Game of Thrones, NBA Edition (VIDEO)

Game of Thrones, NBA Edition (VIDEO)

You can only appreciate how fantastic this is if you watch HBO's hit show Game of Thrones. Check out the animated spoof video featuring LeBron James, Pat Riley, Kevin Love, Stephen Curry, Derrick Rose, and more playing mock roles of characters from the show. Maybe this will inspire more NBA fans to start watching what I feel is the best show currently on television. Hit the jump for the NBA's exceptional Game of Thrones spoof.

   

2014 NBA Playoffs: Playoff MVP's

In typical postseason fashion, some players have beckoned to the call of greatness and other's have been swept away by the immense pressure and demanding excellence that comes with playoff basketball. Which players production has us fans ranting and raving? The Basketball Society is here to highlight the MVP's of the playoffs so far.


Honorable Mention:

Paul George (F, Indiana Pacers):

Although the Pacers have failed to resemble the title contender many branded them as at the beginning of the season, they are still in an unexpected position to claim victory in their first round series with the Atlanta Hawks.

I say unexpected, because nobody anticipated this series going the distance, as Atlanta's offensive scheme has parked disgruntled big man Roy Hibbert on the bench for the majority of the series. Indiana has struggled in this one, including getting walloped twice on their home floor. Although they have played poorly at times, their main cog Paul George has been extremely reliable in this series.

George has shown flashes of dominance on both ends of the floor, and although it's no foreign matter for him to be a commanding figure on the defensive end, the success he's been having offensively is encouraging for Indy.

Paul has been engaged defensively, doing the majority of the defensive anchoring, which usually falls squarely on the shoulders of Roy Hibbert. As mentioned before, Hibbert's abysmal play and ATL's offensive system has minimized his impact, so George has been forced to step up.

This hasn't been much of a challenge for Paul, as he's rebounding, attempting to put the Hawks perimeter attack to a screeching halt, and fighting through screens to cause pandemonium for Atlanta.

George is averaging 22.8 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 4.8 APG and is shooting 45% from the floor and 46% from three. He has upped all of his statistics from the regular season, and is top ten among all players in the postseason in scoring, rebounding, and three point field goal percentage. PG is also tied with Dwight Howard for playoff double-double's at 5. Although Indiana has endured a severe struggle, the 24 year old Paul George has been playing exceptional basketball.

Hopefully for Indiana, he can register a solid performance Saturday against the Hawks as them and the  Pacers will duel in what is sure to be a dramatic game seven.


Nene (PF, Washington Wizards):

The Washington Wizards marched onto the second round of the playoffs after thrashing the offensively anemic Chicago Bulls in five games. The basketball world watched amazed as John Wall, Bradley Beal and Trevor Ariza picked apart the seemingly indestructible Bulls defense with crisp passes, good reads and poised play.

The unheralded component of Washington's surprising domination of Chicago was Nene's play. Although his numbers aren't eye popping, (17.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.3 APG and 54% shooting,) Nene's play when pitted against defensive player of the year Joakim Noah was extremely promising.

The offense often ran through Nene, who's catches at the high post usually resulted in something great for the Wizards. Nene was hitting his jumper, steamrolling to the rim and making great reads to open up opportunities for others. Also, for a team who's best players never allotted one minute in a playoff game prior to this year, his experience and toughness was an important aspect in getting the youngsters (Wall and Beal,) ready.

Nene shredded through Chicago's highly respected defense, leaving Noah and the other members of the ball club frustrated. These frustrations became even more apparent in game three, as Nene and Bulls guard Jimmy Butler got in an altercation that resulted in the ejection of Nene and him being suspended for game four.

Nene's value to this team has been apparent all year, as they clung to the hope that better basketball would be played when he returned from injury. Now that he's back, healthy and engaged, Washington may prove to be a formidable foe for any eastern conference team.

Manu Ginobili (G, San Antonio Spurs):

Manu Ginobili had an abysmal 2013 NBA Finals. He averaged 11.6 PPG, 4.3 APG, 2.1 RPG and shot 43% from the floor and 25% behind the arc. He constantly made mistakes, as the ball handling duties landed right into his hands when Tony Parker went to the bench for a rest.

Silly turnovers, questionable decisions and injuries prevented Ginobili from making the positive impact that he's accustomed to making for San Antonio

So far in the 2014 postseason, Ginobili has been exceptional, providing the Spurs with that powerful and potent punch that San Antonio so desperately needs at times. Although Dallas isn't the most intimidating of teams defensively (9th in opponents points allowed this postseason at 98.4, tied for 1st in opponents field goal percentage at 47%,) Ginobili has still been puncturing Dallas' D, showing the flashes of brilliance that eluded him all of last year's playoffs.

Manu is averaging 19.6 PPG (which leads the team,) on 46% shooting (41% from behind the arc,) 4.0 RPG, 4.4 APG and 1.8 SPG. These are all up from the regular season, as are his minutes (29 per game compared to 22.8 in the regular season.) He's showing us the vintage Manu Ginobili that wows with big time plays and a craftiness that seems to be so unique to Manu.

