NBA All-Star Break: Handing Out the Midseason Awards
As the break approaches, it's time to start handing out the midseason hardware. I'll be awarding the traditional NBA awards, but since we're heading to LA's Staples Center for the game, why not throw in some Oscars as well?
In addition to awards like MVP and Rookie of the Year, I'll be awarding things like "Best Drama" and "Best Comedy"—and of course, you can't have the Oscars without awarding Best Actor, which will go to our best flopper.
Read on to find out the awards and their winners.
Best Comedy: Cleveland Cavaliers Losing Streak
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I know it seems like piling on, but it really isn't. If anything, Cleveland garnered sympathy, as the Cavs showed us all what we thought: that they really weren't that good without LeBron James.
They couldn't even lose right, though, as just when we were all hoping for the "streak ender" game between them and Washington, they went and accidentally beat the Clippers.
Best Foreign Film: Dirk Nowitzki
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Dirk Nowitizki is not only the best foreign-born player in the NBA right now, he's the second best foreign-born player in the history of the game, behind Hakeem Olajuwon (Tim Duncan was born in the US Virgin Islands, a US territory, so he is constitutionally a natural-born US citizen, just in case you're wondering).
This year Nowitzki has led the Mavericks to a surprising season. The Mavericks are 36-9 in games in which Dirk has played; they are 2-7 in games he has missed.
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Rajon Rondo
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There is a distinct possibility that Rajon Rondo is the most overrated and most underrated player in the NBA right now.
Some point to his high assist totals and say they are merely the product of playing around four Hall of Fame players; others point to them and say it is evidence that he directs a highly efficient offense and makes the players around him better.
Neither of those statements is entirely true, but they aren't entirely false either. Each of those players he's passing to are, in fact, Hall of Fame players who have built up their respective lists of accomplishments before Rondo ever donned a Celtic uniform, so it's hard to give him credit for "making them better."
At the same time, not anyone could step in and run that offense as well as Rondo does. What Rondo does is know what kind of car he's driving. While those players surrounding him are a little long in the tooth, each of them shoots with a high percentage, and as a result they are able to spread the floor. Rondo has a talent for finding the best player to pass to and getting him the ball.
In NASCAR there isn't a lot of difference between one car and the next. The driver makes the big difference. The driver needs to know precisely what his car can and can't do, and that's what Rondo is: a driver attuned to his car. He's not an MVP, and he's not the leader of the team, but he is outstanding in a supporting role.
Best Actor: Manu Ginobili
4 of 15He's a great player. He's also a great actor. No one can flop on the level that Manu does. Maybe it's all the soccer he played—I don't know. There's no arguing with the reality though: No one flops like Manu. Even Vlade Divac could learn from Manu.
If you were to liken the two to their film counterparts, Vlade would be like Samuel L. Jackson, the all-time highest-producing actor at the box office. That's not because he's a great actor so much as it is he's just in so many movies.
Manu, on the other hand, is Tom Hanks. It's the quality, not the quantity. Manu gets the whistles off his acting.
Best Drama: Carmelo Anthony
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He's really choreographed the drama for himself, hasn't he? First he stirs up the start of the film by saying he wants to be traded. Then, midway through the the season, he addresses the conflict by protesting the media stirring up all of this commotion.
Now, as the deadline approaches, he offers that "feel-good" moment by tipping his hat to himself—or should I say headband?
Best Picture: San Antonio Spurs
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How can there be any argument here? They are five games better than any team in the NBA. They've also got the best record against teams over .500.
They are on a level of their own, and it's because of everything coming together. From coaching to their star players to their role players, they are the best choreographed unit in the NBA right now.
Best Producer: Pat Riley
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Look, you don't have to like what he's done to acknowledge it's good. The trifecta of retaining Dwyane Wade while acquiring Chris Bosh and LeBron James is perhaps the biggest coup in the history of the NBA.
While it's evident that there are still some wrinkles to iron out, the core is there for a perennial championship contender, and the credit for that has to go to Pat Riley.
Best Pass: Dwyane Wade
8 of 15Just in time for the awards was the full-court alley-oop pass to LeBron. Whether it's the best pass in the history of the NBA (as LeBron said) I don't know, but it's sure worthy of best pass of the year.
Best Crossover: Derrick Rose
9 of 15This was a crossover for the ages. I think they actually had to repair the court after this one after Rose drilled Tyreke Evans into it like a corkscrew. I mean, you talk about turning someone around.
Best Dunk: Blake Griffin
10 of 15What can you say about this dunk that hasn't already been said? Do you remember those "Gee, your hair smells terrific" commercials from the '70s and early '80s?
I doubt he could get Timofey Mozgov to volunteer his services to repeat this dunk in the dunk contest.
Defensive Player of the Year: Kevin Garnett
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Boston has one of the best defenses in the league. Depending on how you define it, it's either the Celtics or the Chicago Bulls.
Kevin Garnett is the biggest reason this defense works. He's such an amazing help defender that it allows Rajon Rondo to play close to the ball. Of all NBA players with at least 1,000 minutes played, Garnett has the lowest defensive rating with an eyebrow-raising 94.
Most Improved Player: LaMarcus Aldridge
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LaMarcus Aldridge has been doing some phenomenal things. If he were in a larger market, he would be in the All-Star Game. He deserves the Most Improved Player award right now. He's at or over his career high in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, minutes and PER.
The Trail Blazers are making a playoff push in spite of a litany of injury woes. Since January Aldridge has been averaging 27 points and 10 boards. Think there might be a connection?
Sixth Man of the Year: Lou Williams
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He hasn't started a game, so he's not inflating his numbers by wedging in any starts. He's averaging 13.7 points, good for third among bench players, to go with 3.4 assists and 1.9 boards coming off the pine.
Only Jamal Crawford and Jason Terry score more than he does, but his PER is three points better than either of them, so I give the nod to Williams.
Coach of the Year: Gregg Popovich
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This one is very close. Tom Thibodeau deserves heavy consideration, as he has the Bulls as the NBA's best rebounding team and the best defensive team in terms of efficiency—this in spite of losing his best defender and rebounder for half the games the Bulls have played.
In the end, though, I have to give the nod to Popovich, who has re-recreated the Spurs' team and brought them out to be the biggest surprise in the NBA. It's not just how much they are winning; it's how they are winning.
The team, which has four championships on the defense of Tim Duncan, completely reinvented itself into an offensive-charged team. The team led by three 30-plus veterans ranks third in the league in offensive rating. Pop's reinvention is the main reason that the Spurs have the NBA's best record and garners him Coach of the Year at the break.
MVP: Derrick Rose
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Most have this contest coming down to being between Derrick Rose, the player who means the most to his team, and LeBron James, the best player in the NBA. It's very close, but I end up giving it to Rose for one reason.
When the game is on the line, Derrick Rose has made more of a difference. He's made four buzzer-beaters and made 2-of-2 from the line against Phoenix to send the game into overtime.
Now granted, he's missed two buzzer beaters as well, as well as a free throw against the Clippers that would have tied the game. However, when you compare it to what LeBron has done with the game on the line, which is not take a shot, it makes you wonder.
Right now Derrick Rose is the MVP because when the game is on the line, there's no doubt who is going to take the shot for the Bulls, but James isn't willing to do it for the Heat.
