Post by Miege22 on Mar 5, 2021 17:55:08 GMT -5
With the all-star break (and thus a dead period in our schedule), I thought it might be a good time to look at the awards races. Here's how I would rank em...
MVP
1. Joel Embiid, Boston Celtics - 30.2 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.2 spg, 1.4 bpg, 1.2 threes, 52% FG, 85% FT (11.6 attempts)
Honestly, I don't think I fully appreciated what he was doing until just now, typing out his numbers. Holy crap. It's like a dream season from a fantasy perspective. He has missed games, but I think he's played more than enough to cement himself as the favorite.
2. Nikola Jokic, Minnesota Timberwolves - 27.1 ppg, 11 rpg, 8.6 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.6 bpg, 1.6 threes, 56% FG, 88.1% FT (5.1 attempts)
If Joel doesn't win it, then it's probably got to be Jokic. You could make the case that Jokic holds slightly more importance than Embiid, since Minnesota has been more banged up. It's so close between these two.
3. Steph Curry, Houston Rockets - 29.7 ppg, 6.3 apg, 5.5 rpg, 1.3 spg, 4.8 threes, 48% FG, 93% FT (5.6 attempts)
I'm giving him the slight nod over Dame, but man is it close. You'll see why in a moment.
4. Damian Lillard, Houston Rockets - 29.8 ppg, 8 apg, 4.3 rpg, 1 spg, 4.3 threes, 44.5% FG, 93% (7.5 attempts)
Frankly, they should really be listed as 3a and 3b given how similar their numbers are. Curry barely gets the edge due to his superior shooting from the floor.
5. LeBron James, Tampa Bay Bull Sharks - 25.8 ppg, 8 rpg, 7.8 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.6 bpg, 2.4 threes, 51% FG, 69.2% FT (5.8 attempts)
This might be a bit of a sentimental spot for LeBron, but I feel like we have to acknowledge that he's still doing this. His numbers are somehow almost identical to last year, and he's been the best and most consistent player for the East's best team.
ALSO CONSIDERED: Bradley Beal, James Harden, Domantas Sabonis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Zach LaVine, Kevin Durant
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1. LeMelo Ball, Colorado Swannies - 15.8 ppg, 6 rpg, 6.3 apg, 1.6 spg, 2 threes, 45% FG, 80% FT (2.9 attempts)
Raise your hand if you had LaMelo Ball as the runaway rookie of the year? Yeah, neither did I. Reports of his busted jumper and inattentiveness on defense were greatly exaggerated. He has almost single-handedly changed the trajectory of this Swannies team, as they can now point to him and AD as legitimate pillars to build around.
2. Tyrese Haliburton, Toronto Raptors - 13.2 ppg, 5.4 apg, 3.6 rpg, 1.4 spg, 0.6 bpg, 2.4 threes, 49% FG, 83% FT (0.8 attempts)
I think a lot of people were confounded when the Raptors traded a decent haul to move up in the draft and take Haliburton. By most accounts, Hali was going to be available in the 7-10 range. Toronto was 100% right. Hali has been great, and he was really starting to produce over the last 4 weeks before his injury.
ALSO CONSIDERED: Anthony Edwards, Immanuel Quickley, James Wiseman
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kansas City Kings - 23.2 ppg, 6.2 apg, 5.1 rpg, 0.8 spg, 0.7 bpg, 2 threes, 51% FG, 79% FT (6.6 attempts)
I'm not sure if SGA is the surefire MIP, but he's been the most consistent player on the league's most surprising playoff contender. The Kings tried to do a bit of a rebuild, and SGA simply won't let them.
2. Jerami Grant, Colorado Swannies - 23.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.9 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.1 bpg, 2.5 threes, 43% FG, 89% FT (6.3 attempts)
You know, the more I think about Jerami Grant, the less surprised I am by his season. This is almost EXACTLY what Pascal Siakam did two seasons ago. Seriously, here's the description of Grant: "5th starter for a title contender, shaky jumper, good defender, though not great. Can put the ball on the floor a little bit. Has been given the keys and taken off." That is almost Siakam to a tee. That's not to take away from Grant, just that we could have seen this coming.
