2011/12 NBA Awards: Midseason Edition

We've reached the halfway mark of this wacky NBA season, and to mark the occasion The Hoops Manifesto has gathered together the best basketball minds at Bloguin to vote on the early season leaders for MVP, Rookie of the Year and All-NBA honors.  The envelopes, please.


Voting Panel: Jeff Fox from The Hoops Manifesto, College Wolf and Bonk from TWolves Blog, Andre from The Fantasy Dudes, Mookie Schiralli from A Stern Warning, Philip Rossman-Reich from Orlando Magic Daily, and Don from With Malice. 

MVP:

LeBron James - Miami (5 votes out of 7)



27.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 6.8 apg, 1.8 spg, 54.7% FG

Some are saying that LeBron James is having one of the best (if not THE best) statistical season in NBA history, and looking at that line above it is hard to argue with that.  And, more importantly, he has the Heat at the top of the league standings.


Others receiving votes: Kevin Durant


Rookie of the Year:

Kyrie Irving - Cleveland (7 votes out of 11)




18.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.1 apg

For a guy who was injured for the majority of his lone collegiate season, Kyrie Irving has been phenomenal in his inaugural NBA campaign.  But Ricky Rubio's still cuter.

Others receiving votes: Ricky Rubio



All-NBA Teams

(voting scoring system: 15 points for 1st Team vote, 10 for 2nd Team, 5 for 3rd Team)


First Team All-NBA

Guard:

Kobe Bryant - Lakers (85 points)

28.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.3 spg


Guard:

Chris Paul - Clippers (70 points)

19.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 8.6 apg, 2.3 spg, 37-84 3Pts


Forward:

LeBron James - Miami (105 points)

27.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 6.8 apg, 1.8 spg, 54.7% FG


Forward:

Kevin Durant - Oklahoma City (105 points)

27.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.2 bpg 


Center:

Dwight Howard - Orlando (105 points)

20.1 ppg, 15.3 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.5 spg, 2.2 bpg



Synopsis:  Despite turmoil in both L.A. and Orlando, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard are having extremely strong seasons for the Lakers and Magic, respectively.  There's definitely no turmoil with L.A.'s other team - Chris Paul has integrated with the Clippers rather seamlessly and has them poised to go somewhere the Clippers never go - deep into the playoffs.  With OKC and Miami tied as the League's top teams, Kevin Durant and LeBron James are going to have a colossal battle for league MVP honors.  



Second Team All-NBA


Guard:

Derrick Rose - Chicago (60 points)

21.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 7.7 apg


Guard:

Dwyane Wade - Miami (60 points)

22.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.7 spg, 1.4 bpg


Forward:

Kevin Love - Minnesota (55 points)

25.0 ppg, 14.0 rpg, 1.0 spg


Forward:

LaMarcus Aldridge - Portland (55 points)

22.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.1 spg


Center:

Andrew Bynum - Lakers (65 points)

16.3 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 2.0 bpg


Synopsis:  Derrick Rose has struggled with injuries this season, but he's putting up similar numbers to his MVP season and the Bulls are fighting for top spot in the NBA.  Now that Dwyane Wade is back from his own injuries, there should be no argument over his place on our 2nd Team like there was in our first edition of the awards at the quarter point mark.  Who would have ever thunk it that Kevin Love would be posting 25 and 14 on the regular?  For that matter, who would have imagined him in the NBA Three Point Contest?  LaMarcus Aldridge has officially arrived as a bona fide NBA star, and accordingly he's getting the appropriate accolades.  The same goes for Andrew Bynum, who is playing the way everyone hope he would if he could ever stay healthy. 


Third Team All-NBA

Guard:

Deron Williams - New Jersey (20 points)

22.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 8.2 apg, 1.1 spg


Guard:

Russell Westbrook - Oklahoma City (45 points)

23.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.9 spg


Forward:

Josh Smith - Atlanta (20 points)

16.1 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.6 spg, 2.1 bpg


Forward:

Blake Griffin - Clippers (40 points)

21.4 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 3.0 apg


Center:

Marc Gasol - Memphis (30 points)

15.0 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.0 spg, 2.2 bpg


Synopsis:  Our voters were a little charitable with the Deron Williams selection, don't you think?  However, Russell Westbrook is no charity case, as he forms one of the NBA's most lethal two-headed monsters with Durantula.  The only non-All-Star selection to make our teams is Atlanta's Josh Smith, who is criminally underrated.  Status quo with Blake Griffin - 20 and 10 a night, thank you very much.  And there's a new king of the Gasol family - middle brother Marc.