What's most impressive to me is that Manu is 6th in PER this postseason (I'm excluding DeJuan Blair who statistically is first, because he's only playing 9.3 MPG.) His time on the floor has been efficient and effective, which was not a commonality in last year's postseason campaign.

With star point guard Tony Parker nursing an ankle injury, Ginobili's value to the team increases even more, as the veteran Spurs hope to reclaim their position as the league's champion. With the talent and coaching the Spurs have, this thought isn't too far fetched. With Manu providing a spark like this, the reality of another team defeating the Spurs in a seven game series becomes grim.


Now for the actual rankings...

3. LeBron James (F, Miami Heat):

What would this list be without the league's best player? LeBron James registered a rather quiet 30 PPG, 6.0 APG, 8.0 RPG and 2.3 SPG in the Heat's first round sweep of the Bobcats. Although majority of the basketball world established a new respect for the Charlotte, LeBron and company were simply reestablishing themselves.

As the end of the regular season drew closer, a lot of hoopla livened up about Miami possibly faltering and falling to the Brooklyn Nets or Indiana Pacers in the postseason. A dominant series has all the naysayers hushed temporarily, as LBJ relaxes at home patiently waiting for the second round to begin.

Charlotte was no match for Miami, as big man Al Jefferson was fostering a foot injury that limited him completely. The Cats had no legitimate perimeter scoring option with the exception of Kemba Walker, and their lack of experience didn't help either.

Miami remained clam, cool and collected all series, and it's easy to see why. With a player like LeBron James at the helm, even the most challenging moments can be transformed into a major triumph. James is leading the Heat in scoring, rebounds, assists, steals and is second in FG% behind Chris Andersen.

In addition to leading his team in every major statistical category, he is 1st in scoring among all playoff participants, 1st in field goal percentage among players shooting over fifteen times a game and is 9th in assists. He is also first in PER (again, excluding DeJuan Blair.)

James has been anchoring the Heat all year long, that trend will surely continue as we march deeper into the playoffs. This is very intriguing, because us fans get to see what the best player in the world has up his sleeves to ensure his team a shot at claiming a third straight championship.

2. Dwight Howard (C, Houston Rockets): 

When things go awry in Houston, Dwight Howard is usually the one to blame. Some salivate at the chance to exclaim things like "Coward" or "soft" right in Howard's direction. The slander at times is ridiculous, mostly led by legendary big man Shaquille O'Neal, who isn't shy about pointing out Howard's ineffectiveness on the offensive end.

Instead of preparing to disregard Dwight, fans should take a different approach and learn to appreciate his dominance. Yes I said it, dominance! Where has superstar James Harden been this series? Taking horrible shots, making poor decisions and having his notoriously bad defense in full force. Harden is averaging the same amount of points in this series as he did in the regular season (25.4) but is shooting ten percentage points lower from the floor, and eleven percentage points lower from downtown.

Howard on the other hand understands the ante has been upped majorly. In this series, Dwight is averaging 26.0 PPG, 14.2 RPG and 3.0 BPG. With the exception of field goal percentage (shooting 54% in the series) Howard has seen a rise his numbers from the regular season, including field goal attempts per game (17.6 this series, 11.3 in the postseason.)

He's exerting maximum energy, which could visibly been seen at the conclusion of game five when Howard was simply exhausted in his post game interview with TNT.

DH12 is leading Houston in points, rebounds, blocks and is second in field goal percentage behind newcomer Troy Daniels. For Portland, it's possible that a Dwight Howard eccentric offense is a little less frightening than a James Harden one, but with numbers like these, Howard is striking major fear in the Blazers.

Dwight is leading a ball club who happens to be the youngest out of all participating teams this postseason, and for those that claim Howard is "silly" or "immature," just look at the impact he's having on this series.

He's anchoring the defense which has always been his specialty, but due to Harden's struggles anchoring the offense as well. Most would assume that anchoring an offense is not in Howard's nature, but he's proving that he's extremely capable of doing so.

How much of the offensive load is Howard shouldering? He's taking the second most shots on the team behind Harden's 23.6 per game. After Howard and Parsons 17.6 attempts per game, nobody is attempting more than 11.

Out of all the players on the Rockets shooting more than 8 times per game, only one is shooting better than 45%: Dwight Howard.

He's 4th this postseason in scoring, 2nd in rebounds, 3rd in field goal percentage among players shooting more than 15 times a game, is tied for 3rd in blocks, and is tied for 1st in double-double's with Paul George. To top all of this off, he's 3rd in PER (again, excluding DeJuan Blair.)

Dwight has been fantastic this postseason, again cementing his status as the league's best center. How long he remains the alpha dog at this position remains to be seen, but highly regarded threats Roy Hibbert and Joakim Noah simply don't compare.

Noah is at home pondering what else he can sprinkle into his game to stave off early elimination next year, and majority of fans are calling for the benching of Roy Hibbert immediately. Hibbert's the first all-star to have back to back scoreless playoff games since the 60's, how could that ever compare to Howard's production?

To compare, Noah averaged 10.4 PPG, 12.8 RPG, and 4.6 APG this postseason in route to being bounced by the Wizards 4-1.

