide in field goal percentage (53.3), quite a feat for a point guard. He also leads the NBA in points in the paint with 400.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Sorry, I can't put much stock in rankings from anyone who has Dirk at the top of their MVP list.

Anyone who doesn't have Chauncey at #1 is smoking crack.

[Rummpd]

Both are very credible candidates (as is Nash) and one could argue that Dirk is just as much or more responsible for Mavs being 25-9 as the hot starting Pistons going 26-5 so far. It is always said that the Pistons appropriately have the best starting five, but the Mavs simply cannot match that all around skill yet are a top three team.

Many experts are going with Dirk, who has also improved his rebounding.


On the other hand = I simply don't understand putting Riley in the coach of the year race - that is a joke they are supposed to be a 60 win team that he built and Shaq is back yet they have lost a lot lately.

B. Scott is my choice for coach of the year right now period.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Coach of the Year: (1) Flip Saunders. (2) Avery Johnson. (3) Pat Riley.




1. Flip
2. D'Antoni
3. Avery

No way Riley should be on that list.

[genghisrex]

Many experts are going with Dirk, who has also improved his rebounding.
Dirk's improved his rebounding? You might want to check the numbers on that one again.

[Lady M]

no TP and Bobo in the same list oua
I love it but I prefer Bobo got it
TP just improved is scoring; Bobo improved all the stats
:elephant

[Rummpd]

Dirk is at 9.0 RBG with a 26 PPG average on 46% FG.

His career average is 8.5 - he did have a 9.7 season but recently he has had some big rebounding games including a 15 game vs. the Lakers.


I doubt he will ever average Duncanesque type numbers but he is a very solid player. His biggest weakness is his defense and those that follow the Mavs say that has improved some in the last year.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Those that follow the Mavs also think Cuban is onto something about the officiating :lol

I'm stuck in hell (Dallas) with mavs games every night. Yeah, Dirk's improved on defense - now he at least looks like he's going to attempt to play it instead of standing down there picking his nose :lmao

[genghisrex]

Dirk is at 9.0 RBG with a 26 PPG average on 46% FG.

His career average is 8.5 - he did have a 9.7 season but recently he has had some big rebounding games including a 15 game vs. the Lakers.
Dropping 0.7 per game since last season hardly strikes me as "improving," especially since his 9.0 rebounds per game average is his second fewest per game in the last six years. The 8.5 career average reflects his first two seasons (3.4 and 6.5) and isn't indicative of his production since attaining "superstar" status.

[Medvedenko]

I'm surprised that Kobe doesn't get metioned for MVP..yes his team is barely above .500 but Iverson get's his props and his team is worse....Well, my vote is for Kobe. His games of late have been amazing, 3 games in a row of 45 or more, plus averaging more points than anyone has since 1988. Still no love.

[FreshPrince22]

Defensive Player of the Year: (1)Bruce Bowen. (2) Alonzo Mourning. (3) Samuel Dalembert.


It's official. ESPN are full on stat whores. Dalembert DPOY? Yea, his 3.25bpg is impressive, but he commits 4.3 FOULS per game. Any person with long arms can fly at every shot to try to block it. The truley great shotblockers are players who know where to pick there spots so they don't foul people every other possession. And I gurantee he leads the league in goaltends per game. He must have had at least 15 goaltends in the 5 games we played against the Sixers in the playoffs last year. The guy is not a "smart defender" at all.

[ahb]

He must be joking about Dalembert. And Mourning? Yes, he had an impressive run while Snaq was out, but there's the "of the year" part of the title he seems to be missing, even if Zo is the only thing preventing Miami's defense from looking like Sacramento's. Especially since he seems to be basing his awards on "the last three games", which deserves a hearty :stfu

Bowen deserves it. Even if you can name a more valuable defender this year (Kirilenko, maybe.), it would be a damn shame if he never picked one up.

[Nephets]

Billups > Dirk

:)

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I'm surprised that Kobe doesn't get metioned for MVP

:lmao


yes his team is barely above .500

Yep, about all that needs to be said. Go home Laker homer.

[sanman53]

Pat Riley??????????

[Rummpd]

Dalembert has had recent rebounding games of 22 and 18 as well. This guy is not IMO top 3 year DVOP, but has a heck of an upside both defensively and on the boards.


My MVPs candidates and it is too early to pick among them:

Brand, Dirk, Billups, Kobe, Nash, and got to give the kid some due = James.

AI has Webber and the Sixers would have to improve dramatically to get any play in this years MVP race.

[smeagol]

I'm surprised that Kobe doesn't get metioned for MVP

Sure, and I’m surprised Manu doesn’t either. We are two flabbergasted dudes!

:lol

[50 cent]

Pat Riley? Zo Mourning?

The writer of that article is an idiot.

[1Parker1]

Sure, and I’m surprised Manu doesn’t either. We are two flabbergasted dudes!

