There have been a lot of good stories in the league this season: the great play of the No. 1 pick Karl-Anthony Towns, the continued excellence of the Atlanta Hawks, the rebirth of Celtic Cool in Boston, the return to full health of Paul George, an unexpected playoff run in Portland, the triple-double frenzy of Russell Westbrook, the can’t-take-your-eyes-off-them Cleveland Cavaliers, and on and on.
And there have been stranger ones: Kobe’s Farewell Tour, turning a franchise inside-out, the Philadelphia 76ers gradually saying goodbye to The Process, whatever happened between Derek Fisher and Matt Barnes, the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards imploding and missing the playoffs, George Karl, DeMarcus Cousins, Vivek Ranadive and Bob and Ted and Carol and Alice and everybody else involved in the soap opera in Sacramento, and on and on.
But there were only two great stories in the league this season: the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs. And at the end of the day, it was Golden State, the defending champions, who told the tale of the regular season in historic fashion.
Even as their coach lay low, not able to coach them the first half of the season, the Warriors came out with a singular motivation: to lay fallow any notion that they were “lucky” to win the title last year. By winning their first 24 games, the Warriors made clear their intentions not just to defend their title, but to leave a marker as one of the greatest teams ever to play. And this morning, they’re on the verge of doing just that.
With a win Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Warriors will set the all-time regular season win mark, at 73-9. Nine losses. In a season. That’s unpossible. (Yeah, I made that word up.) By way of comparison, the 76ers have had separate losing streaks this season of 18, 12, 13 and 12 games.
The Warriors have done more than win. They’ve won with joy and passion, excitement and defense. I saw the Bulls win 72 games. I was at win No. 70 in 1995-96, on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks, a win which broke what was then the all-time mark (the 69-13 Los Angeles Lakers of 1971-72, who also won 33 straight games). I didn’t think I’d live to see anyone equal 72, much less break it.
Yet, here we are.
So when assessing who should get individual awards this season, it’s hard not to notice the league has tilted. There are the Warriors, over here, and just about everyone else way over there. (The Spurs, trying to deny the gravity of age, are still in the middle, their hands on the rope, coach Gregg Popovich yelling into a megaphone to not give an inch, not one inch.) It has made many of this year’s selections, especially starting at the top, much easier than normal.
Let’s put it this way: I won’t have to defend my James Harden vote this year.
And yet, I still feel compelled to say/write, as I do every year: this is my ballot, not yours. The picks I made below only have to make sense to me, not you. When and if you get to make selections, you’re free to use whatever criteria you deem relevant. But it won’t be relevant for me. So, please, don’t waste your bandwidth sending me some kind of Pythagorean formula that “proves” Markel Brown is better than Kevin Durant. It won’t change my mind.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
The Winner: Stephen Curry, Warriors
The Runner-Up: Kawhi Leonard, Spurs
The Others: Russell Westbrook, Thunder; LeBron James, Cavaliers; Kevin Durant, Thunder
Easy call, and I will frankly be stunned if it is not unanimous. Curry is so much better than he was last season, when he won his first Kia MVP, in so many ways on the floor. Forget the otherworldly accuracy from distance for a minute. Curry has become a multi-purpose destroyer of defensive worlds. He is not the fastest guy with the ball, but no one is quicker. There is a difference. The ability to change direction and angles is what made Steve Nash great. Curry has that same level of athletic ability.
His ballhandling, occasionally raggedy in his first four seasons, became sublime this year, the result of next-level offseason drills and work with his personal trainer, Brandon Payne. (Rarely noted: how strong Curry has become; the core strength and leg strength allow him to take all manner of contact and keep firing, and to run all day.) He can create space in a phone booth (kids! Ask your grandparents what a phone booth is), giving him that half-second he needs to get off his shot. If defenses crowd him, he now finishes with either hand, in traffic, while off-balance, through contact — whatever you throw at him, he beats it.
Per NBA.com/Stats, among players who have driven to the basket six or more times per game this season, Curry leads the league in shooting percentage, making 56.0 percent of those drives. He leads the league in points per game scored on pull-up jumpers (10.5). He’s always moving, always available. And, as we all see, no one in the history of this game has shot the ball so consistently from so far away. It’s been a transcendent season for Curry and the Warriors, who play hard and with joy, rarely are rattled, have brought casual fans into the NBA tent and are on the verge of having the greatest regular season ever.