Hibbert is averaging 4.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG and is shooting 30% from the floor. How does that warrant praise as the league's top center?

Am I in no way attempting to undermine the accomplishments of Joakim and Roy, as they are fantastic talents and contribute to their teams in fantastic fashion, but rather fully illustrate Howard's dominance.

Of course, if Houston loses majority of fans will poke fun at Howard for departing Los Angeles just to endure another first round heartbreak, but maybe some will be able to appreciate his excellent play in this series.

It's somewhat fair to place a pinch of blame on Howard if they lose the series, because his acquisition was suppose to place them over the top, but it would be silly to discard his numbers in this series just for pure enjoyment. He's been great, and will have to continue to be if Houston hopes to make more noise this postseason.


1. LaMarcus Aldridge (F, Portland Trailblazers)

Aldridge's consecutive 40 point games in game one and two contribute heavily to this ranking, but he's been solid all around in the Blazers first round matchup with the Houston Rockets.

In the opening contest of the series, Aldridge splurged onto the playoff scene in a forceful fashion, posting a 46 point, 18 rebound stat line en-route to a surprising Blazers win. How would he follow up this mesmerizing performance? Aldridge again ushered in a stint of dominance by posting 43 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks as the Blazers claimed victory and a 2-0 series lead.

LaMarcus is a huge reason why Portland maintains a 3-2 series lead, and has the fantastic opportunity to close the series out tonight in Portland. His 29.8 PPG average makes him the 2nd highest scorer this postseason, and his 10.8 RPG makes him the 4th highest rebounder.

He's leading PDX in rebounding, scoring, blocks and is 2nd on the squad in field goal percentage behind Robin Lopez.

His scoring numbers are up from the regular season campaign, which saw LaMarcus average 23.2 PPG, on 45% shooting.

He's butting heads with Dwight Howard, and attacking fearless and aggressively. His bravery in the paint has turned into utter dominance, as he's launching shots over the freakishly athletic Howard and connecting with great accuracy.

LaMarcus is shooting 50% from the field, promising to be efficient when he touches the ball. His effective has LMA been? He's 2nd in PER this postseason (for the last time excluding DeJuan Blair,) and is leading an elite Portland offense.

Everyone in Portland's starting 5 with the exception of center Robin Lopez possesses the ability to shoot the ball and pass exceptionally well.

This puts immense pressure on Houston's defense to minimize mistakes, or get burnt from every nook and cranny of the court. LaMarcus has pierced the defense with a flurry of midrange jumpers, but also some attacks of the paint.

This mixed bag makes it hard for Houston to hone in on the former Texas Longhorn, explaining why they elected to start Omer Asik and combat Portland with a "twin towers" look. This notion, paired with Howard's incredible effort in game five stalled what Portland hopes to be in the inevitable: Houston's departure from the postseason.

In game five, Aldridge played poorly, only pouring in 8 points on 3-12 shooting and 8 rebounds. Knowing LaMarcus, expect him to bounce back fiercely, especially being backed by the bonkers Portland crowd.

What's also been extremely impressive in this series is Aldridge's strength on the defensive end. He's averaging 3.2 blocks per game, which is 2nd highest in the postseason. Being paired with the defensive minded Robin Lopez has done wonders for LaMarcus, who is becoming more dependable on that end of the floor.

LaMarcus has been fantastic, and for the Blazers excellence to be sustained, he will have to lengthen the string of dominance he's reeled out in this series.


Who do YOU believe is the MVP of the playoffs so far? Hit me with thoughts and opinions on Twitter (@wcboyer24) and continue to support The Basketball Society. 

2014 NBA Playoffs: Houston, We've Got A Problem

The sky is falling for Houstonians hoping the Rockets were primed for a deep playoff run, as the Portland Trailblazers have taken a 2-0 series lead after defeating Houston 112-105 Wednesday night. There are a flurry of things troubling about this notion, with the biggest issues being James Harden's severe struggles and the scary fact that the series is headed back to Portland.

The major story of this series, and possibly the playoffs is LaMarcus Aldridge's utter dominance of the Houston Rockets. In two games, Aldridge has poured in 89 points, 26 rebounds, 5 blocks on 59% shooting.

In Game 1, Aldridge totaled 46 points and 18 rebounds in a 122-120 triumph that went into overtime, and he followed up that dynamic performance with another 43 points and 8 rebounds in Game 2.

No matter who the foe, Aldridge has risen to the occasion simply out matching them with his varied skill set. On pick and rolls he pops, drilling midrange after midrange with his gorgeous stroke. If Houston closes out hard, he puts the ball on the floor and attacks the rim with ferocity.

He's the only player in Blazers franchise history with back to back 40 point playoff games, and the first player to do so since LeBron James in the 2009 postseason.

Even more impressive is that Aldridge is the first player since Michael Jordan to put up at least 80 points and 15 boards in his teams first two postseason contests.

Terrence Jones is too small to matchup with Aldridge, as his lanky frame allows him to just loft one over Jones, gliding through the net time and time again.

Having Howard attempting to contain LaMarcus is risky, as Dwight could be baited into fouling him, parking him on the bench in the games most important moments.

