CelticsLife season ending awards: MVP, NBA 1st-team, Celtics MVP and more
The 2013-14 NBA season is in the books, and that means it's time for two things.
#1 The playoffs. Thank the good lord no more watching basketball games hoping your team loses, no more calculating lottery odds, and for Celtics fans, no more being nervous until the draft lottery on May 20th. Time to unwind and watch some teams that are actually good at playing basketball.
#2 Awards. Does Durant finally beat out LeBron? Do Joakim Noah or Goran Dragic crack the top-three? Is Michael Carter-Williams the ROY by default? All questions that need to be answered, and right now we're going to attempt to do just that.
MVP Top-Three:
Mike Dyer:
1. Kevin Durant
2. LeBron James
3. Blake Griffin
Durant finally emerged from LeBron's shadow, and he did it with one of the best all-around seasons we've ever seen. Durant is just the second player in NBA history to average 32 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 5.5 APG (MJ in 1988-89) and he led to the Thunder to the 2-seed in a loaded Western Conference despite Russell Westbrook missing a bunch of time. As for the #2 spot, while KD may have out played him, LeBron is still LeBron, and his numbers and impact are still ridiculous. Lots of competition for third place, but in the end I go with Blake. 57 wins despite injuries to CP3, J.J. Redick, and Jamal Crawford, and the emergence of Griffin is the reason why. He put up 24/9.5/4 with improving defense and the ability to play point-forward at times when Paul is off the floor. He took the leap everyone was waiting for.
Matt Richissin:
1. Durant
2. Lebron
3. Joakim Noah
There's a lot of deserving candidates for that three spot, but I can't avoid what Noah's doing in Chicago. The more I scratch my head trying to figure out how this can remain a competitive team, the more I come to this; Noah's an incredible defensive anchor, a brilliant passer, and a heady scorer. What he does particularly well hides deficiencies of other players, and let's them excel at what they do well. He takes a ton of stress off his teammates. That's value.
Mark Vandeusen:
1. Kevin Durant
2. LeBron James
3. Joakim Noah
As crazy as it sounds, I almost want to give the award to Noah. With Derrick Rose out the Bulls were supposed to tank after they traded Loul Deng. Instead they went 34-16.
Clint Corey:
1. Durant
2. LeBron
3. Arizona State's own James Harden
Burak Tekin:
1. Kevin Durant
2. LeBron James
3. Joakim Noah
Well, picking the first two names is easy: Durant's 40+ point streak was unbelievable, LeBron is the same LeBron (but his averages are down from last season!) but why Noah? Well, if the take this award literally, his value to his team isn't comparable to the other two. He took the Chicago "now-they-will-tank-I-guess" Bulls and put them in the Playoffs in an Eastern Conference where many teams like the Knicks, the Cavs and the Bucks have failed to achieve that seemingly easy task. Noah had an unforgettable season, and that has to be recognized.
Padraic O'Connor:
1. Durant
2. LeBron
3. Noah
Kevin Durant hands down, LeBron James through gritted teeth, and Joakim Noah because he refused to let Chicago down for the SECOND year in a row when Rose went down.
Eric Blaisdell:
1. Kevin Durant
2. LeBron James
3. Blake Griffin
Durant may not be better than James overall, but he played better than James this year. More points, more rebounds, better player efficiency rating and, most importantly, more wins in a loaded west where Durant was expected to carry the load every night with his wingman Russell Westbrook only suiting up for 45 games this year.
Matty Mackay:
1. Durant
2. LeBron
3. Steph Curry
The Durantula is straight beast and may carry his team to the Finals this year.
Julian Edlow:
1. Durant
2. LeBron
3. Noah
It’s almost a coin flip with LeBron James, but KD has been slightly better. Not trying to give the award to Durant because LeBron already has four MVP trophies, he legit deserves the crown this season.
Obviously LeBron is the runner-up here. He is having his usual outstanding season, but Durant took his game to another level.
Look, this is a two-man race, Noah doesn’t really have a shot, but he is a legit third-place. The Bulls lost Derrick Rose and Luol Deng and got somehow improved all season. The reason for improvement was how outstanding Noah was.
