I turned in my awards ballot to the NBA over the weekend. Thought some of you might be interested in my votes.
Most Valuable Player: 1. LeBron James; 2. Kobe Bryant; 3. Dwyane Wade; 4. Dwight Howard; 5. Chauncey Billups.
Thoughts: The first four are obvious in some order. I gave Billups my other vote because I thought his presence turned around the Nuggets' season; his impact goes beyond numbers.
All-NBA:
1st team: F James, F Tim Duncan, C Howard, G Bryant, G Wade.
2nd team: F Dirk Nowitzki, F Paul Pierce, C Yao Ming, G Billups, G Chris Paul.
3rd team; F Chris Bosh, F Pau Gasol, C Shaquille O'Neal, G Brandon Roy, G Tony Parker.
Thoughts: You know the depth at guard was exceptional when Steve Nash can't make third-team.
Most Improved: 1. Devin Harris, 2. Danny Granger, 3. Gerald Wallace.
Thoughts: I gave Wallace my third-place vote based on how much his judgment has improved under Larry Brown. He takes fewer bad risks, in pursuit of steals, and is more efficient offensively.
Sixth Man: 1. Jason Terry, 2. Anderson Varejao, 3. Nate Robinson.
Thoughts: Terry is a classic sixth man -- a player who changes a game's tempo and intensity with bursts of energy.
Rookie of the Year: 1. Derrick Rose, 2. OJ Mayo, 3. Brook Lopez.
Thoughts: Rose's ability to penetrate off dribble-drive changes games (although he didn't play well when I saw him live twice in Charlotte).
Defensive Player of the Year: 1. Dwight Howard, 2. Kevin Garnett, 3. Kobe Bryant.
Thoughts: Howard's shotblocking and rebounding make defense easy for a Magic team lacking perimeter stoppers.
Coach of the Year: 1. Stan Van Gundy, 2. George Karl, 3. Erik Spoelstra.
Thoughts: Just a gut feeling that Van Gundy has driven everything out of this Magic team that it can realistically deliver right now.