If it's an isolation situation, Aldridge uses impeccable footwork and expertise to wart off the effectiveness of Houston's defensive schemes. He's hitting fadeaways, turn-arounds, step backs and quick decisive moves to single handily punish this Rockets team. He's been a major issue in the first two games, and shortcomings do not seem likely as the series heads home for Portland. Honestly, what else can Houston do, when the guy is burying the shots a team would beg him to take?

Houston can't seem to figure out how to contain the former Texas University big man, as he continues to pierce the Rockets mediocre defense with a bevy of midrange jumpers. Aldridge is on the attack, determined to lift the "underdog" moniker that has been latched to Portland's name during this series.

Many assumed this series would go 6 or 7, but not many anticipated Portland winning. This is due to the fact that many fans and experts expected Rockets guard James Harden to step up and deliver a big time performance.

Harden's play has been downright embarrassing, abysmal and has not reflected that of a player many claim to be a superstar. Harden is averaging 22 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds in the series. These numbers may present themselves as respectable, but that becomes a rarity after the percentages are factored in.

James is shooting 29.8% from the floor, 26% from behind the arc, and is committing 4.5 turnovers per game. His defensive effort is pitiful, as his deficiencies on that end of the floor cannot be hidden.

Portland is too skilled 1-4 to allow Harden to remain absent on defense. All of Portland's starters with the exception of Robin Lopez can shoot, put the ball on the floor to some extent and make great passes. Wesley Matthews can take Harden in the post, forcing James to exert some energy on the defensive end, even when he's completely reluctant to do so.

Harden looks disengaged on the defensive end, overwhelmed by a sense of boredom or quite simply just lost. He has little to no interest in trying to stop the opposition, as he tends to meander in his little own world.

Normally, the issues Harden endures defensively, can be somewhat ignored as he provides Houston with top notch offensive production. Unfortunately for Houston, this has not been the case. As they head into Portland, they are in dire need of a monster game from James.

His wild and inconsistent output has become problematic for Kevin McHale and company, and if the tide doesn't change in Game 3, this series and season will become a memory. One that's filled to capacity with misery and disappointment.

James has missed 33 shots in just two games, as the quality of these heaves have been questionable and of the wild variety. His Game 2 performance was horrid, as James scored 18 points (6-19 FG, 2-5 3PT FG,) 4 AST (5 turnovers,) and 3 REB.

Shaquille O'Neal's favorite scapegoat, Dwight Howard promised that he would step up, as Shaq challenged Howard to beckon to his call of domination. In Game 1, Dwight Howard had 27 points, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks. He shot an uncharacteristic 43% from the floor, and when the Hack-A-Dwight tactic was employed, he choked, clanking FT after FT allowing POR back into the game.

He promised Game 2 would be different. He soothed the restless souls of Rockets fans with his words, the same words that he's murmured for the last several years, trying to dodge the hatred that two fan bases now possess for DH. The first half of Game 2 was the Dwight Howard basketball fans have been yearning to see since his Orlando days.

Howard imposed his will on the Trailblazers with a savage like effort. His assault included rapid moves, intense and dedicated energy and a seriousness that many have clamored for since he's entered the league.

He was dunking the ball with ease, with forceful slam after slam. Rushing up and down the court, perusing rebound after rebound, attempting to generate some type of offensive magic for the Rockets. The defensive lapses Houston was subject to? Howard did his best to promptly clean up the mess Houston's perimeter defenders were making.

Dwight stuffed the stat sheet with 32 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocked shots. 25 of those points came in the first half, but that roaring early energy was hushed in the second half with Howard just scoring seven points in the 3rd and 4th quarters. LaMarcus Aldridge out-dueled DH12, and this has some troubling circumstances brewing for Dwight Howard and James Harden.

Houston, we most certainly do have a problem. The player whom many has labeled as the best shooting guard in the league is currently engaged in a puzzling disappearing act. Houston's bench is producing little to nothing, and the Trailblazers big man LaMarcus Aldridge is ripping their defense to shreds.

Gashing through Houston's defense has set Portland up to devastate the Rockets and their championship aspirations with a critical hit. The series is headed to the Moda Center, where the fans are sure to be crazed, dancing in a pool of anxiousness.

Anxious to execute the Rockets with a final dagger in Game 3, that would more than likely bury their dreams of marching past the first round of the postseason.

With the way things have been going, that dagger may swing from the hands of LaMarcus Aldridge, as he's proved it's no tough task to down Houston with his performances in the first two games of this series. What's frightening for Houston is that in the first two games, they have pricked themselves attempting to wield their own dagger.

HOU is wrecking it's chances of emerging victorious with bad shots, bad defense and inconsistencies from one of the league's biggest stars. Preparing for liftoff too fast, suddenly has Houston grounded faster than anyone expected.

The ascension they hoped to have must occur in Game 3, or the Rocket that Howard and Harden are navigating will be fastened to the ground, gazed upon by the front office racking their brains on how to patch things up for smoother sailing next season.


