Steve Kerr - And the winners are....

[Manu20]

And the winners are …
By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
April 19, 2006

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Ahfj6TXW65JMD.gZuNPUYt05nYcB?slug=sk-awards041906&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Kobe Bryant's 81-point night. Carmelo Anthony's six buzzer-beating, game-winning shots. Steve Nash's amazing encore to his MVP campaign. The Pistons' utter domination of the league.

For the NBA, it was a year of spectacular performances, exciting moments and emerging young stars. And the most dramatic moments have yet to happen – they'll come in the playoffs, which begin on Saturday.

But before we get to the postseason, let's recognize some of the best individual performances of the regular season.

Here are my season-ending awards:

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

LeBron James – This was the toughest selection of all the awards because there were as many as eight candidates worthy of consideration. But LeBron carried the Cleveland Cavaliers all season, putting up huge numbers while also bringing out the best in his teammates.

Of all the candidates, James is the most well-rounded. He is just the fourth player in league history to average at least 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists – the others being Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and Jerry West. Perhaps James' best asset is his passing skill because he truly makes his teammates better. James created countless open looks for other Cavs throughout the season, but he also recognized when he needed to take over games on his own.

Moreover, LeBron's 31-point scoring average came on four fewer field-goal attempts per game than Kobe Bryant, proving that James is a more efficient scorer than the Lakers star.

Honorable mentions: Steve Nash, Suns; Kobe Bryant, Lakers; Elton Brand, Clippers; Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks; Shawn Marion, Suns; Dwyane Wade, Heat; Chauncey Billups, Pistons.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Mike D'Antoni – How can a team lose three of its top-five scorers – Amare Stoudemire, Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson – off a 62-win squad and still win its division? D'Antoni accomplished the feat by creating a style that promotes up-tempo, fast-paced basketball. His Phoenix Suns averaged 108 points per game and set an all-time NBA record for three-pointers made (824) this season – all with a revamped roster.

D'Antoni understands better than any coach in the league that players play their best when they are unencumbered and loose. His influence and style of play helped six Suns enjoy career-high seasons in points scored, and the result was back-to-back Pacific Division titles for the first time in franchise history.

Honorable mentions: Avery Johnson, Mavericks; Flip Saunders, Pistons; Mike Dunleavy, Clippers.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Chris Paul – Talk about a no-brainer. Paul was easily the best rookie, leading the New Orleans Hornets to a surprise season that almost culminated in a playoff berth. Paul combined great scoring skills (16.2 points per game) with a pass-first mentality (7.8 assists per game) and ball-hawking defense (third in the league in steals) to quickly become one of the best point guards in the entire league. He will be the cornerstone of the Hornets franchise for many years to come.

Honorable mentions: Andrew Bogut, Bucks; Channing Frye, Knicks; Charlie Villanueva, Raptors; Deron Williams, Jazz.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Bruce Bowen – For years, people have been calling Bowen the best "perimeter" defender in the game. It's time to give him the full moniker: best defensive player in the league.

Bowen's relentless pressure on the opponent's best player takes teams completely out of rhythm offensively, and his versatility allows him to cover almost anyone on the floor. He has frustrated everyone from Dirk Nowitzki to Ray Allen the past couple of seasons with his suffocating work, and his efforts key the San Antonio Spurs' defensive strategy of forcing teams away from the middle of the floor.

Bowen is the Richard Hamilton of defensive players. He never stops moving his feet – or his hands, as his detractors point out – and like a great shooter who has confidence even while missing, Bowen never hangs his head when his man scores on him. He continues to battle for 48 minutes, content in knowing that he will wear his man down.

Honorable mentions: Ben Wallace, Pistons; Rasheed Wallace, Pistons; Tim Duncan, Spurs; Marcus Camby, Nuggets; Alonzo Mourning, Heat.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Boris Diaw – Who could have imagined that Diaw would be such a good player after coming to Phoenix from Atlanta? Diaw did nothing in his first few seasons as a Hawk but found his niche as a point forward for the Suns, ringing up four triple-doubles this season and becoming one of only three players in the league to average at least 10 points, six rebounds and six assists. (LeBron James and Jason Kidd were the others).

The ball-handling skills and speed of the 6-foot-8 Diaw set him apart from other players his size. His ability to guard post players on the block allowed D'Antoni to play him at power forward, which meant that he had a huge advantage at the offensive end of the floor. Diaw's passing ability took pressure off of Steve Nash, giving the Suns another player through whom they could run their offense.