I accept the notion from those who say Draymond Green is just as vital, if not more so, than Curry to the Warriors’ success. But Curry is, clearly, more valuable. He tilts the floor, puts unbearable pressure on opponents, then cracks their will in two — night after night after night.
In most any other year, Leonard would get more votes and consideration for MVP; there isn’t a better two-way player in the game today. His development and leadership (like Curry, he doesn’t say it, he does it on the floor) have centered the Spurs and accelerated the team’s transition and rebuild, leading to a breathtaking season. San Antonio is now well poised to enter the post-Duncan era, with Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge re-opening the championship window for another five or six years.
Leonard is now the focal point of the Spurs’ offense, consistently capable of scoring off a simple screen, one-dribble pullup, in transition, on the corner three — he’s got ’em all in his tool bag. And those monster hands of his allow him easy access to offensive rebounds and putbacks in the paint. Career highs this season in points, rebounds and assists have followed, along with a top-10 PER. Yet Leonard’s calling card remains the manner in which he slowly and consistently strangles the opponent’s top scorers.
Look at this compilation of Leonard’s defensive versatility. He guards the likes Chris Paul, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Rudy Gay, LeBron James, and on and on — in space, in the post, fighting through screens. He never gives in, he never gives up. It is a clinic in how physical ability, intelligence, intensive study and pride can combine to make up a man who is the best, without peer, at what he does.
Westbrook has brought his blunt-force karma to the floor almost every night this season in Oklahoma City, a cocktail of talent and hubris and will. Part of the thrill in watching him pile up triple doubles is part of what makes the Thunder so compelling — he does it, seemingly, in a vacuum, its own set piece. And it’s led him to the brink of posting the most triple-doubles in a season in nearly three decades. Westbrook is tied with Magic Johnson’s mark of 17 triple-doubles set in 1988-89, and trails Johnson’s 18 in 1981-82.
It hasn’t come at the expense of quality. Westbrook is shooting a career best in Effective Field Goal Percentage this season at .490 (to be fair, it’s the result of his being better shooting two-pointers this season, breaking 50 percent on twos for the first time in his career. He’s still not very good behind the arc, shooting just 30 percent on 3-pointers, pretty much his norm the last few seasons).
Whatever issues the Thunder may have in finishing games this season are worth a separate and worthwhile discussion. But Westbrook has excelled much of the season and deserves accolades — this isn’t a contract year push.
James continues to fill up the box and be durable. Back problems have caused him to miss more games this season for scheduled rest than for injury, even as he passed the 38,000-minute mark for his career. Other than an alarming dropoff in 3-pointers this season (he’s shooting a ghastly 29.3 percent, the worst since his rookie season), he’s looked pretty much the same as he has his whole career.
The Cavs have had some stumbles, to be sure, this season, but they’re nonetheless going to have a better record than last season and be the top seed in the Eastern Conference — and the inside route to The Finals. There is no question we take James’s greatness for granted — (ital)another 55-60 wins? Bor-rring.(endital)
Just consider this: if and when Cleveland wins its 12th playoff game, James would be heading to his sixth straight Finals, tying Hall of Famer Satch Sanders. Only six other players — like Sanders, all Celtics — have been in more consecutive Finals: Bill Russell (10), Sam Jones and Tom Heinsohn (9), K.C. Jones and Frank Ramsey (8) and Bob Cousy (7). That’s big-time company for James to keep.
Durant has answered all the questions about his health this season, coming back from foot surgeries that held him to 27 games last year. The scoring and efficiency are as potent as ever, and KD has also gotten it done on the glass, posting a career-best 8.3 rebounds per game. He’s second in the league to Curry in Player Efficiency Rating (28.1) and Player Impact Estimate (19.3). As for his future, his June will have a major impact on his July, if you know what I’m saying.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
The Winner: Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves
The Runner-Up: Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks
The Others: Jahlil Okafor, 76ers; Emmanuel Mudiay, Nuggets; Justise Winslow, Heat
Another wire job, this one by Towns, head and shoulders above all other first-year players this season — although it should be noted that this was an unusually potent group of first-year players. Guys like Myles Turner (Pacers), Josh Richardson (Heat), Larry Nance, Jr. (Lakers), Jonathan Simmons and Boban Marjanovic (Spurs) and Devin Booker (Suns) all were solid contributors to teams both good and bad. And while D’Angelo Russell made a huge error in judgment off the floor in surreptitiously taping teammate Nick Young about private issues during a conversation (the conversation subsequently being uploaded for public consumption), he flashed more than once on it, giving Laker fans at least some hope for the future.
