2011/12 NBA Awards: Third Quarter Edition
We're three quarters of the way through 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, Philip Rossman-Reich from Orlando Magic Daily, and Don from With Malice.
MVP:
LeBron James - Miami (4 votes out of 6)
27.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 6.7 apg, 2.0 spg, 53.9% FG
Not only is LeBron James having a dominant statistical season, he also claims to be too tough to get a concussion. Pretty impressive feat.
Others receiving votes: Kevin Durant
Rookie of the Year:
Kyrie Irving - Cleveland (4 votes out of 6)
18.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 5.7 apg, 1.0 spg
With top challenger Ricky Rubio out with a bum knee, Kyrie Irving pretty much has the Rookie of the Year award locked up.
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 (80 points)
28.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.3 spg
Guard:
Dwyane Wade - Miami (60 points)
22.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.6 spg, 1.3 bpg
Forward:
LeBron James - Miami (90 points)
27.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 6.7 apg, 2.0 spg, 53.9% FG
Forward:
Kevin Durant - Oklahoma City (75 points)
27.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.5 spg, 1.2 bpg
Center:
Dwight Howard - Orlando (90 points)
21.0 ppg, 14.8 rpg, 1.5 spg, 2.2 bpg
Synopsis: Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen are the only active players to log more NBA minutes in the careers than Kobe Bryant, yet Kobe is the only one still playing at an All-World level. With his injury woes behind him, Dwyane Wade joins his teammate and MVP front-runner LeBron James in his rightful place - First Team All-NBA. While James might be the current leader in the MVP race, he's going to have to work for it because Kevin Durant is following closely on his heels. The only certainty surrounding Dwight Howard at this point is that he is the best center in the league.
Second Team All-NBA
Guard:
Derrick Rose - Chicago (55 points)
22.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 8.0 apg
Guard:
Chris Paul - Clippers (45 points)
19.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 8.6 apg, 2.4 spg
Forward:
Kevin Love - Minnesota (65 points)
26.2 ppg, 13.7 rpg
Forward:
LaMarcus Aldridge - Portland (55 points)
21.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.0 spg
Center:
Andrew Bynum - Lakers (55 points)
18.0 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg
Synopsis: It looks like Derrick Rose's push to win back-to-back MVP crowns is dead - he's missed a third of the season so far due to injuries. The Clippers have been playing like the Clippers of old, limping to a 4-6 record over their last 10 games. But while his shooting has dipped this month (especially from three-point range), Chris Paul has been his usual, steady self. How does it feel to score 51 points, grab 14 boards and hit seven three-pointers yet still have your team lose? One man can answer that question - Kevin Love. Portland blew up their team at the trade deadline, but they wisely kept LaMarcus Aldridge and appear to be set on building around him. At 24 years of age and finally healthy, Andrew Bynum has firmly established himself as the second-best center in the NBA.
Third Team All-NBA
Guard:
Tony Parker - San Antonio (35 points)
19.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 8.0 apg, 1.0 spg
Guard:
Russell Westbrook - Oklahoma City (40 points)
24.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.6 spg
Forward:
Josh Smith - Atlanta (20 points)
18.1 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.5 spg, 1.9 bpg
Forward:
Blake Griffin - Clippers (35 points)
20.9 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.9 apg
Center:
Marc Gasol - Memphis (20 points)
15.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.9 bpg
Synopsis: Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are now the only teammates in NBA history to score 40 points in the same game twice this season. The Spurs have no business still being one of the best teams in the NBA when you consider the age of their roster and injury issues. Kudos, Mr. Tony Parker. Josh Smith's stat-stuffing ways might not get him many accolades elsewhere, be we respect his steez. You could argue that Blake Griffin is experiencing a sophomore slump this season. Still, 21 and 11 a night is damn good for a "slump". And to think the world screamed bloody murder when the Lakers "stole" Pau Gasol from Memphis and the Grizzlies ended up with little brother Marc's rights.