Honorable mentions: David West, Hornets; Tony Parker, Spurs; Andres Nocioni, Bulls.

SIXTH MAN AWARD

Mike Miller – The University of Florida product came into his own this season, averaging 13.8 points off the bench and helping the Memphis Grizzlies to a surprisingly strong year. Miller's ability to shoot from long range and also attack the rim off the dribble makes him a very difficult matchup defensively for opponents. He was the perfect complement to Pau Gasol's low-post game.

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

Donnie Walsh – Why Walsh? The Indiana Pacers president displayed amazing patience and dignity in handling the Ron Artest situation, eventually ending up with an All-Star in a trade for Peja Stojakovic. Walsh also made a steal in last summer's draft with his selection of Danny Granger with the 17th overall pick. The free-agent signing of Sarunas Jasikevicius also fortified the Pacers' backcourt and helped fill the shooting void left by Reggie Miller's retirement. Most of all, though, Walsh earned my vote with his ability to deal intelligently with the Artest case.

Honorable mentions: Elgin Baylor, Clippers; Donn Nelson, Mavericks; Ernie Grunfeld, Wizards; Danny Ferry, Cavaliers.


STEVE KERR'S ALL-NBA PICKS

FIRST TEAM
G Steve Nash, Suns
G Kobe Bryant, Lakers
F LeBron James, Cavaliers
F Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
C Shaquille O'Neal, Heat

SECOND TEAM
G Chauncey Billups, Pistons
G Dwyane Wade, Heat
F Tim Duncan, Spurs
F Elton Brand, Clippers
C Ben Wallace, Pistons

THIRD TEAM
G Tony Parker, Spurs
G Gilbert Arenas, Wizards
F Shawn Marion, Suns
F Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets
C Yao Ming, Rockets

Steve Kerr is Yahoo! Sports' NBA analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Bowen is the Richard Hamilton of defensive players. He never stops moving his feet – or his hands
lol I like that! Nice comparisn.

[Medvedenko]

Kerr is wrong about the MVP....
The MVP will be a western player. Nobody that plays in the weak east deserves the MVP.

[atxrocker]

kerr is a piece of shit. no Kevin Martin mention for mip.. what a crock. he got robbed, he is easily second behind Diaw.

[Pistons < Spurs]

kerr is a piece of shit. no Kevin Martin mention for mip.. what a crock. he got robbed, he is easily second behind Diaw.


No way. I have to put West 2nd, Mike James 3rd and Tony Parker 4th.

[rayray2k8]

im not sure I agree with his GM pick.

[smeagol]

What does Pop have to do to be mentioned among the COY candidates?

[nkdlunch]

Shaq first team???? :lol

where's Pierce?

[Solid D]

kerr is a piece of shit. no Kevin Martin mention for mip.. what a crock. he got robbed, he is easily second behind Diaw.

That's a bit harsh...considering Kerr gets around the league and is fairly objective. Martin didn't really get much of a snif at decent minutes until Bonzi went on the shelf a month-&-a-half in.

10+ points per, an increase of 8 ppg and 18 more minutes/game is okay. He's come on more in the 2nd half of the season. "Ricky" isn't getting robbed of anything. He'll get his props in due time.

[Vashner]

Shaq tries to hard to hurt himself..

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Is Kerr serious about Donny Walsh? If he had the "abilitity to deal intelligently with Ron Artest" the shit would never have hit the fan as hard as it did.

[Darrin]

Opinions are like assholes...

[Vashner]

Opinions are like assholes...

So are Pistons.... :drunk

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Opinions are like assholes...

So we should substitute it in usage;

ex.: Ray Allen takes it in the opinion.

[TDMVPDPOY]

kerr should start takin off his homar glasses and stop followin the herd.....

[arenateam]

I love chris paul!!

[ObiwanGinobili]

i put my vBookie on Chris Paul as ROTY

[SpursWoman]

So are Pistons.... :drunk



Pistons are like opinions ... everyone has one? :spin

[GC FROM THE D]

[MVP] LBJ, Kobe, Dirk or Chauncey. Just say "no" to Canadians. Gotta give it to the :king

[DPOY] No doubt about it, Bruce or Ben. :fro

[COY] Flip. How many experts and fans predicted Detroits downfall due to Larry "THE DIVA" Brown leaving? :rolleyes

[MIP] Diaw. Those silly Hawks still do not have a solid distributor and then they passed on Paul! :lol

[ROY] Speaking of Chris Paul. Atlanta GM = :shootme

[6TH MAN] Mike Miller. Stack has the #'s but he has hurt his team on afew occassions.