Voting (5 points for 1st, 3 for 2nd, 1 for 3rd)
1. Kevin Durant - 45 points (unanimous winner)
2. LeBron James - 27 points (unanimous second)
3. Joakim Noah - 5 points
4. Blake Griffin - 2 points
T-5. Steph Curry - 1 point
T-5. James Harden - 1 point
Rookie of the Year
Mike Dyer:
Michael Carter-Williams
1st in minutes, points, assists, rebounds and steals in his rookie class. Yes, the shooting percentages are ugly. Yes, the Sixers are terrible. But MCW took on the challenge of being the best player on his team as a rookie, and despite struggling at times, he brings home this award with ease.
Matt Richissin:
Nerlens Noel
The 76ers couldn't possibly be this bad without him.
Mark Vandeusen:
Michael Carter-Williams
Led rookies in scoring, rebounding, and assists. It's a no-brainer.
Clint Corey:
Michael Carter-Williams
Although the Sixers were terrible, Carter-Williams provided highlights on a nightly basis as well as putting up very good all-around stats, over six rebounds and assists per game.
Burak Tekin:
Tim Hardaway Jr.
The obvious choice is Michael Carter Williams, but I really, really don't want to award a team that has shamed basketball, and MCW's 16.9% turnover rate and horrific 3pt shooting is difficult to not see. Instead I choose to go with the 24th pick who has scored much more efficiently at a very close rate to MCW. (If only Olynyk had this form earlier in the season)
Padraic O'Connor:
Michael Carter-Williams/Giannis Antetokounmpo
Michael Carter-Williams is pretty much a lock I would think, but I’d like to split this award with Giannis Antetokounmpo because I wish he was on the Celtics. I think the Boston fans would have adopted this guy just as fast if not faster than Rob Gronkowski.
Eric Blaisdell:
Victor Oladipo
Sure, Michael Carter-Williams got plenty of run, but Oladipo was more impressive. He shot the ball better than Carter-Williams, both from the floor and from three and he effortlessly played both guard positions in Orlando with Aaron Afflalo and Jameer Nelson snagging minutes on the Magic roster.
Julian Edlow:
Michael Carter-Williams
This is almost by default, it was a horrible rookie class. Not only that, but MCW’s numbers are probably inflated due to playing so many minutes on such a horrible Philly roster. But hey, 16-6-6 is nothing to spit at for a rookie point guard.
Voting
1. Michael Carter Williams - 5.5 votes
T-2. Victor Oladipo - 1 vote
T-2. Tim Hardaway Jr. - 1 vote
T-2. Nerlens Noel - 1 vote
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo - 0.5 vote
Most Improved Player
Mike Dyer:
Gerald Green
I'd give this award to Anthony Davis, but he was such a ridiculous talent coming out of school that I'd rather give it to a guy who truly came out of nowhere. You know, like a 28-year-old who has played for seven NBA teams and spent two years in Russia in between. Gerald Green was awesome for the Suns this season, averaging 16 PPG with a 58.5% true shooting percentage, finally living up to Celtics' fans dreams, albeit eight year late.
Matt Richissin:
Anthony Davis
I know the jump for a #1 pick from year 1 to year 2 is supposed to be big. And I understand that bigger guys take a little longer to get acclimated. But this guy went from a little questionable in the Summer, to an absolute untouchable franchise player that figures to be a top 5 player in this league for the next 15 years.
Mark Vandeusen:
Shaun Livingston
I didn't even realize he was still in the league, and he's be an integral part of Brooklyn's success.
Clint Corey:
DeAndre Jordan
We all knew about Jordan's potential but he's having a great, rarely talked about season. 13.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game, and shooting over 67% from the field.
Burak Tekin:
DJ Augustin
The first names that come to mind are Dragic, Davis, Stephenson etc., but these are not guys that have necessarily improved: Dragic was just undervalued, Davis was a superhyped #1 pick, and Stephenson had his breakthrough in the second half last year. Augustin, on the other hand, was a "meh" backup PG for a contender last year, but is filling Derrick-effing-Rose's shoes this year. He's scoring at the highest rate of his career, turning the ball over less despite his increased usage, and his shooting is back after a 3-year slump.
