Handing out the 2012 NBA Preseason Awards
Who says the preseason doesn't matter? Sure, maybe the games don't actually count in the standings, but the preseason is absolutely important.
For players on the proverbial bubble, it provides an opportunity to showcase their talents in hopes of making a roster. The preseason gives rookies their first real look at the NBA game. It also provides players returning from injuries a chance to test themselves against live action.
So, while preseason play may not be ideal to watch as fans, it's still NBA action and it still serves a vital purpose. It's a measuring stick, even if it's not an official one.
In that spirit, let's look at the 2012-13 preseason as the measuring stick that it's intended to be and hand out awards to all of the top performers.
Most Valuable Player
1 of 6Kobe Bryant, Guard, Los Angeles Lakers
2012-13 Preseason stats: 20.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 50 FG%, 41.7 3PT%
Bryant was the Most Valuable Player during the preseason. He tied Carmelo Anthony for the lead in points per game despite playing only 26.8 minutes per game, compared to Anthony's 29.0 minutes per game. Bryant was second if efficiency, and the only player ahead of him—J.R. Smith—only played in one game, compared to Kobe's five games.
Bryant also shot 50 percent from the field, 41.7 percent from three-point range and 87.2 percent from the charity stripe.
The Lakers were winless in the preseason, going 0-8 overall. But that's obviously nothing to be concerned with. This team is focused solely on winning a championship, and those are neither won nor lost in the preseason. But Bryant's play during the preseason is somewhat encouraging, if not surprising.
Defensive Player of the Preaseason
2 of 6Andrei Kirilenko, Forward, Minnesota Timberwolves
2012-13 Preseason stats: 2.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 6.6 RPG, 25.0 MPG
Kirilenko seemingly did it all for the T-Wolves during the preseason. He was second in the NBA in steals per game at 2.4. He also stole the ball at an alarming rate when compared to his minutes played, as he was third in the NBA in steals per 48 minutes at 4.62. On top of that, he only committed 10 personal fouls, which was less than any player ahead of him in either category.
Kirilenko also blocked four shots in five games of action and did a good job cleaning the glass, averaging 5.4 defensive rebounds per game, which was good enough for 10th in the preseason.
For Kirilenko, being among the top defenders in the NBA is nothing new. Like with all preseason numbers, it's a small sample size. But given his larger overall sample size of strong defense, he should once again be one of the best defenders the in the NBA.
Rookie of the Preseason
3 of 6Anthony Davis, Forward/Center, New Orleans Hornets
2012-13 Preseason stats: 14.9 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 16.4 PER
After being the top selection in the 2012 draft, Anthony Davis was also the best rookie performer during the preseason. He showed the ability to score, ranking third among rookies in points per game. Davis was third in blocks per game for rookies and led all rookies in rebounds per game at 9.9. He also paced all rookies in player efficiency rating at 16.4.
A solid argument could be made for Damian Lillard. The Trail Blazer led all rookies in points per game and assists per game and was also second among rookies in player efficiency rating. But Lillard also committed 23 turnovers and posted an assists-to-turnover ratio of 1.52, which is less than stellar.
Lillard's propensity for turnovers and Davis' upper hand on the defensive end are the reasons he gets the nod here.
Most Improved Player
4 of 6Mike Conley, Guard, Memphis Grizzlies
2012-13 Preseason stats: 16.0 PPG, 5.3 APG, 2.2 RPG, 58.9 FG%, 70.6 3PT%, 19.17 PER
This award in particular, you've got to take with a grain of salt. There's a small sample size any time you're evaluating preseason stats, but when you're using them to compare a player against his previous statistics, it's even harder to rule definitively.
That said, given what we have to work with, Conley was the most improved player. His 16.0 points per game were higher than any season he's posted during his five-year career. Even then, his highest scoring season (13.7 points per game) came on 35.1 minutes per game. He only averaged 27.8 minutes during the preseason.
Conley's assists and turnovers were in line with his career ratios. The real improvements were his shooting efficiency. His 58.9 field-goal percentage was 15 percent higher than his career shooting percentage. The same can obviously be said of his 70.6 percent shooting from three-point range.
Again, it's an incredibly small sample size, and one we can't glean too much from. But Conley's been on an upswing the last few years, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him carry that into the season.
6th Man of the Preseason
5 of 6Enes Kanter, Center, Utah Jazz
2012-13 Preseason stats: 13.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 58.0 FG%, 73.5 FT%, 18.88 PER
Entering his second season, Kanter had a strong showing for the Jazz this preseason. His 18.88 player efficiency rating led all non-starters. Kanter's 13.1 points per game ranked him sixth among bench players.
Kanter was an absolute beast on the boards. His 9.4 rebounds per game were fourth among all players and first among non-starter, and his 21.1 rebounds per 48 minutes was second among all players who averaged at least 10 minutes per game this preseason and tops among reserves.
Kanter's play in the preseason bodes well for his future in Utah. Although, realistically, he likely won't even be the first big man off the bench for the Jazz. That honor figures to go to Derrick Favors. Either way, it was an excellent display for Kanter.
Comeback Player of the Preseason
6 of 6Brook Lopez, Center, Brooklyn Nets
2012-13 Preseason stats: 16.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 57.1 FG%, 83.9 FT%, 18.6 PER
After only playing in five games last season due to a foot injury, Brook Lopez looks like he's back to full strength for the Brooklyn Nets, as the center picked back up right where he left off pre-injury.
Lopez, who's averaged 17.4 points per game during his four seasons, averaged 16.4 points in just 26.6 minutes per contest. His 57.1 percent shooting from the field is also a career high for any of his previous preseasons or regular seasons. On top of that, his 18.6 efficiency rating was ninth among all players during the preseason.
The Nets already improved their roster this offseason by bringing in some players, but they'll get even better simply by having one of their top weapons in Lopez returning from injury.