[EXEC] Clips... Playoffs?

[texasgirl09]

what r u guys talking about how great the spurs r

[ChumpDumper]

Why would anyone give Walsh EoY for pulling the trigger on a trade that was on the table for over a year and losing all those games in the meantime?

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Why would anyone give Walsh EoY for pulling the trigger on a trade that was on the table for over a year and losing all those games in the meantime?

Exactly. Never mind the fact that Artest's problem child behavior was tolerated for years before this season under Walsh's watch. An Exec of the Year would have sent the headcase packing before the start of the season.

[Phenomanul]

I just now realized neither Allen Iverson or Kevin Garnett made the All-NBA cut... adding the already mentioned Paul Pierce...

[boutons_]

The Best and Brightest of the NBA's Season

By Michael Lee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 19, 2006; 3:30 PM

The regular season comes to a close tonight and what have we learned? That the dress code was the most overblown non-story of the season. That thanks to Kobe Bryant, Jerry Stackhouse, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Allen Iverson men don't have to be ashamed to wear tights anymore -- until next season when the league cracks down and begins fining players for embracing their inner ballerina. And, that the league was too concerned with dress codes and tights to actually make a playoff seeding system that makes sense.

Not much changed from the preseason, when many predicted a rematch of the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. The Pistons made a brief run at 70 wins before they got bored with being too far ahead of the pack. The Spurs tied a franchise record for wins with the Desperate Point Guard, Tony Parker, leading the way but looked less than imposing with Tim Duncan and tazmanian devil Manu Ginobili limping through much of the season.

The New York Knicks crashed and burned in one of the greatest fiascos in the history of sports. How the highest paid team in the NBA -- by more than $20 million -- coached by a Hall of Fame coach could possibly finish with the league's second-worst record is unthinkable. Can you imagine the New York Yankees stockpiling talent and finishing with a worse record than the Kansas City Royals or Pittsburgh Pirates? That's exactly what happened in New York, where the team president (Isiah Thomas) was sued for sexual harassment, the Hall of Fame head coach (Larry Brown) feuded with the star (Stephon Marbury), the star feuded with his teammates, his teammates feuded with the Hall of Fame coach and each other, the owner (James Dolan) said winning wasn't an "integral" part of the plan, and losses mounted until the Hall of Fame coach got sick to his stomach.

Pat Riley stepped down from his office above the Miami Heat practice court to start running practice again as head coach after family man Stan Van Gundy resigned. The manchild LeBron James took another step toward earning the crown as King when he led the Cleveland Cavaliers into the postseason for the first time in eight years. Kobe Bryant provided the season's signature moment when he scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, a remarkable feat when you consider the Raptors are an actual NBA team. Ron Artest had his annual meltdown and sabotaged the Indiana Pacers once again when he demanded a trade in December and had his wish granted in January. He then single-handedly turned the stale Sacramento Kings into a dangerous playoff team and helped Shareef Abdur-Rahim end the longest futility streak in the NBA and advance to the playoffs for the first time in his career. The Pacers, on the other hand, crumbled in the second half of the season and barely made the playoffs in the worse-than-anticipated Eastern Conference.

The D finally arrived in Dallas as the Mavericks won 60 games -- good enough for the fourth seed in the wacky Western Conference, where only teams with winning records make the playoffs (are you taking notes, East?) and the sixth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers will have homecourt advantage in the first round against the Northwest Division champion Denver Nuggets because of a bizarre glitch in the NBA's playoff seeding. (The three division champions are awarded the top three seeds regardless of record and if a lower seeded team has a better record than the division champion, it will have homecourt advantage in the playoffs). Hard to pinpoint what was crazier, having to explain the seeds in the West or writing that the Clippers were in the playoffs.

But enough of the lame rehash. Here are the postseason awards.

Rookie of the Year

Chris Paul, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets

In last summer's NBA draft, Paul was passed over by three teams -- four if you count Portland, which traded down -- and landed in the laps of the Hornets, who desperately wanted him all along. He was the classic pass-first point guard, who focused on making his teammates better, sharing the ball and taking over games offensively on an as-needed basis. The Hornets have had to overcome so much this season after Hurricane Katrina forced them to leave their home in New Orleans and seek refuge in Oklahoma City. Paul simply formed a solid fan base in two cities, giving both home towns a reason to cheer, as he kept a Hornets team that won 18 games last season in playoff contention until the final month of the season. He averaged 16.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists in rookie campaign that rivaled many of the all-time greats at his position -- Jason Kidd, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson and Bob Cousy.