Padraic O'Connor:
Anthony Davis
My head says Anthony Davis but my heart says Gerald Green. Green was drafted by the Celtics in 2005, bounced around and then out of the NBA, played in Russia, made it back to the NBA D-League, back into the NBA and had an awesome season for Phoenix. He’s not even 30 yet. It may never get better than this for Green, but as far as straight up improvement goes, it’s hard not to consider him. But yeah - Anthony Davis.
Eric Blaisdell:
Gerald Green
Where the hell was this Gerald Green when he was in Boston? Green has shown this year that he is more than a three-point shooter and high-flying dunker. He can play and was a big reason Phoenix almost made the playoffs in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Suns.
Matty Mackay:
Split vote
Goran Dragic – I watched the few times the C’s played the Suns and his play was eye opening. He was playing at an all-star level, he reminded me of a scoring focused Steve Nash.
Anthony Davis – Couldn’t decide between the two, Davis was a force this year.
Julian Edlow:
Split vote
Anthony Davis - Davis had an incredible second season in the league, and imagine if he can improve next year? Scary. But didn’t we see this coming? So let me make the case for one more guy.
Gerald Green - Who would have thought it. Yes, our young immature Gerald Green has now become a legit NBA player. Moving from Indiana to Phoenix he has more than doubled his scoring average (7.0 last season to 15.8 this season) and been a key player for a Suns team that chased a playoff spot down to the wire in the competitive Western Conference.
Voting
1. Anthony Davis (3 votes)
2. Gerald Green (2.5 votes)
T-3. Shaun Livingston (1 vote)
T-3. DeAndre Jordan (1 vote)
T-3. DJ Augistin (1 vote)
6. Goran Dragic (0.5 vote)
Defensive Player of the Year
Mike Dyer:
Joakim Noah
Noah would have been fourth on my MVP ballot, but instead gets my vote for defensive player. The Bulls were left for dead after losing Derrick Rose and dealing Luol Deng, but instead have locked up a top-four seed in the East behind Noah's outrageous effort and all-around play. Chicago is #1 in points allowed and #2 in defensive rating, and Noah is the backbone of everything they do.
Matt Richissin:
Roy Hibbert
Pacers have stunk for a while, but he was so incredibly dominant to start the season, and clearly the defense isn't the issue in Indiana.
Mark Vandeusen:
Tim Duncan
He was the only player in the NBA to average more blocks per game than fouls (1.04).
Clint Corey:
Joakim Noah
No player in this era other than KG has played every night with such a defensive ferocity. He also anchored the Bulls to the #2 defensive efficiency, a team that lost two of their top offensive threats (D-Rose, Luol Deng), to an enviable playoff position in the east.
Burak Tekin:
Andrew Bogut
I just cannot give too many awards to Noah, and Hibbert has looked like Mahinmi recently.
Padraic O'Connor:
Joakim Noah
When Rose went down again, Noah strapped the whole city of Chicago on his back. Then Chicago traded Luol Deng and everyone assumed that the tank was in, but no. Noah kept plugging away and dominated defensively in equally unique and effective ways. Also- he’s one of the most hateable players in basketball. His face just inspires frustration. That’s the kind of in-your-head-defensive-x-
Eric Blaisdell:
DeAndre Jordan
When a guy leads the league in rebounding and is third in blocked shots, it's hard not to give him the nod. This award usually goes to the best defender on an elite defensive team, but Jordan shouldn't be penalized because his team is more balanced instead of defense-first.
Matty Mackay:
Joakim Noah
Dominated every defensive advanced metric category.
Julian Edlow:
Joakim Noah
When KG got snubbed from the 2008 NBA MVP (yes, this still bothers me . . . Garnett was the obvious choice) the league decided to reward him with DPOY. Noah is not going to win MVP, but he has been the most valuable defender. The Bulls were 12-18 at one point and finished with 48-wins.
Voting
1. Joakim Noah (5 votes)
T-2. Roy Hibbert (1 vote)
T-2. DeAndre Jordan (1 vote)
T-2. Tim Duncan (1 vote)
T-2. Andrew Bogut (1 vote)
All-NBA 1st team
Mike Dyer:
C Noah
F LeBron, Durant
G Chris Paul, Steph Curry
All of these are easy choices except for Curry, who gets the slight nod over Goran Dragic because of his offensive brilliance. He's the first player in NBA history to average 24 PPG and 8 APG while shooting 47% from the field and 42% from three, showing off his unparalleled combination of scoring, court vision and ability to shoot from anywhere.
