Time to start the NBA awards voting, at least for me

You know how when you go to vote they give you that sheet of paper and stick you behind that little cardboard screens so you can have total privacy and no one can see where you’re putting the X?

Well, that’s all well and good for democracy but this is me and this is the NBA and now that it’s almost time for me to get the post-season awards ballots in, figure I’d share my selections with all you lucky Irregulars.

(Besides, it knocks off a slow day here and I still reserve the right to make a secret change before I submit them to the league either this afternoon or tomorrow morning)

So, without further ado, let’s do three today and three tomorrow, okay?

MVP

It’s good that we like our heroes a bit flawed because whoever comes out on top in this race – and it might be a close one – will have some foibles that are overlooked, either individually or with the team.

I don’t know what it is but there’s just something about LeBron James that, at times, underwhelms me. You look at nights like the one he had in Jersey last week – 17 straight points to rescue his team – and nights like he had against Toronto right after – 10 makes in his first 11 shots – and you want to scream: WHY DON’T YOU DO THAT ALL THE TIME, WE KNOW YOU COULD!

Can you give an MVP award to a guy like that, a guy who tends to defer too often? Can you?

Or can you look at Kevin Durant, freakishly long, gifted scorer, good defender and vote for him while yelling: GO AND TAKE THE DAMN BALL FROM WESTBROOK, YOU KNOW WE’D ALL LOVE IT IF YOU DID.

Can you forget that Kevin Love stomped on Luis Scola’s face and still was only half of a twosome on so-so team that plummeted off the cliff when Ricky Rubio went down. Do MVPs let that happen?

Does Chris Paul get it simply for pretending to listen to Vinny Del Negro for most of the season?

Anyway ….

My five?

LeBron James

Kevin Durant

Chris Paul

Tony Parker

Kevin Love.

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Coach of the Year

Yeah, I know. Too much credit when things go good; too much blame when things go bad, who needs ‘em, right? Well, they do get too much credit and blame in games but they can still influence things mightily and there are certainly those who are better than the others.

So, in order, for now:

Gregg Popovich.

Irascible, argumentative, doesn’t give a rat’s patoot about what people think, sits down his best players when you least expect and, lo and behold, they have the best record in the NBA. Yeah, not bad.

Frank Vogel

Look at that roster. Who you going to give the ball to, what are you going to call, on that one possession that wins or loses a game? Right. No one.

Tom Thibodeau

Let’s say you lose your best player for almost half a season, the guy you signed to take pressure off that best player has been a virtual no-show because of injury and your frontcourt can’t really score. Now let’s say you don’t whine or complain and you coach your butt off and you’re team is the best in its conference.

Yeah, your name should be on the ballot.

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Defensive Player of the Year

No, it’s not the sexiest of awards by any stretch of the imagination. It’s like Basketball Grunt Work, though, and you know how I love Grunt Work.

From the top down …

Tyson Chandler

You try to make Baron Davis and Jeremy Lin and Amar’e Stoudemire and JR Smith and that bunch into a passable defensive unit. You try to do it while being coached for half a season by a guy who tends to treat defence with disdain.

Go ahead, try it.

Chandler did. He did it well. He wins.

Dwight Howard

Forget all the shenanigans about The Indecision and Stan Van Gundy and remember that this guy is a rather imposing sort when he’s standing near the basket.

His reputation took a huge hit, no question about it; his sklls didn’t.

Serge Ibaka

Maybe I change this to Iguodala or Tony Allen but I just like the sound in my head when it say:

IBAKA!!!!

Good enough for now, right?

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Okay, tomorrow, we’ll do rookie, sixth man and most improved, the other three ballots I have waiting in my in-box to fill out.

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More, as they say? How about two quick ones?

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So the Phoenix Suns are officially eliminated from the playoffs after losing in Utah last night and that immediately starts more speculation about Steve Nash’s future.

The one quote I saw post-game last night from him (“I’ll take a look at everything. I think I’ve earned that.”) makes entire sense.

You know that I say the HOTH should offer him three years at big money and see what he says (and, no, I have no idea what he’ll say) but that’s a point for another day.

Today’s point is this:

The Suns finish their regular season at home tonight against San Antonio and while I don’t expect that Nash will play very much, I would hope – and expect – that for every minute he’s on the floor, the fans out there stand and cheer like they’ve seldom stood and cheered before.

In, let’s say, the past decade, you can hardly find a guy who has made his franchise better, and relevant, than Nash has with Phoenix. He made marginal players far better than they should have been, he turned a so-so team into one to be feared in the post-season almost every year, he was twice named the best player in the league and if tonight is his last game in Phoenix, he needs to be shown more appreciation than anyone ever has been.

Name me three other guys more closely associated with a successful franchise over the last 10 years than Nash has been:

Maybe Dirk, maybe Kobe; that might be about it.

It has been a wondrous run and if it’s over, it needs to be a memorable moment.

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Seven games for Metta World Peace?

