Most Valuable Player- Stephen Curry
After narrowly edging out James Harden for the MVP Award last season, Curry turned on the jets in 2015-2016. He is averaging a career-high 29.8 points-per-game heading into the All-Star break-a six-point increase from last season. The Golden State Warriors have been so good that, out of their 47 wins, their leading scorer has sat out the entirety of 15 fourth quarters.
And he still leads the NBA in scoring.
Chef Curry has put a gap of nearly 100 three-point attempts between him and the rest of the NBA and is just 45 makes shy of tying his record of 286 three-pointers, a mark he set last season. His 45.4 percent success rate is fourth in the league. Heading to his third career All-Star Game, Curry has taken the NBA by storm. This one is a no-brainer.
Honorable Mentions- Russell Westbrook, Draymond Green
Most Improved Player- C.J. McCollum
In his third year in the league, McCollum has been the biggest success story for the Portland Trail Blazers' season and, perhaps, the NBA. The 24 year-old shooting guard started just three games last season, averaging 6.8 points-per-game in 62 total games played. After being installed into the starting lineup this season, he dropped 37 points on opening night and never looked back.
McCollum is averaging 20.7 points-per-game-second to Damian Lillard for the team lead. A non-factor last season, McCollum has been the biggest benefactor of the Blazers' departure-filled offseason. He went from averaging 15.7 minutes-per-game last season off the bench to 35.0 in 2015-2016 and his play has guided the Blazers to 27-27, good for seventh place in the Western Conference heading into the All-Star break.
Honorable Mentions- Isaiah Thomas, Khris Middleton, Paul George
Defensive Player of the Year- DeAndre Jordan
After an eventful and controversial offseason, Jordan appears to have made the right choice to remain the center of the Los Angeles Clippers. While Jordan is averaging a career-high 12.2 points-per-game and a league-leading .703 field goal percentage, his defense has been a more prominent factor in the Clippers' success this season. Jordan is the centerpiece to the fourth-best defensive team in the Western Conference.
His 14.0 rebounds-per-game is second in the league behind Andre Drummond. Jordan has eclipsed the 20-rebound mark four times this season, with a season-high of 24 rebounds in a game. The eighth-year center is also second in the NBA in blocks-per-game. His 2.27 average trails only Hassan Whiteside, who has been the most dominant shotblocker all season, averaging nearly four blocks-per-game. An arguable snub from the All-Star Game, Jordan remains a vicious dunker, but his play on defense has been equally as impressive.
Honorable Mentions- Andre Drummond, Hassan Whiteside, Pau Gasol
Sixth Man- Jamal Crawford
The two-time Sixth Man is in the running for a third award, which would be an NBA record. Although Crawford is averaging his lowest scoring average since the 2002-2003 season, the 35 year-old's 26.4 minutes-per-game still consist of some of the most quality minutes for any bench player in the league.
Crawford has scored 20 or more points in six of his last eight games heading into the break and has played more than thirty minutes in his last four games. He also leads the league in free throw percentage. With Blake Griffin sidelined for an extended period of time, the Clippers will continue to rely on Crawford. He is the team's third-leading scorer (not including Griffin) and is poised to elevate his 13.5 points-per-game average on the other side of the break.
Honorable Mentions- Will Barton, Ryan Anderson
Rookie of the Year- Karl-Anthony Towns
The 2015 first overall draft pick leads all rookies in points and rebounds and is behind only Kristaps Porzingis in blocked shots. Towns' 17.1 points-per-game is the highest for a rookie since Damian Lillard averaged 19.0 in the 2012-2013 season. The 20 year-old is also the first rookie to average a double-double since Blake Griffin won the award after the 2010-2011 season.
Towns certainly has great competition for Rookie of the Year in Porzingis (1.9 blocks-per-game) and Jahlil Okafor (17.1ppg). Nevertheless, the former Kentucky Wildcat is proving his worth and is poised to follow teammate, Andrew Wiggins, and become the second consecutive first overall draft pick to be named Rookie of the Year.