Runners-up: Charlie Villanueva, Toronto Raptors; Raymond Felton, Charlotte Bobcats


Coach of the Year

Avery Johnson, Dallas Mavericks

Not an easy choice with Flip Saunders taking over for Larry Brown and leading the Pistons to a franchise record in wins, Phil Jackson guiding a mediocre Lakers team into the playoffs, Mike Dunleavy changing the Clippers' culture of losing, Byron Scott leading what many considered one of the worst rosters in the league into a playoff contender for most of the season and Mike D'Antoni keeping Phoenix among the league's elite despite bringing in seven new players and losing Amare Stoudemire for practically the entire season. That being said, the choice is Avery Johnson, who brought a defensive mindset to the Mavericks in his first season in Dallas. Once a high-scoring team deficient in defense, the Mavericks have shown the ability to lock down opponents on occasion this season. Johnson was able to maximize the talents of players such as DeSagana Diop, Erick Dampier and Adrian Griffin, and he kept the Mavericks in contention for the league's best record for most of the season despite being ravaged by injuries. Plus, is there a better post-game interview in the NBA?

Runners-up: Mike D'Antoni, Phoenix Suns; Byron Scott, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets

Defensive Player of the Year

Ron Artest, Sacramento Kings

He didn't play enough games, you say? How can he be rewarded for what he did to Indiana? None of that makes any difference when you take into consideration how dire the situation in Sacramento was before the gambling Maloof brothers rolled the dice on Artest. The Kings were foundering in last place in the Pacific Division, six games below .500 and serving up lay-up lines on a nightly basis. Artest arrived and completely changed the identity of the team, giving it a toughness and defensive intensity that had been lacking since, well, the team played in Kansas City. The Kings went 26-14 with Artest in the lineup and made dramatic improvements on defense, with opponent scoring dropping from over 100 points per game to around 94. That was solely because Artest's "infinite intensity" -- the words he used to explain his reasons for wearing No. 93 -- on defense, which has become contagious. The Kings could be dangerous in the postseason.

Runners-up: Shawn Marion, Phoenix Suns; Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz.

Sixth Man of the Year

Mike Miller, Memphis Grizzlies

Miller Time didn't end when Reggie Miller retired. Mike Miller has taken the title, serving as the sharpshooting momentum changer for the underrated Memphis Grizzlies. Miller averaged 13.8 points and shot 40.7 percent from beyond the three-point line this season. He scored a career-high 41 points in a win against Denver on March 17, torched the Wizards at MCI Center on Jan. 22 and recorded his first career triple-double when he had 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a win against Sacramento on Jan. 10. Miller had the award locked up before the Grizzlies sent out an awesome promotion for his sixth man campaign -- a box of M&amp;Ms in Grizzlies colors with Miller's picture and stats on the side. That sealed it.

Runners-up: Speedy Claxton, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets; Jerry Stackhouse, Dallas Mavericks

Most Improved Player of the Year

Boris Diaw, Phoenix Suns

The knock on Diaw in his first two seasons in Atlanta was that he was afraid to shoot. Diaw would often drive into the lane, lift the ball toward the rim, then toss a no-look pass to an unsuspecting teammate who was preparing to box out for a rebound. Diaw frustrated coaches Terry Stotts and Mike Woodson for his maddening passion for passing and reluctance to score. That was not going to work in Phoenix, where Coach Mike D'Antoni's system not only encourages shooting, it mandates it. After showing only flashes of his all-around skills in Atlanta, Diaw was dumped to Phoenix as a throw-away in a deal that put Joe Johnson in a Hawks uniform. He has risen with the Suns. Playing the role of point center, Diaw freed Steve Nash of some of the decision-making on offense, tossing lobs for Shawn Marion and averaged 13.3 points -- almost three times his scoring average in Atlanta -- 6.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists.

Runners-up: David West, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets; Chris Kaman, Los Angeles Clippers

Most Valuable Player

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

Reigning MVP Steve Nash was the front-runner, but the Suns finished the regular season rather quietly. While Nash was instrumental to the Amare Stoudemire-less Suns winning the Pacific Division, he often gets too much credit for his team's success. Is he solely responsible for making every player in Phoenix better, like some puppeteer with strings? Or does Coach Mike D'Antoni's system deserve some credit? And, has anyone ever heard of Shawn Marion? He averaged almost 22 points, 12 rebounds and two steals this season. He also happens to be a three-time all-star -- including once before Nash joined the Suns -- and he plays defense. Nash leads the league in assists at 10.5 and his averaging a career-high 18.9 points, but what makes his season truly special? Nothing, really.