Are the Rockets done for? Will Howard and Harden bounce back in Game 3? Share thoughts and opinions with me on Twitter (@wcboyer24) and remember to continue to support The Basketball Society. 

All-NBA Picks 2013-14

The All-NBA teams are my favorite awards of the year. The concept for finding out who was best in a certain season that is the All-Star teams is already great. The All-NBA teams take that idea and remove the variables of fans voting for the most popular players over the best like Kobe this year, the East-West division causing greats like Tim Duncan to miss the game while guys like Joe Johnson make it in, and the fact that a midseason analysis can't possibly cover things like Paul George's late season nosedive and Goran Dragic's second half rise. The All-NBA teams give you a definitive ranking of who were the top players at each position in a season. Only a select few get to vote for the actual teams, but that won't stop me from delivering my picks for the All-NBA squads for 2013-14.

2013-14 Third Team All NBA: (find past Third Team All-NBA results here)

G: Tony Parker

Every single year Parker gets underrated because he doesn't put up the kind of numbers that guys like Chris Paul do. It's easy to forget that the guy plays 28 minutes a game like the rest of the Spurs, and his absolutely masterful offensive game. Watch him closely, Tony has some moves that no one else in basketball even dares to try. 

G: John Wall

Michael Conley Jr. deserves consideration for this spot even though he likely won't get it. Conley and Wall actually have similar resumes, from points and assists per game to advanced stats like PER. Wall gets the edge for emerging as the star of the 5 seeded Wizards, while Conley has been at this level for a while and plays with two intimidating big men in Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol who help get him looks and assists. Wall doesn't play with anyone close to their level and still has a slight statistical edge on Conley, which is why I gave him the nod. 


F: Carmelo Anthony

If you think the Knicks are a train wreck now, wait until you see them without the perennially underrated Melo next season. Yeah, I said it. Go ahead and call me out on it if it doesn't happen. What reason does he have to stay? By the way, I originally had Anthony on the second team. But with how stacked the forward position is, New York's struggles push him down to third team for me.


F: Dirk Nowitzki

The forward position is absolutely stacked. There were so many candidates for this spot: Anthony Davis has emerged as a superstar, Kawhi Leonard has silently become a defensive assassin and improved his offensive game, Paul George had a great start to the season, Kevin Love carried the Wolves to an above-.500 record. But I have to give Dirk the nod here for being the leader and best player on a team that absolutely never should have made the playoffs. And I have to admit that I've been a huge Dirk fan for years and that any of the above candidates would be just as deserving here. But I'll give Nowitzki the nod, because to me all the candidates are pretty much evil on paperit takes something extra to be the emotional leader and best player on a playoff team, something none of the others can claim.

C: Al Jefferson

Another tough one. I gave the nod to Big Al over Dwight Howard for a similar reason that I chose Dirk for that last forward spot: Jefferson has led the Bobcats to the playoffs with pretty much just Kemba and coach Steve Clifford as help while Dwight has the best SG in the league, one of the best three point shooters in the league, a top defensive point guard, and a solid bench to help him out. Even if the Bobcats wouldn't be in the West playoffs, they're still Al's squad and he's certainly stepped it up in his first year in Charlotte.

2013-14 Second Team All NBA: (past results here)

G: Chris Paul

Despite missing a solid month in the middle of the season, CP3 has been as excellent as ever. He led the league in assists per game by a significant margin and has developed a true chemistry with Blake Griffin. This season we've seen Paul's absolute peak.

G: Goran Dragić

Dragić has made an incredible leap and he's suddenly a very real candidate for one of these spots. He's an extremely efficient scorer and nearly led a Suns cast that looks sub par on paper to the playoffs. I'm hoping Dragić can keep it going through next season- the Eric Bledsoe-Dragić-Gerald Green backcourt was one of the NBA's most exciting this season.

F: LaMarcus Aldridge

Aldridge is the total leader of that Portland team that became one of the league's biggest surprises, starting off the season hot and never relinquishing a playoff spot. He was an early season MVP candidate and he's redefined what that team is and helped take some of the leadership load off Dame Lillard.


F: Blake Griffin

For the first time in his career, no one is talking about Blake Griffin. Yet he's having what is by far his best season ever. He's improved in all facets of his game- no one can say he "just dunks" now.

C: Tim Duncan

There's no chance Duncan ends up here on the real team- he'll either be on third team or completely out of the race because guys like Dwight Howard and Al Jefferson have more buzz. But man, is the guy efficient. He's averaging very similar numbers to Howard despite playing almost five less minutes per game. It's unbelieveable that the guy can still do this. The debate over whether to call him a center or a forward might also hurt Duncan, but since he was classified as a center in his first-team placing last year I'll keep him there.

2013-14 First Team All-NBA: (past results here)

G: Stephen Curry

While Curry is a defensive liablity, he's a master of offense, probably the league's best offensive player. Steve Nash won two MVPs with that formula, so why can't it work for Curry?

G: James Harden

Like Curry, Harden isn't great at defense, and does sometimes make dumb plays on that end, but his slashing ability is unparalleled in the league. Remember when the NBA's best shooting guard was a debate? Well, now it's not even close.

