That also means Midseason Awards time.
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There is much to be debated this year, and no one is filling out their ballots just yet, mostly because the league does not send them out until April. But if the ballots had to be filled out at the halfway point, here’s how mine would shape up.
MVP
Russell Westbrook, Thunder
James Harden, Rockets
Kevin Durant, Warriors
Kawhi Leonard, Spurs
LeBron James, Cavaliers
It’s going to be neck-and-neck between Westbrook and Harden down the stretch, with the possibility that a darkhorse — Durant? Reigning MVP Steph Curry? — emerges down the stretch.
Harden has the advantage over Westbrook in terms of team performance, with the Rockets currently sitting No. 3 in the West and the Thunder at No. 6. He has fit in perfectly with coach Mike D’Antoni’s offense, and has the weapons around him to continue to do so.
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A different question is whether Westbrook can maintain the same pace through the rest of the year. At some point, the guy has to wear down a bit, right? His usage rate is 41.9, and no one can maintain that for 82 games. Moreover, no one can maintain a triple-double average over a full season. Right?
Well, Westbrook has done it so far, and he’s got to be judged on what he’s done at this point. He is deserving of the midseason MVP, and if he somehow maintains his production through the second half — leading the league in scoring and averaging a triple-double with that insane usage rate — he will have my vote, even if Harden logs more wins.
COACH OF THE YEAR
David Fizdale, Grizzlies
Quin Snyder, Jazz
Mike D’Antoni, Rockets
This is a tough choice because all three of these guys are deserving. So are Gregg Popovich, Brad Stevens and others.
We’ve seen the impact that D’Antoni’s offense has had in Houston, and he has managed to get them to play decent defense, which seemed like a longshot both for him and his roster. Snyder, too, is reaping the benefits of his focus on the Jazz defense, which has been stifling on the inside and has allowed the team to withstand a few rounds of injuries.
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But Fizdale has taken a roster that appeared to be broken by the end of last season, not just because of injuries, but because of age and lack of player development. He turned Memphis into a team that not only appears to be a sure playoff bunch, but also has a chance to advance. He has embraced the grinding style of play that made the Grizzlies successful in the past, and he has done so despite missing Mike Conley for 10 games and being without free-agent signee Chandler Parsons for the bulk of the year.
Fizdale has rejuvenated Zach Randolph by bringing him off the bench. He has succeeded in wresting production from young players like JaMychal Green, James Ennis and Andrew Harrison, filling roster needs with low-cost options — a glaring weakness of Grizzlies teams of the recent past. Memphis is playing ahead of expectations, and Fizdale deserves credit.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Joel Embiid, Sixers
Buddy Hield, Pelicans
Malcolm Brogdon, Bucks
Object, if you will, to the fact that Embiid is 22 and was drafted three years ago. Under NBA rules, this is his rookie year, and as such, he will be the runaway winner of the Rookie of the Year award.
His averages — 19.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 34.8 percent shooting on 3s — bear out just how much he deserves it. He has been on a minutes restriction as the Sixers gently introduce him to the league, and he will become more and more of a force as he gets comfortable. That’s imposing.
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Not that there is a lot of competition for the award. Embiid is the only rookie averaging double figures in scoring. Hield has been much better as a perimeter shooter since he was inserted into the starting lineup, and Brogdon has been a pleasant second-round surprise who has helped to ease the loss of Khris Middleton.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Eric Gordon, Rockets
Zach Randolph, Grizzlies
Enes Kanter, Thunder
Gordon has been healthy this year, and has been a great fit off the Rockets bench. He is averaging 17.6 points per game, his best production since the knee injury that ended his career with the Clippers and clouded his time in New Orleans. He is shooting 39.3 percent from the 3-point line and has been solid handling the ball, making him both an ideal complement to Harden and a good fill-in for the bench unit when Harden is off the floor.
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Gordon has a sizable lead for this award, but there could be some big men who give him a run. Randolph, at age 35, has shown renewed life as a bench player, scoring 13.7 points with 8.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists in just 23.5 minutes per game. Kanter has been reliable off the bench for the Thunder, bumping up his scoring average to 14.6 points per game and limiting his defensive mistakes more than in the past.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
Otto Porter, Wizards
Zach LaVine, Timberwolves
You’d expect that, in his fourth season, Antetokounmpo would continue to show improvement. But what was not expected was the drastic spike in production, confidence, leadership and overall swagger we have seen from Antetokounmpo, who is approaching elite levels at only 22 years old.
He needs to be a better shooter from the perimeter. He needs to cut down on defensive mistakes, which generally come from over-aggressiveness on his part. But there are not many holes left in Antetokounmpo’s game. He has developed so quickly as a passer and ballhandler (those will get better, too), and he has become a high-IQ scorer who is understanding both when to push his raw gifts of length and athleticism and still play within himself.
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His stats (23.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 53.0 percent shooting, 1.8 steals, 2.0 blocks, all career highs) tell the story of his improvement, but the best way to see how he’s gotten better is just to watch him play.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Rudy Gobert, Jazz
Draymond Green, Warriors
Kawhi Leonard, Spurs
There is room for plenty of argument here. Leonard is probably the most talented individual defender on a team that allows 101.6 points per 100 possessions, third in the league. Green is the most talented all-around defender — able to switch with ease and guard all five positions — on a team that allows 101.0 points per 100 possessions, good for first in the league.
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But Gobert is the guy who has had the greatest impact on his team’s defense, the lynchpin big man on a defense that also allows 101.3 points per 100 possessions, second only to Golden State. He leads the league in defensive win shares (3.5), an estimated number of wins contributed to the team by his defense, and the Jazz are tied for the league with the Warriors in defensive field-goal percentage (43.3). They’ve built their team around a defense-first approach, and Gobert is the key to that.