But Towns was the best this season, by far. He leads all rookies in points (18.3) and rebounds (10.5) per game, is second in blocks (1.7) and second in field goal percentage, just scratching the surface of his potential.
He already has a veteran’s feel for things and rarely looked rushed with the ball in his hands. His presence took the light and heat off of Andrew Wiggins, who seems to prefer it that way. That alone makes Towns worth his weight in gold and future max salary for Minnesota, which has the best one-two punch of young players in the league going forward.
Porzingis tailed off noticeably as the season went on and the Knicks wore down, but at better than 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds (second only to Towns among rookies) per outing, Porzingis more than exceeded the low expectations of Knicks fans, who predictably booed his selection on 2015’s Draft night. He wasn’t quite the shooter his supporters predicted he’d be coming over from Sevilla in Spain’s ACB League, but with time and added strength, you can expect him to improve his shooting numbers across the board.
Okafor made news off the floor for all the wrong reasons, getting pulled over by Delaware police for excessive speeding over the Ben Franklin Bridge in October, and getting in a fight with a fan in Boston outside a club in November. The 76ers suspended him for two games in December, and he’s been trouble-free since, finishing the season averaging 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds.
Mudiay was among the bright spots in Denver’s rebuilding season, leading all rookies in assists, and averaging more dimes per game than the likes of Tony Parker or Kemba Walker. He will have to improve his shooting, to be sure. Only six of the 39 rookies who, like Mudiay, played 30 or more games this season shot worse than his 36.1 percent.
Winslow and Richardson contributed immediately upon arrival in Miami, with Winslow giving the Heat major minutes after injuries decimated Miami’s depth, and Richardson hitting at a ridiculous clip on threes, shooting 48.2 percent in a little less than 21 minutes per night.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
The Winner: Enes Kanter, Thunder
The Runner-Up: Andre Iguodala, Warriors
The Others: Jamal Crawford, Clippers; Jrue Holiday, Pelicans; Will Barton, Nuggets; Shaun Livingston, Warriors; Dennis Schroder, Hawks; Evan Turner, Celtics; Jeremy Lin, Hornets; Mirza Teletovic, Suns
There are a lot of good candidates for the award this season, but Kanter’s offensive punch off the bench for Oklahoma City has been remarkable and worthy of the honor.
The Thunder designed its bench this season to run through Kanter, in the first year of his four-year, $70 million deal, and he has delivered: 12.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 57.7 percent shooting (including a True Shooting Percentage of .625 and an Effective Field Goal Percentage of .582), an offensive rating at 109.5 and a top-10 PER — all in less than 21 minutes per game.
Per NBA.com/Stats, Kanter’s 23 double-doubles and his Player Impact Estimate of 16.0 are the highest among reserves who’ve appeared in 60 or more games this season.
The knock on Kanter has always, and correctly, been that he’s a defensive sieve. Well, he still isn’t any great shakes individually at that end, with a defensive rating of 107.1, and he’s not on any of the Thunder’s best defensive five-man units, which are all manned at center by Steven Adams. But given the expectations were so low to begin with, I can’t downgrade Kanter for not exceeding them. Depends on what you want from your sixth man, I guess; I prefer scoring.
But you could give this to Iguodala and I wouldn’t argue, as he is a prominent presence on Golden State’s “Lineup of Death” that finishes games, along with Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and Green at center. Iguodala leads all bench players with 60 or more appearances this season in pace (the number of possessions per 48 minutes), at 102.4, and in offensive rating (113.8). His defensive rating of 99.4 is 14th among such bench players.
Numbers aside, the Warriors are just tougher at both ends of the floor when Iguodala is playing, capable of getting multiple stops and scoring in transition. He’s the tipping point defensively and with he, Thompson and Green, Golden State is nearly impregnable in the halfcourt. He’s just coming off a sprained ankle, but he’s played more than enough games this season to meet anyone’s criteria (and, indeed, the only criteria for Kia Sixth Man according to the league is coming off the bench in more games than you start).
Crawford, one of just four players (Kevin McHale, Ricky Pierce, Detlef Schrempf) to win the award twice, is as lethal as ever, adding five more four-point plays to give him 47 for his career, the most ever. At 36, he is still unguardable, still able to get his shot off any time, against any defender. His offensive rating in the last five minutes this season is a ridiculous 126.1, best among all bench players with 20 or more appearances in games down the stretch.