I’d say it’s on the low side but you can also make the case that David Stern didn’t over-react; I read somewhere that the longest suspension for an elbow to the head previously was two games and while I would have probably liked 10 better, I can live with seven.

Sort of wish it had been eight, though, which would have meant he’d miss the entire first round of the playoffs regardless of what happened.

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Comments

[Tim H.]

Hey Doug:
"Okay, tomorrow, we’ll do rookie, sixth man and coach of the year, the other three ballots I have waiting in my in-box to fill out."

Probably just a typo sort of thing, but didn't you do coach of the year today? Meaning tomorrow we'll see...

Blogger's note: Oops. Meant most improved. Have fixed. Thanks

[Ryan M in Ottawa]

Think I might add Tim Duncan to that list of successful plays/franchises

Blogger's note: Except for all those years with Robinson and now Ginobili and Parker. But a solid fourth

[AT]

I'm with Doug, I think it would great to see Nash as a Raptor next year and think there it is more to it than just bringing him here because he is Canadian. I think what a veteran player can teach younger guys is often underrated. Even though Nash may only have a little bit left in the tank, his value will include what the younger guys will learn from him and use throughout their career.

[Sean]

Hey Doug -

I know it's become fashionable to talk about him in terms of somehow underachieving, but LeBron is having one of the best seasons in NBA history. His game is evolving and getting more and more efficient; his True Shooting % is 60% - absolutely insane for someone as high usage as himself. He's rebounding at a higher rate than at any time in his career, his defensive skills are at their peak (and he should be a DPOY candidate, no question) and he's playmaking like never before.

There should be no qualms about giving him the MVP. He is the best player in the game by an order of magnitude and any fairytales about him being an underachiever are just that; stories.

Blogger's note: Actually, they're not. But your opinion is valid

[c_bcm]

Duncan,and Reggie Miller.

[Clayton]

Glad you're going with James for MVP - he's had an amazing year. I think, to a large extent, James is punished for how good he is, and is still (unfairly) fighting some of the Decision backlash, and a consequent 'anyone but LeBron feeling'. The guy averages 27, 7 and 7 (or something ridiculous like that), leads his team in just about every category, and is a lock-down defensive player. He has incredible games on a pretty frequent basis (and makes them look fairly routine), and that team even with Wade and Bosh, would be mediocre without James. Kevin Durant has been fantastic, but James is the best player in the league, and MVP, without a doubt.

[David in Oakville]

While I would love it if Steve Nash came here, I don't see how the Raps look considerably different than the Suns, with worse winters. Even with Nash, we would be life and death to make the playoffs and not likely to make it out of the first round. Unless Valencunius adapts quickly to the NBA, next year's team will be only marginally better. Nash, if he wants to win before he retires, would be a better fit in Orlando or Memphis.

[skiff]

I agree that Nash in T.O. would be sweet, but it'll never happen. I'd bet a year's salary on that. In fact, I don't want him here because I want him to chase that championship. He deserves it as much, or more than anyone in the league and not just because he's Canadian. The way he's handled himself his whole career, I'd be rooting for him above all others even if he were from Mars! I'll even say this...I'd root for him even if he signed with...gulp....Miami!

Chase that ring Stevie, no one has any right to question your decisions or who you decide to play with in the end. He's done it the right way, all the way, so at this point, just like he said, he's earned it.

[Radar]

I'd absolutely give Tony Parker the MVP. No one gave the Spurs much if a chance this year and he's single-handedly (Duncan's played reduced minutes; Manu has been injured a lot again) propelled them to the top of the mighty Western conference. I doubt he'll get it though.

[JHK]

Nothing on MIP or 6th man?
I'd go Lin and Harden respectively.

[Woodrow]

Oklahoma should send Westbrook out for ?? Or in exchange for Nash in sign and trade. (not even considering their age) Nash and starting Harden with Durant, Ibaka & Perkins. Very nice.

[Duane C.]

What's a bigger punishment for the Lakers? Having Metta miss the entire first round, or asking them to make a decision on what to do with his minutes in a game-7?

[Penny]

Hi Doug - I agree with @Radar about Tony Parker for MVP. With the amout of time Manu has missed, I doubt many people figured the Spurs would be the top seed in the West. You have their Coach in the number one spot - as you have said many times, coaches sometimes get too much credit when their teams do well. Could his success be due in large part to his PG play?

[Chris]

Hey Doug...a question about WMP's suspsension and I guess a bigger question about payroll in the NBA. I would assume a player's annual salary is paid throughout the regular season. Assuming his 7 game suspension is unpaid, how will that work if some of the games are in the playoffs? I believe players get an additional "playoff bonus" but assume it's no where near their annual salary amounts.

