Can you believe we’re already almost one-quarter of the way through the NBA season? It seems like just yesterday James Harden was an MVP candidate and the Clippers were a trendy title contender. Now, the NBA landscape paints a much different picture than we expected.
The arrow is pointing up for many teams, and down for others, and early frontrunners have emerged for each of the NBA’s major awards. Let’s take a look at who would win these awards if the season were to end today.
Most Valuable Player
Could it be anyone other than Stephen Curry? My goodness he is delightful to watch. Every night it seems like he is just playing an entirely different sport than everyone else. He can drop 40 virtually any time he wants, and just finished an entire month averaging 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game.
He also just broke his own record of most threes in a month and is leading the NBA in scoring. He is the best player on the best team, and he gets the nod.
Coach of the Year
Depending on when Steve Kerr returns, this award might be the funkiest of the season. So far, Luke Walton has led the Warriors to a 20-0 record. However, since he is not technically the head coach of the team, his official record is 0-0 (bummer, Luke).
The NBA, for its part, have already stated that he is still eligible to win awards, and named him the coach of the month for November. This would be a no brainer selection, as no one could have possibly imagined he would lead this team to such great heights.
Rookie of the Year
Raise your hand if you thought Kristaps Porzingis would be the best rookie in the NBA in less than two months? Put your hand down, liar.
Porzingis has set the league ablaze with his fluid game that is more versatile than many pundits could have ever imagined. He is still raw, of course, but his game shows polish and tenacity on both ends of the floor. He is hands down the frontrunner of this award, and it’ll be up to those behind him to take it away from him.
Most Improved Player
The turmoil in the offseason up in Portland didn’t leave much hope for the Trail Blazers. However, from the rubble emerged a new potential star in C.J. McCollum. McCollum didn’t play much last season, but is now the backcourt mate of Damian Lillard and is showing what he is truly capable of.
He’s averaging almost 20 points per game after only averaging five and seven in his first two years. With a larger role in this team, McCollum is proving himself to be more than capable of stepping up to the task.
Defensive Player of the Year
Last season, Hassan Whiteside was a breakout star for the Miami Heat. He came from basically thin air to dominate the glass and the defensive end, but was also an enigma due to some of his on-court antics. This year, Whiteside has cemented his place as a great defender, and is averaging almost FIVE(!) blocks per game.
Throw in his 11 rebounds per game and he is the anchor of his team defensively. This race is always the toughest to call, but right now Hassan Whiteside has the early edge.
Sixth Man of the Year
Last, but not least, is the sixth man of the year award. The winners have been common names around the NBA for the last few years, but no winner has repeated since Detlef Schrempf way back in 1991-1992. This year’s award could very well go to a player who has started for most of his career but was recently moved to a reserve role.
If Victor Oladipo continues to come off the bench and play like he has, this award is his for the taking. Of course this could all change if he is re-inserted into the starting lineup, but given the way the Magic look with him off the bench, he may stay in his current role. A player of his caliber coming off the bench is rare, and it could end up benefiting him and the team this year.