NBA
AWARD WINNERS April
25, 2001 - - - - -
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NBA
AWARDS - Our Choices By
INSIDEHOOPS.COM
Lets
get right to our nominees and selections:
MOST
VALUABLE PLAYER: Nominees
are Allen Iverson, Chris Webber, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Garnett.
Our
selection: Allen Iverson
He's
simply the most valuable player to his team. Take Shaq away and the Lakers
still have Kobe to carry them. Remove Duncan, David Robinson is still capable
of being a star. Remove Webber, the Kings can survive. Garnett carries
the Wolves the way Iverson carries the Sixers, but we have to take Iverson.
Runner-up is a toss-up.
COACH
OF THE YEAR: Nominees
are Don Nelson, Alvin Gentry, Larry Brown, Jerry Sloan.
Our
selection: Larry Brown.
No
one expected the 76ers to be this good. And while Philly did struggle in
the second half of the season, looking at their regular season from start
to finish, Coach Brown did his job the best of all. Don Nelson was terrific
as well and our runner-up. Alvin Gentry took a bunch of kids who aren't
old enough to legally drink and passed 30 wins (and many of their losses
were almost victories). Sloan just deserves to be mentioned every year,
and people are starting to feel guilty that he's never won this award.
Someday, Jerry. Maybe.
ROOKIE
OF THE YEAR: Nominees
are Darius Miles, Mike Miller, Marc Jackson, Kenyon Martin, Morris Peterson.
Our
selection: Mike Miller.
This
award shouldn't really exist this year, but Orlando's Mike Miller got better
and better all season. Darius Miles is our runner up. Marc Jackson was
the early leader then got hurt. Kenyon Martin was unspectacular. Mo Pete
shows flashes. Courtney Alexander would win this had he been with Washington
all season, but he wasn't, so we won't even listed him as a nominee.
DEFENSIVE
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nominees
are Dikembe Mutumbo, Aaron McKie, Ben Wallace.
Our
selection: Dikembe Mutumbo.
They
already gave this award out, and Mutumbo is just too easy a choice. Ben
Wallace is one of the only reasons not named Stackhouse that Detroit won
any games this season. Aaron McKie helped Philly out in ways that won't
show up on paper.
MOST
IMPROVED PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nominees
are Antawn Jamison, Tracy McGrady, Steve Nash, Predrag Stojakovic.
Our
selection: A 4-way tie! No. While tempted to do that, after much reluctance
we are forced to give it to Tracy McGrady.
This
is a totally subjective award. Some players are decent for a few years
and then blossom. Other players are young, given a bigger role on a team
and flourish as a result - but they didn't necessarily get better, they
were good already and just got more minutes. Antawn Jamison has gone from
an inside player with a fairly one-dimensional game to an all-around star
who can't be guarded. Giving him the award would make sense. Steve Nash
improved his stats a lot and is majorly responsible for the Mavericks improvement
this year. Stojakovic keeps getting better. And while Tracy McGrady was
awesome last year and is mostly enjoying an increase in minutes and a role
as the main man on the team, with reluctance we give him this award. Because
while everyone knew he would be great, not many knew that he'd dominate
this way, so quickly. He went from a future star to one of the best swingmen
on the planet. An all-star game starter. The man.
SIXTH
MAN OF THE YEAR: The
nominees: Travis Best, Tony Delk, Steve Smith, Aaron McKie, Kurt Thomas
Our
selection: Aaron McKie.
McKie
started 33 games, but came off the bench for 43, so he qualifies. Steve
Smith did better off the bench than he did as a starter. Kurt comes in
and bangs and scores. Best and Delk helped their teams. But McKie's defensive
presense, and all-around contributions (yeah, those "little things that
don't show up on the stat-sheet") are worthy of this award.