3. Julius Randle, Chicago Bulls - 23.2 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 5.5 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.9 threes, 48% FG, 80.5% FT (5.9 attempts)
He's now a legitimate inside-out threat and offensive hub. Randle had teased #1 fantasy option before, notably two years ago, but he's finally hit his stride, it seems. A deft pick-up by Chicago early in the season.
4. Darius Garland, Colorado Swannies - 16.1 ppg, 5.9 apg, 2.2 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.7 threes, 44% FG, 85% FT (1.9 attempts)
People will probably notice that there are a couple of notable names missing, namely Christian Wood and DeAndre Hunter. I left them off for now since they've both missed, essentially, half the season. As for Garland, he's had long stretches of the season where he's looked like a future fantasy star. Those have been offset a bit by some injuries and games on a minutes restriction.
ALSO CONSIDERED: Coby White, RJ Barrett, Norman Powell, Zach LaVine, Jaylen Brown
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1. Myles Turner, Colorado Swannies - 3.4 blocks, 1 steal, 6.5 rebounds
For my money, the blocks stand out here. You'd like him to rebound a bit better, and if you value rebounds as more of a defensive stat, then I understand not thinking he's the winner of this award.
2. Clint Capela, OKC Thunder - 2.2 blocks, 0.8 steals, 14.2 rebounds
Given the scarcity of blocks relative to boards, I don't think Capela quite matches Turner, but it's hard to argue against 14.2 rebounds per game.
3. Joel Embiid, Boston Celtics - see MVP section for stats
Embiid has a chance to be the first player in our league's history to win MVP and DPOY in the same season. He'd actually be the first player in league history to win both awards, period.
ALSO CONSIDERED: Rudy Gobert, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Davis, Jarrett Allen, Giannis Anteotkounmpo, TJ McConnell, Larry Nance Jr.
MVP
1. Joel Embiid, Boston Celtics - 30.2 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.2 spg, 1.4 bpg, 1.2 threes, 52% FG, 85% FT (11.6 attempts)
Honestly, I don't think I fully appreciated what he was doing until just now, typing out his numbers. Holy crap. It's like a dream season from a fantasy perspective. He has missed games, but I think he's played more than enough to cement himself as the favorite.
2. Nikola Jokic, Minnesota Timberwolves - 27.1 ppg, 11 rpg, 8.6 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.6 bpg, 1.6 threes, 56% FG, 88.1% FT (5.1 attempts)
If Joel doesn't win it, then it's probably got to be Jokic. You could make the case that Jokic holds slightly more importance than Embiid, since Minnesota has been more banged up. It's so close between these two.
3. Steph Curry, Houston Rockets - 29.7 ppg, 6.3 apg, 5.5 rpg, 1.3 spg, 4.8 threes, 48% FG, 93% FT (5.6 attempts)
I'm giving him the slight nod over Dame, but man is it close. You'll see why in a moment.
4. Damian Lillard, Houston Rockets - 29.8 ppg, 8 apg, 4.3 rpg, 1 spg, 4.3 threes, 44.5% FG, 93% (7.5 attempts)
Frankly, they should really be listed as 3a and 3b given how similar their numbers are. Curry barely gets the edge due to his superior shooting from the floor.
5. LeBron James, Tampa Bay Bull Sharks - 25.8 ppg, 8 rpg, 7.8 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.6 bpg, 2.4 threes, 51% FG, 69.2% FT (5.8 attempts)
This might be a bit of a sentimental spot for LeBron, but I feel like we have to acknowledge that he's still doing this. His numbers are somehow almost identical to last year, and he's been the best and most consistent player for the East's best team.
