NBA Awards at the Quarter Pole
Sean Deveney - SportingNews.com
Dec 10, 2010
Bulls forward Luol Deng knows that not much about an NBA season can be divined after about only a month and a half. But he also knows that -- with a quarter of the season in the books -- this is a good time to start making some judgments. "Usually after about 20 games you have the sense of where you are," Deng said. "There's still a long way to go, but you can get an idea."
Indeed, we are at the quarter pole of the 2010-11 NBA season, and though much figures to change before April, we're starting to get an idea or two about how teams, players and storylines are stacking up.
MVP
1. Dwight Howard, Magic
2. Chris Paul, Hornets
3. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
4. Kobe Bryant, Lakers
5. Manu Ginobili, Spurs
Statistically, Howard's production is in line with where he has been over the last three years, but he has the Magic only slightly off the Eastern Conference lead thanks to his defense and his 12.1 rebounds per game. The Magic are winning despite slumps from starters Rashard Lewis and Quentin Richardson, and that can be attributed to Howard's consistency.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1. Blake Griffin, Clippers
2. John Wall, Wizards
3. Landry Fields, Knicks
It's been a rough year so far for the 2010 draft class, so it's probably fitting that the easy favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award is Griffin, the No. 1 pick from 2009. The Clippers have struggled, but in Griffin (20.2 points, 11.8 rebounds), there is hope for the future. Wall (17.0 points, 8.7 assists) would be a shoo-in for the award if not for Griffin's dominance.
COACH OF THE YEAR
1. George Karl, Nuggets
2. Gregg Popovich, Spurs
3. Monty Williams, Hornets
Williams deserves credit for the Hornets' early season spurt, and Popovich gets a nod for having the flexibility to shed old habits to lead the new offensive-minded Spurs to the top of the West. But, in coming back from cancer, overcoming injuries (Shelden Williams is a starter in Denver ... let that sink in) and getting his team to mentally nudge aside the fact that star player Carmelo Anthony has one foot out the door, Karl has done a remarkable job steering his Nuggets into the thick of the West playoff hunt.
STORY LINES TO WATCH
1. Miami's chemistry experiment. A five-game winning streak has quelled the uproar over the Heat's faltering start, but it should be pointed out that only one of those wins –- vs. the Hawks -- came against a team over .500 and is the Heat's only victory over a winning team in three weeks. Unfortunately for Miami, they'll lose again, and issues about their chemistry and their confidence in coach Erik Spoelstra will crop up again. "There's times where we don't like each other," Spoelstra said. "That can be a good thing as well. There are times when that is good, because you only really get to know each other when you see both sides. We have to respond and move on."
2. Western Conference contenders. Not only have the Lakers failed to run away with the West in the early going, but, through Monday's games, they're a measly fourth in the conference. The No. 1-seeded Spurs have put together a remarkable offensive season so far, the Mavericks have the league's deepest roster, and the comeback-happy Jazz have been the NBA's most resilient bunch. Don't be surprised if all three teams are battling with the Lakers for tops in the conference down the stretch.
3. The collective bargaining grind. The league entered negotiations for a new CBA -- the current one runs up in July -- entrenched in the opinion that player salaries need a major rollback, and the owners have become only more resolved on the issue. As negotiations have proceeded, the union has gotten increasingly outraged at the owners' demands. In other words, there's been little progress between the two sides, and both are bracing for a lockout.
BIGGEST SURPRISE TEAM
1. Spurs
2. Knicks
3. Pacers
Led by the backcourt of Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, the Spurs are moving at a much faster pace and averaging 106.7 points per game -- that's fourth in the league for a team that hasn't finished in the Top 5 in offense in 15 years. Tim Duncan is still a staple of the team, but San Antonio is getting much more production from their wings and shooters.
BIGGEST SURPRISE PLAYER
1. Roy Hibbert, Pacers
2. Dorrell Wright, Warriors
3. Michael Beasley, Timberwolves
Hibbert worked hard to drop 20 pounds and add muscle this summer, and it has paid off. He's become a focal point of the offense, averaging 15.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the much-improved Pacers.
MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM
1. Heat
2. Bucks
3. Clippers
The Heat have looked better in walloping their last five opponents, but no one expected them to be 14-8 at this point. Worse, they have struggled against good opponents, going just 3-7 against teams over .500.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER
1. Hedo Turkoglu, Suns
2. Evan Turner, Sixers
3. Anthony Randolph, Knicks
Turkoglu's downward spiral began when he left the East champion Magic after the 2008-09 season and signed a $50 million contract with Toronto, where he was one-season dud. The disappointment has shifted to Phoenix, where he has lost his starting job to Hakim Warrick and is now seventh or eighth in the playing rotation.
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