With the NBA season wrapping up, here are our predictions for the award winners of the 2014-2015 NBA season…
Davis Rich and Jack Hammond | Co-News Editor and Sports Editor + Co-Online Editor
MVP
Jack: Steph Curry
The MVP has to be Steph Curry. Arguably the best shooter in NBA history, Curry has grown from an unknown, lanky kid to the “most unguardable player in the NBA.” He is the best player on a team that is having one of the best regular seasons in NBA history. His growth from just a shooter to a point guard has solidified himself among the elite. Barring a major upset, Steph Curry is your MVP.
Davis: Steph Curry
When all the dust settles, Steph Curry should be the MVP. The sharpshooter has ascended to the highest echelon of NBA superstars, and his brand has substantially increased too, thanks to a new signature shoe and several jaw-dropping plays (link paul). Curry is third in the league in win shares even though he only plays 32.8 minutes per game thanks to the Warriors’ dominance. After a relatively tepid beginning to the season from beyond the arc, the Davidson product has gone into God-mode from long-range, cashing in threes at 52% since the All-Star break and flirting with an unfathomable 50-50-90 season. It’s been a big year in Oakland and Steph Curry is in the middle
Sixth Man of the Year
Jack: Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
I know Davis thinks that Lou Williams get buckets, but lets be real, Isaiah Thomas gets buckets. Thomas has been coming off the bench all year whether in Phoenix or Boston, and has helped revitalize a Boston attack. Thomas has led the Celtics to the playoffs and honestly deserves to start. He has averaged 16.4 points per game this year, including averaging over 19 since being acquired by Boston. This is your sixth man of the year, no question.
Davis: Lou Williams, Toronto Raptors
The Sixth Man of the Year award usually goes to the guard coming off the bench who simply gets the most buckets. Lou Williams just gets buckets. Never mind the fact that he hasn’t shot above 43% in one month. When the Raptors offense stalls, Lou Williams sucks it up and shoots another jumper. The Toronto offense improves by over seven points per possession when Williams is on the court. Contrary to many chuckers, Williams isn’t a defensive liability, as the Raptors are actually slightly better defensively when the Georgia native is on the court. When the Toronto offensive stagnates, Lou is there to prop it up, and for that reason, he is the Sixth Man of the Year.
Rookie of the Year
Davis: Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves
I’ll admit it. I was wrong here. Nikola Mirotic is not your rookie of the year. I think Andrew Wiggins took it personally when I spurned him for Mirotic back in January. Since January 3, the Kansas product has averaged 18.9 points per game, blowing the rest of the rookies out of the water. He’s become a human highlight reel, dunking on vaunted rim protectors like Omer Asik and Rudy Gobert in past weeks. In an underwhelming rookie class, Wiggins has to be the unanimous rookie of the year.
Jack: SG Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves
I’ve gotta agree with Davis here. Wiggins is a unanimous pick. I honestly think Cleveland is kicking themselves for trading Wiggins to Minnesota for Kevin Love. A LeBron James-Andrew Wiggins combination would be deadly for the next five years and playing alongside James would allow Wiggins to grow into a superstar faster. However, Wiggins is already the man and will win the award without question.
Most Improved
Davis: Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls
Rudy Gobert’s ascendance to a elite rim protector has generated a lot a buzz around the French center for most improved player. However, the Most Improved Player award has to reflect a full season of work. Gobert’s defensive rating didn’t drop below 100 until January and didn’t reach truly elite levels until February. In comparison, Jimmy Butler has been consistently excellent throughout the entire season, though he missed several games due to injury. He’s carried the load offensively for an injury-ravaged Bulls, averaging a career high in points and assists while playing a whopping 38.6 minutes per game. Butler has blossomed into a superstar and a bona fide franchise centerpiece in 2015, taking the torch from Derrick Rose.
Jack: Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
If Gobert had been starting all year, he would be defensive player of the year. Since Kanter was sent to Oklahoma City, Gobert has emerged as a star. He is also smooth with the basketball on the offensive side of the court and will be a centerpiece of the Utah Jazz for years to come. The Jazz are the second best defensive team in the league and have played great basketball ever since Gobert became a starter. Gobert should win this award closely over Jimmy Butler.
Defensive Player of the Year
Davis Rich: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
This is a tough pick for me. The consensus pick around the league this year has been Golden State’s Draymond Green. Green has the versatility to guard big men even though he is undersized and he has spearheaded the Warriors’ number one defense this year. But the Warriors defense looks good because it also has Andrew Bogut, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala, all plus defenders, and Steph Curry has made huge strides on the defensive end. Game to game, and possession to possession, Kawhi Leonard has a larger defensive impact. Yes, he missed a bunch of games. But Leonard spells offensive doom for any perimeter player. The San Diego State product guards everyone from Curry to Russell Westbrook to Lebron James to Kevin Durant, all while leading the league in defensive rating and steals per game. Talk about a Swiss Army Knife. Leonard and company will be grinding teams out in the playoffs, and opposing scorers will be holding onto the ball tight.
Jack: Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
You know the song “Dream On” by Aerosmith? If not, go hereand skip to 3:15. Whenever Draymond does something great, I can’t help but replace Dream On with Draymond. It just works perfectly. It is almost as fluid as Draymond Green is on defense. Green can guard 1-5 and has elevated the Warriors’ play to a new level this year. He is worth the extension they are going to give him and is a cornerstone of the franchise. He is one of the best second round picks in recent memory and makes every play on defense you can imagine. He is arguably tougher than anyone in the NBA and plays hard every night. Nobody will outwork him, making him the Defensive Player of the Year.
Coach of the Year
Davis: Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
There have been several solid coaching performances this year. I’ve been impressed with how Brad Stevens and Quin Snyder have gotten the most out of their teams. Mike Budenholzer and Gregg Popovich also deserve credit for coaching two of the best teams in the league. But it’s time for more Warriors love. Give Steve Kerr coach of the year. The first-year coach took a team with a very similar roster makeup to last year’s 51 win team and finished with a historically great NBA team. Not much else needs to be said.
Jack: Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
Kerr will win it, but here is why Stevens should get some recognition. While Kerr’s Warriors were ready to win, the Celtics were supposed to be a lottery team. General Manager Danny Ainge wanted the team to lose. He dumped so many bodies of this team recently in return for draft picks and young talent. The Celtics had a clear plan for the future with 11 first round picks in the next four years. They even traded Rajon Rondo and waived the white flag midway through the year. Stevens never quit though, and willed a team that was not ready to make the playoffs to win 24 of their final 36 games and make the playoffs as a 7 seed. The Celtics are a hot team right now yet don’t have any “hot” talent. Sure, Isaiah Thomas is a great player. But who else? The team has great chemistry and plays hard, and there is a bright future in Boston with Stevens at the helm. You give him some real talent, and you are looking at the Coach of the Year in three years.
