Spurs Brazil
04-06-2008, 08:45 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA040608.NBABeat.en.36cbcea7.html
Minus MVP, here are award winners
My mailboxes, real and cyber, are filling up with campaign literature, none of it from presidential candidates.
That means only one thing: It is time to vote for the NBA's postseason awards.
This will be my 23rd-straight season voting for the awards, and I can't recall a year that presented a more difficult choice for the most prestigious of them, Most Valuable Player. It is a task so daunting I have yet to determine which players will get my votes, one through five. I will disclose next Sunday how I am leaning on that one.
For now, here is my ballot for the other awards:
Coach of the Year: This one is nearly as hard to determine as MVP, with more truly deserving candidates than most seasons. Byron Scott's leadership has helped the Hornets get to the top of the Western Conference standings with 11 days left in the regular season. Rick Adelman's steady hand kept the Rockets from imploding when Yao Ming was lost with a season-ending injury. The 76ers were headed for another trip to the lottery before Mo Cheeks convinced them they were capable of a winning season. Phil Jackson convinced Kobe Bryant to trust his teammates enough to occasionally pass them the ball in crunch time. Doc Rivers meshed two new stars with his remaining players and has his team on the brink of a season of at least 65 victories. There is no wrong choice here. My choice: Scott.
Rookie of the Year: The easiest choice. There are only three candidates: Seattle's Kevin Durant, Houston's Luis Scola and Atlanta's Al Horford. Durant has the numbers. Besides, Scola's a rookie in name only. Durant gets my vote.
Defensive Player of the Year: The Rockets survived Yao's absence by playing lock-down defense, and Shane Battier is their leader. Garnett's commitment to defense rubbed off on his Celtics teammates. Bruce Bowen hasn't lost any of his ability or versatility. Tyson Chandler anchors the Hornets' underrated defense. Marcus Camby again leads the league in blocks and is second in rebounds. Battier is my choice. :bang :bang :bang
Most Improved Player: The league instructs that this award is to go to an up-and-coming player, which seems to eliminate the Magic's Hedo Turkoglu. Too bad. He's still getting my vote.
Sixth Man: It's really sort of silly to think of Manu Ginobili as anything but a starter. Technically, though, he qualifies for this award. Technically, then, he gets my vote.
All-NBA First Team: Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant at guards; Tim Duncan and LeBron James at forwards; Dwight Howard at center.
Minus MVP, here are award winners
My mailboxes, real and cyber, are filling up with campaign literature, none of it from presidential candidates.
That means only one thing: It is time to vote for the NBA's postseason awards.
This will be my 23rd-straight season voting for the awards, and I can't recall a year that presented a more difficult choice for the most prestigious of them, Most Valuable Player. It is a task so daunting I have yet to determine which players will get my votes, one through five. I will disclose next Sunday how I am leaning on that one.
For now, here is my ballot for the other awards:
Coach of the Year: This one is nearly as hard to determine as MVP, with more truly deserving candidates than most seasons. Byron Scott's leadership has helped the Hornets get to the top of the Western Conference standings with 11 days left in the regular season. Rick Adelman's steady hand kept the Rockets from imploding when Yao Ming was lost with a season-ending injury. The 76ers were headed for another trip to the lottery before Mo Cheeks convinced them they were capable of a winning season. Phil Jackson convinced Kobe Bryant to trust his teammates enough to occasionally pass them the ball in crunch time. Doc Rivers meshed two new stars with his remaining players and has his team on the brink of a season of at least 65 victories. There is no wrong choice here. My choice: Scott.
Rookie of the Year: The easiest choice. There are only three candidates: Seattle's Kevin Durant, Houston's Luis Scola and Atlanta's Al Horford. Durant has the numbers. Besides, Scola's a rookie in name only. Durant gets my vote.
Defensive Player of the Year: The Rockets survived Yao's absence by playing lock-down defense, and Shane Battier is their leader. Garnett's commitment to defense rubbed off on his Celtics teammates. Bruce Bowen hasn't lost any of his ability or versatility. Tyson Chandler anchors the Hornets' underrated defense. Marcus Camby again leads the league in blocks and is second in rebounds. Battier is my choice. :bang :bang :bang
Most Improved Player: The league instructs that this award is to go to an up-and-coming player, which seems to eliminate the Magic's Hedo Turkoglu. Too bad. He's still getting my vote.
Sixth Man: It's really sort of silly to think of Manu Ginobili as anything but a starter. Technically, though, he qualifies for this award. Technically, then, he gets my vote.
All-NBA First Team: Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant at guards; Tim Duncan and LeBron James at forwards; Dwight Howard at center.