F: Kevin Durant

Come on, you think I'd leave the MVP off the All-NBA First Team?

F: LeBron James

Come on, you think I'd leave the best player in the league off the All-NBA First Team?

C: Joakim Noah
Joakim is gonna run away with Defensive Player of the year and he's become an amazing passer, something non-Bulls fans might not know. The guy is regularly getting near triple doubles, and since the Luol Deng trade he's averaging over 7 assists per game to go with his double-double in points and boards. This has been a major season of improvement for Noah and he's become the league's best center.

Roundtable: NBA Award Season

The days of the NBA regular season are dwindling down, and the intense and ferocious nature of the NBA Playoffs dawns upon us. The NBA Playoffs are a monster that conquers many, as the game slows down and the meaning of each and every possession heightens. In this roundtable discussion, we discuss which players regular season dominance has them deserving of the several NBA awards that are handed out at the conclusion of the season.

1. Who is the Coach of the Year?

John Lava (@JGBHoops): Gregg Popovich. Somehow Pop has only won one Coach of the Year award despite being among the league's top head coaches for his entire career. The thing that makes him the clear winner to me this year is the way the Spurs held on to the top West spot while missing Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili for long stretches of the season.

B.J. Boyer (@wc_boyer): The field for COY is extremely deep, but to me it's Phoenix Suns head man Jeff Hornacek who has done a commendable job this year for PHX. The Suns were projected to win 21 games this season, but their tenacious, cohesive and hard nosed play has them parked as the 8th seed in the brutal western conference. They've doubled their expected win total with 47 victories, and have emerged as a frightful foe to many western conference opponents without an all-star. The traits this team possesses mimic those of their coach when he played for the Utah Jazz, and they have found these traits produce an incredible recipe for success.

Alex Fischbein (@Sixers_RunWitUs): Tom Thibodeau gets the vote for Coach of the Year. This Bulls team has been decimated by injury and Rose has missed yet another season. Despite the injuries however, Thibodeau has coached this team to his defensive standards and has kept this team contending in the eastern conference. He has done the most with what was given to him and his defensive genius can not be denied. 

Martin Soaries (@marley_mcfly): It's been a great season of storylines for NBA head coaches. Jeff Hornacek in Phoenix, Dwayne Casey in Toronto, Terry Stotts in Portland, Jason Kidd in Brooklyn, and even Doc Rivers’ in his first gig as head coach of the Clippers are all worth acknowledging. I’ll say first that this is an award I feel Gregg Popovich should be frontrunner of every year because of the Spurs’ grand model of consistency, but my pick this season goes to Chicago Bulls’ coach Tom Thibodeau. Thibs not only lost Derrick Rose (again) but came into the season without Nate Robinson and Marco Belinelli, who helped the Bulls maintain at least some semblance of individual scoring without Rose last season. Despite those losses, Thibs’ gritty, defensive-minded team is still top four in the conference without a star player, which I largely attribute to his mentality and philosophy as a coach.

Cyril Mpacko (@Cee_Armel): (Jeff Hornacek) Coach of the year has been a tight race all year in my personal opinion. But ultimately if the Phoenix Suns hold onto a playoff spot I believer Jeff Hornacek should come away with the award. Not only has he navigated his ball club into a prime playoff position in his first year at the helm, he's done so with a very exciting and intoxicating brand of basketball. Gerald Green and Goran Dragic are having MIP-worthy seasons not to mention the suns have stayed the course with their franchise player (Eric Bledsoe) missing the bulk of the regular season.

2. Will this be Durant's first MVP? If so, how many more does he end up with?


Lava: Yes. I think he will win this season and win 2 more, but not next year- next year I think LeBron goes into the regular season with something to prove.

Boyer: Yes, Durant will be awarded his first MVP this season, and will be the recipient of 2 more in his career. Youth favors the former Texas standout as he's only 25 years old, but the leagues influx of talent may make it tough for him to maintain supremacy in the MVP category year in and year out. Along with Durant,  LeBron James, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and James Harden will all compete for the award, attempting to steer the MVP race in their favor.

Fischbein: Yes, Durant will win his first MVP this year. He deserves it, he has been the most dominant player this entire season. If Durant keeps playing like he is now, or gets even better then I see him ending with five MVP trophies. Yes, you read that correctly, I'm going with FIVE!

Soaries: This will be Kevin Durant’s first MVP season and I find it somewhat hard to believe it will be his last. The basketball stratosphere has shown us it’s axis, and it will revolve around LeBron James and Kevin Durant for the foreseeable future. I don’t think this will be the last time we see KD and LeBron duke it out for the league’s Most Valuable Player as both have seemingly entered their prime, but Durant is still younger, likely giving him more ample opportunities to win the award.

Mpacko: (Kevin Durant) In any other year, Kevin Durant's historic January would have won him the MVP award outright, then and there. Any other year that featured the NBA without that fellow down there in south beach. Lebron soared back to the top of the MVP charts with an historic February of his own. However, Miami's downslide in March coupled with Durant's 41 game streak of scoring over 25 points have been too much to overcome and tilt the mvp race back in Lebron's favor. Durant will come away with the award; which I believe will be his first of 3 such MVP awards, as well as another scoring title. Career Highs in PPG, Assists, FG % as well as carrying the load while Westbrook recovered from injury will be regarded as the key contributors to his crowning moment (void of an NBA title at present). 