Matt Richissin:
C Noah
F Lebron, Durant
G Chris Paul, Dragic
Mark Vandeusen:
C Joakim Noah
F LeBron James, Kevin Durant
G Chris Paul, Steph Curry
How can Noah not be all-NBA if he's top three for MVP? Curry is the best shooting guard in the league, even though he also plays point guard.
Clint Corey:
C Al Jefferson ("No one on the planet can guard Al Jefferson" -- Celtics HOF Paul Pierce)
F LeBron, Durant
G CP3, Harden
Burak Tekin
C Noah
F Durant, LeBron
G Dragic, Chris Paul
I had already picked the top 3, so for the rest: You have to acknowledge the Cinderella-y story of the Suns, and the guy that had the most input in that was Dragic. Paul is simply the best PG out there.
Padraic O'Connor:
C Noah
F LeBron, Durant
G Harden, Curry
Eric Blaisdell:
C Joakim Noah
F LeBron James, Kevin Durant
G Chris Paul, James Harden
The guards and forwards are pretty self-explanatory, but picking Noah was hard for me. I never thought he'd turn into this kind of force and hated his antics and calling out KG, but the dude can play. Four triple-doubles? As a center? Damn.
Matty Mackay:
C Noah
F Lebron, Durant
G Harden, Curry
Julian Edlow:
C Noah
F LeBron, Durant
G Paul, Curry
Well, obviously my frontcourt is already revealed in my MVP voting: Durant, James and Noah will start in the up front. The backcourt is tricky, but I think Chris Paul is the most deserving guard, followed by Stephen Curry. No way any guards from the East are even in consideration.
Voting
C Joakim Noah (8 votes)
F LeBron James (9 votes), Kevin Durant (9 votes)
G Chris Paul (7 votes), Steph Curry (5 votes)
Also receiving votes: G - James Harden (4 votes), Goran Dragic (2 votes), C - Al Jefferson (1 vote)
Least Valuable Player
Mike Dyer:
Andrea Bargnani
Easy choice.
Matt Richissin:
Kendrick Perkins
It's always Kendrick Perkins, man
Mark Vandeusen:
O.J. Mayo
Remember, the Bucks didn't intent to be at the top of the lottery standings. They signed Mayo to a 3-year $24 million contract last summer with playoff aspirations.
Clint Corey:
Josh Smith Smith is shooting under 27% from deep yet has chucked up more than any other time in his career. J-Smoove you're 6'9" and freakishly athletic. Go post somebody up. Runner up: Kobe did not do much for the Lakers this season on the court and even less off the court with a ridiculous organization crippling contract.
Burak Tekin:
Anthony Bennett
Yes, I know that he has actually improved lately (if the first half and the second half of the season were two different season, he could have had a chance at the MIP), but the Cavaliers are the Cavaliers, and this is probably the worst rookie season a #1 pick has ever had.
Padraic O'Connor:
Keith Bogans
That's 11 more letters of HTML than he deserved this year.
Eric Blaisdell:
Larry Sanders
Don't get me wrong, I'd love for Sanders to be anchoring Boston's defense next season. But after getting that sweet 4 year/$44 million contract, Sanders proceeded to break his hand in a bar fight, break a bone in his face and get suspended for smoking weed while only playing 23 games this year. Ouch.
Matty Mackay:
Metta World Peace
He got waived in February and didn't yield a single legit sound bite like this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3KWBHBMkMI
Julian Edlow:
Kobe Bryant
Seriously, I can actually post Kobe and an answer for LVP and people will take it seriously. So I’m doing it.
Voting
Nine-way tie for first
Coach of the Year
Mike Dyer:
Tom Thibodeau
Jeff Hornacek or Gregg Popovich could get this and I would be totally cool with it, but for all the same reasons I gave Noah the DPOY, Thibs gets COY. He has a way to squeeze every ounce of talent out of his roster, and winning 47 games with this team is his best work yet.
Matt Richissin:
Gregg Popovich
It's always Gregg Popovich, man.
Mark Vandeusen:
Tom Thibodeau
See the above explanation for Noah's MVP candidacy.