ALSO CONSIDERED: Bradley Beal, James Harden, Domantas Sabonis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Zach LaVine, Kevin Durant
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1. LeMelo Ball, Colorado Swannies - 15.8 ppg, 6 rpg, 6.3 apg, 1.6 spg, 2 threes, 45% FG, 80% FT (2.9 attempts)
Raise your hand if you had LaMelo Ball as the runaway rookie of the year? Yeah, neither did I. Reports of his busted jumper and inattentiveness on defense were greatly exaggerated. He has almost single-handedly changed the trajectory of this Swannies team, as they can now point to him and AD as legitimate pillars to build around.
2. Tyrese Haliburton, Toronto Raptors - 13.2 ppg, 5.4 apg, 3.6 rpg, 1.4 spg, 0.6 bpg, 2.4 threes, 49% FG, 83% FT (0.8 attempts)
I think a lot of people were confounded when the Raptors traded a decent haul to move up in the draft and take Haliburton. By most accounts, Hali was going to be available in the 7-10 range. Toronto was 100% right. Hali has been great, and he was really starting to produce over the last 4 weeks before his injury.
ALSO CONSIDERED: Anthony Edwards, Immanuel Quickley, James Wiseman
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kansas City Kings - 23.2 ppg, 6.2 apg, 5.1 rpg, 0.8 spg, 0.7 bpg, 2 threes, 51% FG, 79% FT (6.6 attempts)
I'm not sure if SGA is the surefire MIP, but he's been the most consistent player on the league's most surprising playoff contender. The Kings tried to do a bit of a rebuild, and SGA simply won't let them.
2. Jerami Grant, Colorado Swannies - 23.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.9 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.1 bpg, 2.5 threes, 43% FG, 89% FT (6.3 attempts)
You know, the more I think about Jerami Grant, the less surprised I am by his season. This is almost EXACTLY what Pascal Siakam did two seasons ago. Seriously, here's the description of Grant: "5th starter for a title contender, shaky jumper, good defender, though not great. Can put the ball on the floor a little bit. Has been given the keys and taken off." That is almost Siakam to a tee. That's not to take away from Grant, just that we could have seen this coming.
3. Julius Randle, Chicago Bulls - 23.2 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 5.5 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.9 threes, 48% FG, 80.5% FT (5.9 attempts)
He's now a legitimate inside-out threat and offensive hub. Randle had teased #1 fantasy option before, notably two years ago, but he's finally hit his stride, it seems. A deft pick-up by Chicago early in the season.
4. Darius Garland, Colorado Swannies - 16.1 ppg, 5.9 apg, 2.2 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.7 threes, 44% FG, 85% FT (1.9 attempts)
People will probably notice that there are a couple of notable names missing, namely Christian Wood and DeAndre Hunter. I left them off for now since they've both missed, essentially, half the season. As for Garland, he's had long stretches of the season where he's looked like a future fantasy star. Those have been offset a bit by some injuries and games on a minutes restriction.
ALSO CONSIDERED: Coby White, RJ Barrett, Norman Powell, Zach LaVine, Jaylen Brown
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1. Myles Turner, Colorado Swannies - 3.4 blocks, 1 steal, 6.5 rebounds
For my money, the blocks stand out here. You'd like him to rebound a bit better, and if you value rebounds as more of a defensive stat, then I understand not thinking he's the winner of this award.
2. Clint Capela, OKC Thunder - 2.2 blocks, 0.8 steals, 14.2 rebounds
Given the scarcity of blocks relative to boards, I don't think Capela quite matches Turner, but it's hard to argue against 14.2 rebounds per game.
3. Joel Embiid, Boston Celtics - see MVP section for stats
Embiid has a chance to be the first player in our league's history to win MVP and DPOY in the same season. He'd actually be the first player in league history to win both awards, period.
ALSO CONSIDERED: Rudy Gobert, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Davis, Jarrett Allen, Giannis Anteotkounmpo, TJ McConnell, Larry Nance Jr.