NBA MVP –
My NBA MVP halfway through the season is Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Averaging 31.1 PTS 6.5 ASTS 5.5 REBS on 55/37/88 splits leading an OKC Thunder team that went 40-42 last season to a 37-17 record just halfway through the season. He isn’t just an offensive player, his defensive impact is best amongst all active candidates posting 2.2 steals leading the NBA and 191 deflections again leading the NBA. Joel Embiid would have won his 2nd straight NBA MVP award but due to the NBA’s new rule of having to play a total of at least 65 games, Joel Embiid getting surgery after a meniscus injury will put him under the game requirement and will not be able to win NBA MVP. Bryson Taylor fellow sports journalist at Verrado High thinks otherwise “Jokic is the MVP he is leading SGA in almost every stat other than 3-point percentage and points per game, the Nuggets are only 2 games behind the Thunder so record doesn’t factor”
NBA DPOY –
My NBA DPOY halfway through the NBA season is Rudy Gobert, if he won DPOY this year it would put him at 4 DPOYs in his career in a 3-way tie with legendary defender Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo, then there would be real conversations about Rudy Gobert being the best defensive player of all time and leading the Timberwolves as the best defensive team in the NBA with a team defensive rating of 108, posting a defensive rating of 104 himself. He is also near the top of the league in blocks per game at 2.1. Other close contenders are first-year Victor Wembenyama and Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr.
NBA ROTY –
It seems at this point in the season Victor Wembenyama is running away with the Rookie of the Year award, at the beginning of the season it seemed that Chet Holmgren had a case. Still, now Wembenyama has cemented himself as Rookie of the Year halfway through the season. Wembenyama is currently putting up historical rookie numbers comparable to the likes of Lebron, Luka, and Jordan. To have a rookie season similar to players like that you have to be destined to win the award. Averaging 20/3/10 on good efficiency splits with a crazy 3.2 blocks a game, if he keeps up this pace it would put him 3rd all-time in the highest blocks per game in a season as a rookie!
NBA MIP –
Tyreese Maxey is the runaway favorite to win this award, and he should be. the amount of improvement he showed from last season to this season is astronomical, in the absence of James Harden, Maxey has been averaging 25/6/4 compared to his last season averages of 20/3/4. He had to step up big since James Harden was traded to the Clippers his workload increased a ton and he has not disappointed. With Joel Embiid out for the foreseeable future, his workload will continue to grow as this Sixer team is not trying to fall out of a chase of getting homecourt in the playoffs.
NBA 6MOY –
This season I would say that Malik Monk is most definitely the 6th man of the year, coming off the bench for a seriously good Sacramento Kings team he is averaging 15/5/3 while shooting 38% from behind the arc, and when Malik Monk gets going he is on a heater and he won’t slow down. A very valuable asset for this Kings team and most definitely deserves the 6th Man of the Year award this season.
NBA COTY –
This season the Coach of the Year is a tight race between Mark Daignault of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Both are amazing defensive-minded coaches who are catapulting their teams to the top of the NBA. Although I would give the slight edge to Mark Daignault what he has been able to do with this team is truly outstanding through both defense and offense. He has brought great improvement throughout his time with the Thunder and now is the time to reap the rewards of his hard work after a 40-win season last year he has already brought the Thunder to 37 wins at the all-star break.