Clint Corey:
Doc Rivers
Rivers led a Clippers team which preseason I did not think would be championship contenders into just that. The Clippers also had the most wins in franchise history and DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin are both having the best seasons of their young careers.
Honorable mention: Jeff Hornacek. Hornacek did an amazing job with the Suns this year but once came to my high school practice and told my coach I was shooting out of my range. Yes, I was well aware of this Jeff but I'm also coming off a fractured ankle and am trying to get my range back. So, obviously, I hold a grudge and he loses some points for that. (Editor's note: was not expecting a Clint-Jeff Horncek beef).
Burak Tekin:
Tom Thibodeau
He could make the Playoffs with the writers of CelticsLife. He is that amazing. (Hornacek is a very strong runner-up though)
Padraic O'Connor:
Tom Thibodeau
There is no denying Gregg Popovich, but I’m going Thibodeau. Rose goes down with another knee injury. Chicago trades All-Star Luol Deng. Thibs still leads Chicago to the playoffs. Thibs all day long.
Eric Blaisdell:
Tom Thibodeau
Chicago played 72 games without their superstar and former MVP Derrick Rose and traded away another All-Star in Luol Deng. Even still, you'd be hard pressed to find a team excited to match up against the fourth-seeded Bulls in the playoffs. They play hard and, like any Thibodeau team, they play exceptional defense (first in the league in points allowed). Spectacular job by Thibs.
Matty Mackay:
Jeff Hornacek
The Suns were a team that was supposed to be tanking this year and they didn’t make the playoffs, but they were right there in the play-off push.
Julian Edlow:
Gregg Popovich
Pop could win this award every year, but man does he deserve it this year. The Spurs racked up 62-wins this season seemingly without even trying.
Voting
1. Tom Thibodeau (5 votes)
2. Gregg Popovich (2 votes)
T-3. Jeff Hornacek (1 vote) T-3. Doc Rivers (1 vote)
GM of the Year
Mike Dyer:
Ryan McDonough, Phoenix Suns
48 wins after being predicted to win 25, traded Luis Scola for Gerald Green and a first round pick, traded Marcin Gortat for a first round pick, traded Jared Dudley for Eric Bledsoe. The former Celtics' assistant basically pitched a perfect game in season one in the desert.
Matt Richissin:
Here's something not enough people are talking about - The Phoenix Suns traded for a guy in Eric Bledsoe whose likely to get max money for a guy who scored 0 points in 7 minutes last night (ed note: this was written a few days ago) in Jared Dudley. Funnest roster in the league, should be able to afford a max free agent, and from my research I believe they have every pick in the next 3 season. That might not be right, but I'm pretty sure it is - All of them.
Mark Vandeusen:
Ryan McDononough, Phoenix Suns
The former Celtic assistant has a million draft picks, and an unexpectedly good team to add them to.
Clint Corey:
Daryl Morey, Houston Rockets
The culmination of Morey's moves over the last few years are what allowed Houston to land the most coveted free agent of 2013, Dwight Howard. As a result, transforming Houston into a very dangerous team that no one wants to see in the playoffs due to their unique combination of speed and size.
Burak Tekin:
Masai Ujiri, Toronto Raptors
I wish we were giving this award ironically, I had so many candidates for that... If the Suns had made the Playoffs, the former Celtic McDonough would have been the candidate, but now they are caught in the worst place of the NBA. Ujiri got rid of Bargnani and Gay, created a more than decent bench, and somehow the Raptors have less salary commitment for the next season than the Kings, the Wolves, the Nuggets, the Celtics and the Pelicans do.
Padraic O'Connor:
Danny Ainge, Boston Celtics
Oh, Danny Ainge. He traded away Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett who could be voted in to office in Boston as Governor and Lt. Governor for Life, duct taped together a team out of half-a-Rondo, Kris Humphries, “I Don’t Want to be the Guy” Jeff Green, and D-Leaguers and STILL packed the Garden to 97% capacity for the season. Danny Ainge, dude. Or I guess you could give this to Larry Bird.
Eric Blaisdell:
Danny Ainge, Boston Celtics
Call it biased, but Ainge has done a masterful job in rebuilding the Celtics. Boston is looking at a possible top-5 pick in a loaded draft, has tons of assets in good young players and future picks and still has an All-Star in Rajon Rondo to build around. Hard to do much better than that.