3. Jamal Crawford or Reggie Jackson for 6th man?

Lava: Taj Gibson. And my runner up would be Manu Ginobili. And yeah, I'm biased on Taj, but a bunch of NBA experts who aren't Bulls fans agree with me here. Gibson has added to his offensive game, is rebounding much more consistently, plays crunch time over Carlos Boozer in every game, and is a candidate for 2nd (or even possibly 1st) team All-Defense. Meanwhile, Manu has had a resurgence after his performance last season convinced us all he was done. But if I have to choose from Crawford or Jackson, I'll choose Crawford just because Jackson's main impact has come from a starting role, not off the bench.

Fischbein: Reggie Jackson all the way! When you lose a guy like Westbrook for a while, no one expects a guy to step in and play like him. Reggie Jackson took the opportunity to come into the starting role and he played with the same type of energy and intensity as Westbrook would. Plus, in case you missed it, he put up some impressive stat lines too.

Boyer: Crawford. He provides the Clippers with a potent scoring punch off the bench, and his reliability in crunch time is imperative for the Clippers and their offensive attack. Crawford is third in 4th quarter scoring behind the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Durant, which simply highlights his importance to the Clippers as their games dangle in the balance. He's third on the team in scoring 18.6 PPG, and his veteran leadership and calm demeanor quells any hostility this Clippers team may face internally or from the opposition.

Soaries: Manu Ginobili is now the only sixth man with a PER over 20 thanks to his better play as of late. Vince Carter has also joined the discussion in this category. But between Jackson and Crawford, two guys I feel would also be deserving, I’m going with Crawford on the adaptability factor. Jamal Crawford is a scorer first and everything else later, so adjusting to Doc Rivers and a more specific system has shown his willingness to submit and show compromise with Rivers’ desired offense. Between the Clippers and Crawford’s continued success under new leadership, I give him the nod.

Mpacko: (Reggie Jackson) The 6th man of the year award is another one that has been tightly contested by a few regulars as well as a newcomer to the race. Regulars: Jamal Crawford and Manu Ginobili have both had stellar years, with the former carrying the load for the Clippers (along with Blake Griffin) all while CP3 was sidelined with a shoulder injury. In the same breath, Reggie Jackson has been somewhat of a revelation for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Filling in nicely in the starting lineup for the oft-injured Westbrook, Jackson has helped ease the burden placed on Durant's broad shoulders. More importantly Jackson has seemingly filled the void left by James Harden's departure prior to the 2013 season. Jackson in the end will hold off Jamal Crawford and Ginobili and come away with the 6th man crown.

4. Who is the most improved player?

Lava: Goran Dragic. This is the toughest award to pick for me because it's impossible to say who should be a candidate. For example, I would say Anthony Davis improved the most this season, but since he's a former number 1 overall pick in his second season, you kind of expect a big leap and therefore I can't give him the award. Dragic helped pull this Suns team that was supposed to tank into a playoff possibility, especially as he carried the team during the two month absence of Eric Bledsoe. Dragic has gone from a decent starting point guard to a third team All-NBA candidate, and no one was expecting it, which to me makes him the MIP.

Boyer: Goran Dragic. I wanted to go with Anthony Davis, but the odds defeating season Dragic has had urged me to give him the nod. Dragic is 3rd in scoring among shooting guards at 20.5 a game, and promises efficiency with his scoring punch, as he shoots 51% from the field and 42% from three. These unexpected gaudy numbers, paired with the fact that these are all career highs for the 27 year old as he hopes to lead Phoenix to the postseason, and it's easy to see why he's deserving of this award.

Fischbein: Lance Stephenson gets the nod for Most Improved. Got to give the guy credit, he's been doing everything well this season. He might not be giving the Pacers 30 points a night, but he is giving them triple-doubles and hustle points night in and night out. He puts it all on the line when he's on the court, and he has definitely been producing this year.

Soaries: Gerald Green. Before this season we only saw the extraordinary dunk highlights from Green, but we’ve seen him make a noticeable confidence leap as the primary two-guard for the Phoenix Suns. He’s seeing the floor more than ever in his career (29.1 minutes per game) and his 15.6 points per game is also a career best. I like Green because of his emergence after such streaky struggles in Boston, Dallas, Minnesota, and Indiana, only to put teams like Oklahoma City on full notice this year, who got 41 from Green last month.

Mpacko: (Gerald Green) The most improved player award is the one I'm the most torn over. Isaiah Thomas has been a player who's had a career year on a terrible team and made the biggest jump from year 2 to year 3. Outplaying many opposing guards on a nightly basis. Sacramento's inability to escape the basement of the western conference will single handedly rule him out of this race. Two Phoenix Suns have found themselves in the thick of the race in recent months. Gerald Green and Goran Dragic have both had career years and have led the Suns' charge into the postseason. Another player who has immersed himself into the conversation is Anthony Davis who is quickly emerging as one of the NBA's premier big men. But he too plays on a team devoid of regular season success. We always knew Dragic was a serviceable guard, but no one saw his evolution into a top tier all-star caliber player coming this soon. In the same token the evolution of Gerald Green has been a sight to see. The high flyer has rounded out the rough edges of his game and transformed himself into an offensive mismatch for opposing defenses. His developed outside shooting has been key for the suns all year. In a hotly contested race I believe Gerald Green comes home with this one. 