The Pelicans opted to bring Holiday off the bench for the bulk of the season as he was on a minutes restriction while recovering from an ankle injury. He led all reserves this season in scoring 17.0 per game and assists (6.4), but since he’s supposed to start, it’s hard to think of him as a true sixth man.
Denver’s Barton set a career best this season at 14.4 points a game. Livingston has been sensational for the Warriors, giving Golden State mismatches almost every game when he comes in, hitting the baseline turnaround over smaller points easily, hitting 55 percent from the floor. Schroder, Turner and Lin have all been outstanding for their respective playoff teams. With 171 3-pointers and counting this season, Teletovic has set the record for threes in one year by a bench player (originally set by Chuck Person in 1994-95, who made 164).
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
The Winner: Stephen Curry, Warriors
The Runner-Up: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
The Others: Kemba Walker, Hornets; Jae Crowder, Celtics; C.J. McCollum, Blazers
Normally I think voters who double up on awards are trying to be cutesy, looking to show they can see deeper into the game than the rest of us. But people touting Curry for Kia MIP this year have a point. He is, demonstrably, a better basketball player this season than last, and as he was the MVP last season, by definition that has to be a significant improvement.
As stated above, it starts with an improved handle, which makes Curry even more dangerous from more spots on the floor. He does so much more now than just spot up behind the arc. When you watch the Warriors, just watch how much Curry moves during a game, and how many layups he gets — or drives that lead to open threes for teammates. Per NBA.com/Stats, among players who drive at least twice a game (defined as a touch starting 20 feet from the basket, and ending 10 feet or less from the basket, not including fast breaks), only Kevin Durant shot a higher percentage — 55.8 percent — than Curry’s 55.4 percent. Last season, he shot 53.8 percent on such shots.
This helps explain how Curry has taken more shots this season than last, yet is shooting a higher percentage.
But I shouldn’t bury the lead, either. Curry’s become, somehow, even more accurate on long shots, shooting a career-best 45.2 percent on 3-pointers. That included, according to basketball-reference.com, a field goal percentage of .529 — that’s 52.9 percent — on shots between 28 and 43 feet this season — 43 feet being about a step or two inside the midcourt line. And it’s not like he’s taken a handful of such shots this year; he’s 45 of 85.
Walker shot 30 percent on 3-pointers last season and couldn’t make any defender come out from under a screen. He worked on it all summer and with Charlotte’s shooting and ballhandling coaches once camp began to become more consistent. This year he’s shooting almost 38 percent on 3-pointers, and that’s opened up the floor for him. His improved handles allow him to finish through traffic for the playoff-bound Hornets.
The Bucks, in need after Michael Carter-Williams went down for the season, gave Antetokounmpo the ball earlier than planned and started him down the road of playing point guard. And Jason Kidd has said they’re not turning back next year, even assuming Carter-Williams returns to health. “The Greek Freak” has been that nice with the ball in his hands, with five triple-doubles since he’s taken over at the point. That’s the potential of a 6-foot-11 kid with Antetokounmpo’s wing span and stride having the rock every night.
But he’s also gotten much better at other things, too. Despite playing just less than four more minutes a night than last season, Antetokounmpo is shooting a higher percentage this year, both overall and on threes, averages almost one rebound more than last year (7.6 to 6.7) and is dishing out, as noted above, way more assists.
Crowder was already good during his two-plus seasons in Dallas, but he’s become even better in Boston, earning more minutes with improved two-way play. Before suffering a sprained ankle early in March, he had solidified himself as a full-time starter that coach Brad Stevens felt comfortable giving the ball to in key situations. Scoring better than 14 points a game in 31 minutes, Crowder became credible for a full season behind the arc (34 percent), while also becoming a much better playmaker and creator.
McCollum flashed last year when Wesley Matthews’ torn Achilles’ forced him into the lineup in the postseason. But he’s jumped a couple of levels this season, averaging almost 21 a game and dramatically raising his shooting and playmaking all over the floor as a strong second option in Portland to Damian Lillard. I acknowledge that my previous knowledge of McCollum as he dominated the Patriot League (and my beloved American University Eagles) for Lehigh may color my view of how “improved” he is. I always thought he was going to be a very good pro if he got in the right situation and played with teammates that could complement his game. He has.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The Winner: Kawhi Leonard, Spurs
The Runner-Up: DeAndre Jordan, Clippers
The Others: Paul Millsap, Hawks; Hassan Whiteside, Heat; Draymond Green, Warriors; Tim Duncan, Spurs
In the small-ball era, versatility is king, and no one gets more heaped on his plate, while also being asked to carry the offensive load at the other end, as Leonard, who’s top 10 in offensive AND defensive rating (per NBA.com/Stats). Jordan is the only other player who can make that claim, which is why he’s second on the DPOY ballot. But he doesn’t have to cover as much ground at either end as Leonard, which is why the owner of Kawhi Island gets the nod here.