Matty Mackay:
Daryl Morey, Houston Rockets
Took an already good team and made them better, could be a sneaky dark horse in the west.
Julian Edlow:
Ryan McDonough, Phoenix Suns
Had to get the Suns in here somewhere. They were expected to be competing with the Celtics for a top lottery spot, instead they battled Memphis and Dallas for the final playoff spot. Only four teams have done what the Suns did this season – win 48 games and miss the playoffs. The Raptors are the 3-seed in the East with 48-wins, and the Suns did it against better competition in the West. Things are going in the right direction quickly in Phoenix.
Voting
1. Ryan McDonough, Phoenix Suns (4 votes)
T-2. Daryl Morey, Houston Rockets (2 votes)
T-2. Danny Ainge, Boston Celtics (2 votes)
4. Masai Ujiri, Toronto Raptors (1 vote)
Celtics MVP
Mike Dyer:
Jared Sullinger
He took major strides in season two, but needs to come into camp in better shape and start knocking down open jumpers more regularly. Still, 17 points and 10 boards per-36 minutes is impressive for a 22-year-old in his second year, and Sully was one of the lone bright spots this year.
Matt Richissin:
Jared Sullinger
His consistent improvements throughout the year has made for one of the few things to enjoy about this season.
Mark Vandeusen:
Jordan Crawford
Remember when the Celtics were 12-14 and in first place? A large part of the credit was due to Crawford's surprising point guard play, and his departure got the tank train going.
Clint Corey:
Brad Stevens
Stevens did an excellent job of implementing his system and getting the players to buy in. Not to mention: the C's were one of the most undersized and overmatched teams in the league yet still played hard and were competitive on almost a nightly basis.
Burak Tekin:
Jared Sullinger
I could have gone with Bradley if he stayed on the court more, but Sully is the best part of this otherwise forgettable season. I'm looking forward to what he's going to bring to the table next season.
Padraic O'Connor:
Kris Humphries
Kris F’N Humphries. No joke. At the beginning of this season I made a bet with Julian Edlow that the Celtics would win at least 27 games. If they didn’t, I’d buy and wear a Kris Humphries jersey to the first game of the 2014-15 season. Well the Celtics ALMOST won 27 games and I can’t wait to buy that jersey. Gimme Kris Humphries next season. Banner 18.
Eric Blaisdell:
Kris Humphries
I rolled my eyes when I heard "Mr. Kardashian" was going to be wearing green this past summer, but he has earned my complete respect. He came into a bad situation with a great attitude, kept his mouth shut and showed he can be a great bench big. Hopefully he'll continue his stellar play in Boston next year.
Matty Mackay:
Jordan Crawford
Played the best of his career when we were trying to win games, almost made the All Star game thanks to Mike Sever, and helped us tank by getting us the stiff Joel Anthony. Who’s more deserving ?? I still miss him though..
http://www.celticslife.com/2013/12/hey-celtics-fans-lets-get-jordan.html
Julian Edlow:
Jared Sullinger/Rajon Rondo
They share the award because they are essentially the only two players that showed us anything that mattered this season. Kelly Olynyk can be a decent player in the league, but lets see how he does next year. Sully clearly developed this season, showing us he has star potential in the NBA. He is a valuable player to keep for the future.
In Rondo’s case, he obviously didn’t win MVP on the court. The team went 6-24 with him in the lineup, but that is part of the reason the Celtics have a shot at such a good draft pick. That is valuable because Rondo also proved he is now healthy moving forward. The knee issues will be completely in the rearview next year. A healthy and effective Rondo and Sully is the most valuable thing to take away from this team, along with their high lottery odds.
Voting
1. Jared Sullinger (3.5 votes)
T-2. Kris Humphries (2 votes)
T-2. Jordan Crawford (2 votes)
4. Brad Stevens (1 vote)
5. Rajon Rondo (0.5 vote)
...
Actually really happy with how this turned out. Feel like the winners are all deserved, and CelticsLife's ballot could reasonably be the ballot of any NBA writer out there.
Not as thrilled with how difficult it was to format this mofo with nine different people sending in answers. So if any of the writing looks weird, it's because copy/pasting from a bunch of different e-mails/word documents didn't go so smoothly.
Let us know what you think, and who you'd pick in the comments.