And consider this list of multiple MVP award winners: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Michael Jordan (5), Bill Russell (5), Wilt Chamberlain (4), Moses Malone (3), Larry Bird (3), Magic Johnson (3), Bob Pettit (2), Karl Malone (2) and Tim Duncan (2). Nash has been good, but is he really in that class as a player?

It's really hard to just hand Nash the award again when LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have had two of the best statistical seasons in the history of the NBA. At just 21, James is about to become the fourth player to ever average 31 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. He has been masterful the past month in leading the Cleveland Cavaliers into the playoffs for the first time in eight years. The Cavs are within range of 50 wins despite missing Larry Hughes for 45 games. They'd surely have more wins if Hughes were healthy. James leads the league in minutes and ranks second in efficiency rating. Any other year, James would be the obvious selection for league MVP.

But after much deliberation and debate, the choice for MVP is very obvious: Kobe Bryant. This season, Bryant has emerged at the game's most complete and dominant player. In leading the Los Angeles Lakers into the playoffs, Bryant did what most considered impossible at the beginning of the season. He has, by far, the weakest supporting cast of any MVP candidate. And perhaps no one in consideration could've led this team into the postseason. When Smush Parker and Kwame Brown are your third-and-fourth best options on offense, you really shouldn't be that good.

But Bryant assumed the role as the Lakers' designated scorer, sprinkled in a little defense -- something neither James nor Nash did -- and made it work. He emerged as the greatest one-man show in the league, averaging 35.4 points -- the most since Michael Jordan averaged 37.1 points in 1988 (when Jordan won his first MVP trophy) and the seventh-highest single-season scoring average in NBA history.

Here's another list to consider: Chamberlain, Jordan and Bryant. After this season, they will go down as the only two players in NBA history to average at least 35 points in a single season. Chamberlain did it five times. Jordan did it twice. Now Bryant. That's it. That's dominance.

And no player has had a greater imprint on the regular season than Bryant. He scored 62 points in three quarters against Dallas, and recorded the second-highest scoring outburst in NBA history when he scored 81 points against Toronto. Anyone who raises the possibility of scoring 100 points in a game, should have the MVP trophy shipped immediately.

The Lakers can win only 45 games at best, which would be the fewest victories for an MVP since Abdul-Jabbar's Lakers won 40 games in 1975-76. Some would argue that Bryant shouldn't win because he doesn't make his teammates better, but how much better could this Lakers team be? The Lakers weren't exactly considered a playoff team when the season began. And, while no one was paying attention, Parker is having a career year and Lamar Odom and Brown got better as the season progressed, with Brown playing the best basketball of his career in the past six weeks, benefitting from the Bryant double- and triple-teams.

In addition to his exploits on the court, Bryant made up with Shaquille O'Neal and mended fences with Phil Jackson. This truly was his year. With the league watered down and talent spread out over 30 teams, few teams can truly be great anymore. But Individual greatness cannot be overlooked. Bryant has been the best of the best this season.

Runners-up: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers; Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns; Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks; Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons

All NBA First Team

F Dirk Nowitzki

F LeBron James

C Shaquille O'Neal

G Steve Nash

G Kobe Bryant

Second Team

F Shawn Marion

F Elton Brand

C Yao Ming

G Dwyane Wade

G Chauncey Billups

Third Team

F Tim Duncan

F Carmelo Anthony

C Ben Wallace

G Tony Parker

G Gilbert Arenas

© 2006 Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive

[ShoogarBear]

Artest DPOY and Marion runner-up?

:lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao

:idiot

[TDMVPDPOY]

um i already pissed with this, lets just shut them up when we lift up that championship again repeat! td liftin up finals mvp :D:D

[Spurologist]

FIRST TEAM
G Steve Nash, Suns
G Kobe Bryant, Lakers
F LeBron James, Cavaliers
F Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
C Shaquille O'Neal, Heat

SECOND TEAM
G Chauncey Billups, Pistons
G Dwyane Wade, Heat
F Tim Duncan, Spurs
F Elton Brand, Clippers
C Ben Wallace, Pistons

THIRD TEAM
G Tony Parker, Spurs
G Gilbert Arenas, Wizards
F Shawn Marion, Suns
F Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets
C Yao Ming, Rockets

:tu

[atxrocker]

I think Artest should have at least been one of the runner ups for dpoy. had he played the entire season with the Kings he would have been a lock.