:lol


:lol :lol

[Medvedenko]

Man you guys are stunted....Kobe 8 is putting mad #'s and when his team was playing awfully well until the recent skid. The hate is strong it's blinding the fact that he's dominating teams. I like the recent game against the alleged kobe stopper in Igudala and Kobe schooled him. What does this guy need to do...oh yeah win all the games shoot 60% and average 10 assists. Look at the team he's running with.
Starting 5:
Smush
Kobe
Odom
Cook
Mihm
Yeah world beaters...and they are still in the playoffs.

[1Parker1]

I would't drop Kobe out of MVP consideration, the point though is that though he is very valube to the Lakers and their success, he doesn't really make his team-mates that much better, something that Billups, Duncan, and Nash..the other MVP candiates do.

[Medvedenko]

Oh yeah, I forgot Kobe doesn't make his teamates better....what a load of Bullshit. He never made Shaq better, or any other Lakers during their 3 peat run. Also, what about Chucky Atkins, Smush Parker, Chris Mihm, Brian Cook and the rest of the frickin scrubs he plays with. This is a tired line about Kobe, same was for Jordan during his reign. It takes more than 1 guy on his team to excel in this league. It's funny we are saying the same thing about Garnett, but when he had some talent around him he won the MVP and now he obviously sucks. Whatever. rant over.

[1Parker1]

Calm down. No one is denying Kobe's talent or value or the fact that he's in consideration for MVP. My point was, that his team is winning simply BECAUSE of him and his 60 points per night. MVP players have it in them to make those around them better...yes he has crappy team-mates surrounding him, same could be said for AI, KG, Tmac, and a dozon or so other MVP candidates who while they put up the MVP like stats and are clearly the glue that holds their team together--none of those players mentioned will receive the MVP award. Why? Frankly, it goes to the best player on a winning team...Lakers, Twolves, Sixers (:(), Houston are not winning teams...

[z0sa]

Anyone who doesn't have Chauncey at #1 is smoking crack.

Then i must be smoking crack because Chauncey isn't going to be MVP. This is strange to be quoting so early in a multiple thread post but I seriously, seriously, seriously cannot see Chauncey as MVP. Put him on another team like the Trailblazers or say a lottery team like the Cavaliers minus Lebron and I bet you see the same chauncey we all knew from a few years ago back with the Twolves.

[BillsCarnage]

1. Flip
2. D'Antoni
3. Avery

No way Riley should be on that list.

Flip inherited a team that had been to back-to-back finals. I don't see how he even gets considered for COY. All he's really done is opened up the offense more. Everything was there for him to succeed.

D'Ant on the other hand got a brand new team basically and changed his coaching from last year (just run and shoot) to a defensive minded team with SEVEN new players. Yet here they are atop the division and only a few games behind the Spurs for best western record.

Riley being listed is a joke.

[mathbzh]

Nobody cares but I give my favorites.

MVP: Kobe (if he put the same numbers till the end)
I don't like him but he is amazing so...

Rookie of the year Chris Paul. No discussion

Coach: D'antoni
He got the better from every player. If they learn fast how to play with Amare the playoff will be a different story.

Defensive player:
Bowen or AK47

Sixth Man:
I don't know. But Fisher as #2 is a joke.

MIP.
TP is amazing but was already realy good.
I vote Diaw. His improvment is impressive.




:spin

[Rummpd]

Byron Scott needs some luv as coach of the year but Sun's coach has to also be in the mix and how about Jerry Sloan?

[boutons_]

If the Jazz can keep going strong now that they come together, Jerry deserves a look. In the post-game yesteday, Memo said the team's self-confidence and chemistry were very high.

Mike is showing this year, no Amare, not as many 3G bombers, that he far from being a one-trick pony. Suns have different people, are playing different ball, and this year are still up there in top ranks of the WC. Steve doesn't explain all of the Suns' success.

[kskonn]

Oh yeah, I forgot Kobe doesn't make his teamates better....what a load of Bullshit. He never made Shaq better, or any other Lakers during their 3 peat run. Also, what about Chucky Atkins, Smush Parker, Chris Mihm, Brian Cook and the rest of the frickin scrubs he plays with. This is a tired line about Kobe, same was for Jordan during his reign. It takes more than 1 guy on his team to excel in this league. It's funny we are saying the same thing about Garnett, but when he had some talent around him he won the MVP and now he obviously sucks. Whatever. rant over.


I tend to agree with that. I think that over the years at certain times Kobe has not been " a team player " taken some shots that should have gone to shaq etc... but the reason those role players from the lakers championship teams were so good was because of Kobe and Shaq getting so much attention and getting them the ball in the right situations.

I personally think that players coming to a team and getting "better" has a lot to do with front office and coaching. If a player with a certain set of skills is brought in for a certain reason, then used for that reason he will often prosper. Duncan is good because he recognizes players skills around him and gets them the ball in the situation that they are comfortable with, I really believe Koby does the same, he just does not have a lot to work with.

[kskonn]

Byron Scott needs some luv as coach of the year but Sun's coach has to also be in the mix and how about Jerry Sloan?


I think sloan could be in the mix almost every year.

[Sec24Row7]

Billups for MVP is kind of disgusting...

They need all 5 of their starting team to win...

If you take Billups off that team it doesnt hurt them any more than if you took Rasheed or Hamilton or Ben Wallace off...