How good has Millsap been defensively this season? Try top 15 in the league in steals (12th), blocks (10th), defensive rating (sixth) and defensive Win Shares (first). Throw in a top 20 in rebounds per game (9.0, 18th in NBA), and you have a multi-skilled big who can handle switches, screens and isos without a problem, yet still get back to the rim to handle the defensive glass. The same goes for Green, who can bang with LaMarcus Aldridge one possession and handle Tony Parker in space on the next.
Whiteside hasn’t started much for the Heat of late, but that shouldn’t be held against him. He’s a better fit with the Heat’s 3-pointer-happy second unit — which funnels everything to him in the paint better than the slower, Chris Bosh-less starters. No matter when he appears, Whiteside remains a defensive terror as you can almost see the hesitation from drivers before they even get in the paint. Yet he still swats indiscriminately, at a league-best 3.7 blocks per game, with nearly a dozen rebounds as well. It’s impressive to see someone who can still impact the paint these days as well as Whiteside, who’s due for a monster payday as the premier big man free agent available this summer.
Duncan has teamed with Aldridge to make San Antonio’s paint as tight as ever, finishing second to Whiteside in defensive rating. Watching a man who’ll turn 40 at the end of the month still have a meaningful contribution to make to a championship contending team is remarkable, and a tribute to the pride and intelligence of the soon-to-be Hall of Famer.
COACH OF THE YEAR
The Winner: Steve Kerr, Warriors
The Runner-Up: Dwane Casey, Raptors
The Others: Terry Stotts, Blazers; Gregg Popovich, Spurs; Brad Stevens, Celtics, Steve Clifford, Hornets
I wanted to vote for Casey, who restored the defense-first identity of the Raptors after their second-half and playoff immolation last year — and did so with Toronto’s big free agent signing and defensive catalyst DeMarre Carroll sidelined most of the regular season. But, you can’t overthink this. Kerr’s team is on the verge of the greatest regular season in NBA history. And, no, I’m not at all swayed by the fact that he wasn’t on the bench for the first half of the season recovering from complications from two offseason back surgeries. You can make an argument that Luke Walton, who was interim coach while Kerr mended, should officially get credit for those first 43 games, and I wouldn’t quibble with it; in fact, I’d agree with you. But the NBA’s current rules give Kerr those wins, so if he’s got a 71-9 record this morning, he’s Coach of the Year. Period.
ALL-NBA FIRST TEAM
G: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
G: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
F: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
F: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
C: DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers
Leonard has to be rewarded for his two-way excellence, so he gets the nod over Durant at forward alongside James. Jordan is second in the Association in blocks and rebounds, and is shooting 70 percent — 70 percent! That would only be the third-best shooting percentage in league history — behind himself (71 percent last season) and Wilt Chamberlain (73 percent in 1972-73).
ALL-NBA SECOND TEAM
G: Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
G: Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
F: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
F: Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
C: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks
Paul was sensational during Blake Griffin’s absence. Thompson lets his play (22 points, 42 percent on 3-pointers) do most of his talking. Green is the heart of a 70-plus win team, capable of triple-doubles, elite passing, shutdown defense and emotional leadership — all in the same game. Horford is Atlanta’s glue, battling bigger fives most every night but still bringing it at both ends.
ALL-NBA THIRD TEAM
G: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
G: Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
F: Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks
F: Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
C: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
Lillard deserves some love after leading the Blazers to an unexpected playoff berth. He’s been sensational. Lowry got off the deck after the Raptors got swept last year in the first round, remade his body and led Toronto to its best regular season ever. Davis was battered most of the season for the disappointing Pelicans, but if there’s one guy from a losing squad who deserves recognition for his game, it’s him, ahead of DeMarcus Cousins.
MORE MORNING TIP: David Aldridge’s Weekly Top 15 Rankings
Longtime NBA reporter and columnist David Aldridge is an analyst for TNT. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting.