5. Who is the Defensive Player of the Year?

Lava: Joakim Noah. Believe me, I hate to look like I'm making two homer picks here, but after looking carefully through all the candidates Noah stands out to me. He's an efficient defensive leader on an outstanding defensive team. If the Pacers hadn't fallen apart the last two months this award would be Roy Hibbert's, but since they couldn't Joakim gets it instead.

Boyer: Joakim Noah. Noah has been outrageous this year, avoiding the downward spiral many assumed couldn't be for this Bulls team after Derrick Rose went down with another knee injury, and Luol Deng was shipped to Cleveland. The Bulls offense isn't always dazzling, but they combat their anemic offensive output with defensive pressure that has the opposition squirming all game long. At the helm of this defense is Noah, who's intensity, communication and underrated ability to switch pick and rolls and do a respectable job on wing players keeps the beautiful Bulls defense fluent and intact. 

Fischbein: Defensive player of the year goes to..........Anthony Davis! 10 rebounds per game, 2.8 blocks per game, and 1.3 steals per game. If you ask me, he's more than deserving of this award. It's only his second year in the league and he's becoming a force on not only the defensive side of the ball, but the offensive side as well. He's already a feared force in the paint, and guards are starting to respect him as one.

Soaries: Joakim Noah. Give it to him already. This guy has the best motor in the league. Defensively he’s the most versatile center in the NBA with his ability as a help defender. He’s able to switch on ball screens comfortably to defend perimeter players because he contains with his length and foot speed. It’s Noah’s impact on both sides of the floor that has kept the Bulls afloat, but his anchoring defense is what helps Thibodeau’s team compete with anyone. Give it to him already.

Mpacko: (Joakim Noah) No singular player has been as responsible to his team's success as has Joakim Noah. The Bulls were an afterthought when Derrick Rose went down again with another injury following his highly publicized comeback dubbed as "The Return." Noah has once again anchored the Bulls and on most nights been there best player on both ends of the floor. He is no question the heart and soul of a Bulls team that lost Luol Deng to a trade as well as key guys such as Nate Robinson and Marco Belinelli from last year's playoff team. The Bulls are back to playing typical Tom Thibideau defense, protecting the paint and limiting offensive possessions for opponents.

6. Which ROY candidate would you rather build around, MCW or Oladipo? 

Lava: Oladipo. Victor Oladipo to me is about as sure a thing as there is in the NBA. If nothing else, he'll at least be Tony Allen, a valuable, elite wing defender, with potential to become much more. Though MCW could become much better than Oladipo, there's always the valid worry that he's learned bad habits from being on this Sixers team and jacking up shots constantly with no one to pass too. If I'm building a team, I want my first piece to be as safe as possible rather than risk losing it all by building around Carter-Williams and watching him not develop the way it seems like he would. 

Boyer: Michael Carter-Williams. The Sixers have spent the bulk of this season in the depths of despair. They endured a 26 game losing streak, traded former 2nd overall draft pick Evan Turner, and have been shunned by the bulk of fans in the city of Philadelphia. Amongst all of this turmoil, has been a kid who has showed franchise altering promise and his name is MCW. MCW leads all rookies in most major statistical categories, and even though this may be a product of him playing on a bad team and having access to an plethora of shots and opportunities, he's shown flashes of brilliance that I have yet to see from Oladipo.

Fischbein: Both players are great candidates to build around, but MCW would be the better choice in my eyes. He's a pass first player that can make the players around him better through his play. His length is great on both sides of the ball and after gaining some more experience he could be a walking triple-double like Rajon Rondo.  

Soaries: Michael Carter-Williams. I was excited about both rookies coming into the season and I’m glad they both showed why. I think they’re both studs, but Carter-Williams is a little more of what I would want for my team’s brand of basketball. He’s a true point guard at 6’6 with a smooth feel and understanding for the game. I like his versatility and I think he continues to grow as a decision-maker. I would love to build around that ability, length, and speed at the point guard position.

Mpacko: (MCW) Many pundits, myself included, thought the Sixers were insane to trade away an all-star guard (Jrue Holiday) on draft night for unproven picks. Boy were we all wrong. MCW has been the lone bright spot on an otherwise horrendous Sixer season that started with much promise after they knocked off the defending champion Heat. Oladipo has been no slouch himself, showing glimpses many a night of the promise he exuded at Indiana University. MCW has stood alone at the summit of the rookie ladder for what has seemed to be the duration of the season. His length, passing and scoring ability have been on full display. If Nerlens Noel comes back healthy next season, and the sixers add some valued pieces to their roster next year, building around MCW would all the more be completely justified. So far so good in year one.