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NFL Mock Draft 2009 Draft of 2009 Lacks Star Power NFL Draft 2009: Getting Started Super Bowl Well Worth Tuning In For
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Prospects On Center Stage NBA Preview 2008/09: Final Call
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Giving Credit Where It Is Due: 2008 NBA Awards By Ron Jumper With the regular season over, it is time for my awards. It has been an interesting race for MVP, while I think the ROY race has been a little misleading (more on this later). I’ll also talk about the awards that I was dead on with, and ones that I wasn’t even close. All in all, it is what makes following sports so exciting. Here goes nothing… MVP: Kobe Bryant I just think it is time. Kobe deserves to be MVP. He is without question the best player in the NBA and he is on the best team in the West, which is no easy task. I think it is proven that he can win and make his teammates better once he has help around him. Maybe Kobe should really be thanking the Grizzlies for donating Pau Gasol to them, as the Lakers seem to be on track to win a championship. I always said throughout the season that if the Hornets won the West Chris Paul had to be MVP. However, they fell just short and came in second. Also, the Lakers and Hornets played each other late in the season with the Lakers coming out on top. I give the edge to Kobe. I can’t give the award to Garnett because I feel like that wouldn’t be justified. They are obviously a lot better because of Garnett, but some of the credit should also go to Ray Allen. I think Garnett’s chances are hurt because of Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, as they are all equal parts of the Celtics success. Remember, they all had very similar success (or lack there of) on their own, so giving one player the credit is just simply not fair. Rookie Of The Year: Will Actually Win: Kevin Durant Should Win: Al Horford While I picked Durant to win rookie of the year at the start of the season, I still am not happy about how the system works. Kevin Durant shoots 42.4% from the field and just a woeful 28.6% from 3, on his way to averaging 20 ppg. Durant takes 17 shots a game because the offense is built around him, that is more attempts than Amare Stoudemire, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Richard Jefferson, and Chris Bosh. However, all of those players average more points. So yes, Durant averaged 20 points as a rookie, but it isn’t really that impressive. Consider their next two leading scorers are Chris Wilcox and Earl Watson, so he isn’t exactly fighting All-Stars for shot attempts. He also doesn’t do much else, only 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists. On the flip side, we have Al Horford. He is playing as an undersized center on a team that is making the playoffs. He averages a virtual double-double (only 9.7 rebounds) and shoots solid percentages (50% from the field and 73% from the free throw line). More importantly, Horford is the 4th or 5th option on offense behind Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, Josh Smith, and possibly Marvin Williams. He only takes 8.3 shots, compared to Durants 17 attempts. Just food for thought… Coach Of The Year: Byron Scott My pick for coach of the year before the season started has lived up to expectations. Granted, most people give the Hornets success solely to Chris Paul, but that just isn’t the entire case. Scott is a defensive coach and the Hornets play great defense, to the tune of 5th in the league in points allowed (95.6 points allowed). To put that in perspective, they’re a top-5 team defensively, despite not having great defensive personnel. Peja can’t guard anyone these days, plus Morris Peterson and David West are definitely better known for their offensive games. I am glad Scott has bounced back after being fired from New Jersey and he deserves to get this award. 6th Man Of The Year: Manu Ginobili This is one of those technicalities that there really isn’t anything you can do about it. Obviously, Manu is not your average bench player but he comes off the bench anyway. It isn’t fair in terms of this award, but it is genius from a basketball standpoint. Ginobili holds down the second unit for the Spurs because the offense runs through him. It isn’t about points or statistics, it is that Manu is the only player in that unit that can create his own shot. He is usually on the floor with Jacque Vaughn, Matt Bonner, Ime Udoka, and Kurt Thomas, none of which can create their own shot. If Manu started, that second group would really struggle even more and be a liability. Defensive Player Of The Year: Kevin Garnett Garnett has transformed the Celtics on defense, as they are the second best in the league in points allowed at 90.2 ppg. They are right behind the Pistons at 90.1, so they are basically as good as it gets on defense. The year before they allowed 99.2 ppg, so there was certainly a drastic improvement. The obvious reason for the improvement is KG, as he averages 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks. However, the numbers aren’t what makes the difference for me, it is the passion and competitiveness that makes him and his teammates so good on defense. Also, he does a great job of guarding the opposing teams best post player and this won’t translate into statistics very often, it is more of an “eye test” approach. I had Dwight Howard as the defensive player of the year and I still feel that was a logical choice. Howard blocks 2.2 shots a game and has a great presence down low. However, if Garnett can’t win MVP, he has to be rewarded in some way so giving him this award isn’t so bad. Most Improved Player: Andre Iguodala This guy has transformed himself into a franchise player and will get paid like it this summer. He is one of the few that turned down extensions (Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, etc.) that actually earned himself more money. The 76ers now have a bright future and cap space to boot, maybe Billy King wasn’t crazy after all. Back to the new “A.I.,” he is the next coming of Shawn Marion in the fantasy world, as he gives you points, rebounds, assists, and steals. He is the focal point of the offense and fans in Philly like him. Repeat, fans in Philly like him. Did I mention the fans in Philly like him? I mean these are the same fans that booed Santa Claus, Michael Irvin on a stretcher, and Kobe Bryant every time he comes to town. April 17, 2008 |
| NCAA Football | |
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Be Careful What You Wish For
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| NCAA Basketball | |
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Jumpology: My Bracket Jumpology: Scouting The Heavyweights Jumpology: Reviewing The Bracket
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