Blogger's note: Good question for which I have no answer right now

[Rob.V]

Tony Parker may not be the MVP however in my opnion I'd have him ahead of Chris Paul on your list. He's been San Antonio's motor, but who knows really?
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Most Valuable? It's such a subjective debate. Anyone notice what Orlando has accomplished since Howard went down. They're terrible.
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I'm not one for awards in Sports because of the variables. The only true way to know who the MVP is would be to redo the season with LBJ playing with the Bobcats vs. say a Durant playing a season with the Bobcats which is impossible.
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Lebron is deserving of the award as are a couple of other candidates so take your pick really.
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Ron Artest? I agree, I'm not sure how the seeding works in the 2nd round however if the Lakers were to meet OKC then it would have been nice to have him sit a few of those games as well.
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Given the history it should have been 7 games for the elbow, 2 games for stupidity, and 1 game for not dealing with your bipolar issues... for a 10 game suspension!

[SFJ]

Duncan should definitely be up there on that franchise over 10 years players. Yes he had Robinson/Manu/TP, but so did Kobe with Shaq and later Gasol/Bynum (missed the playoffs even without any of those), Nash had Stoudemire, Marion (both in thier prime), Dirk had....Nash at the beginning actually. Anyway - I would love to have Nash in TO for a 2-3 years contract. It would instantly at least double the BBIQ of the team - and the offensive efficiency.

I have to agree witht he MVP in LeBron. He's an amazing player and for sure will go down as one of the greatest.
@Clayton - When a number 1 (One) guy in any sport leaves his team to go and play with (at that time) arguably number 4 (four) guy and probably (at that time) one of the top 3-4 PF (and maybe 10-12 overall), and ALL three being in their PRIME (as opposed to the Cletics three that got together at >30) that is why I have that "anyone but LeBron" feeling. That concentration of power/skill - especially if it's "manufactured", not naturally achieved maybe through draft or growth of players) should not happen in the NBA, on any team.

Getting back to the MVP race - I do also believe Tony Parker should be in the discussion, even though it's clear LBJ will get it - beacuse most people think of MVP as the Best Overall player...instead of most Valuable to the respective team...but that's another discussion.

For coach - no doubt Pop deserves it. Tibb dealt with Rose's injury...but he had the SAME guys that already knew perfectly the system and most of the games they won without Rose, they won them with defense and gritt.
Pop had not only to deal with Manu's injury and minute distribution to all three stars, but also integrate so many pieces not only as back-ups but in starting line-ups (Leonard and Green), veterans (Jackson, Diaw), different front court changes (finding the "right" mix between Duncan/Blair/Splitter/Bonner), back-up PG retirement (TJ Ford)...and more than all...CHANGING completely (over 1-2 years) the identity of the team from a scrappy/gritty/half-court-offense/lock-them-down-defensively type of team to an absolutely beautiful to watch and highly effective offensive team....I don't remember any coach to manage and succeed in that kind of transition.

Anyway - can't wait for the play-offs. And yes, I love the Spurs (apart of Raptors of course, but they're not in there), but if Spurs get eliminated....ANYONE but the Heat.

[Tim]

Hi Doug,

Do you care to weigh in on this whole Billy Hunter-Derek Fisher brou-ha-ha? Do you or do someone you know have any inside dope on the matter? From where I'm sitting, it looks like Hunter is maybe acting a little shady, maybe scared of charges of nepotism. But I certainly admit I don't have my ear to the ground on the matter.

Sorry if this is more of a mailbag thing.

Blogger's note: Have been talking to a few people to find out what's what

[Canadian Paul]

Hi Doug. Depending on the result of tomorrow's match-up with the Nets, the Raptors might end up anywhere between 3rd worst record and 8th worst record. Apart from Calderon, Bargnani and Bayless, have you heard who else the Raptors might sit?

Blogger's note: Nobody, nor should they, nor would they consider it.

[Some Guy]

Doug,
while I think that Lebron is hands down the best player in the league and MVP this year (and possibly most talented ever), I also believe he dramatically underachieves. His numbers are stunning, but let's not kid ourselves. If he had Kobe's sheer desire to win, Lebron could potentially average 35, 10, 8 with 2+ steals and 2+ blocks thrown in, just for good measure and at least a championship every other year of his career.

He is so utterly dominant when he wants to be and just downright passive / disinterested / afraid when he doesn't. It's a real shame. Given that he was the guy who set up the entire "Decision" (and obviously wants fame, acclaim and accolades), he has the potential to be considered the "Best Ever" but very likely won't even enter the conversation when it's all said and done.

For now, one more MVP for his mantle (which come so easily to him), but I doubt he'll get too many rings to accompany his growing stock of hardware (because they actually require passion and effort and not just talent / skill).

[Dave]

I'm surprised that you minimize Duncan with your "one guy tied to a successful franchise" bit...yeah, he had/has Robinson, Ginobli, Parker, but Nash had Stoudemire, Johnson, Marion...Kobe has typically had good support too with Shaq, Odom, Gasol, Bynum (lately)...

It's your blog and your opinion..just surprised at the slight shun....I hope Tim doesn't read the blog...

[Antoine Rose]

This is upsetting me because we all know that kobe should be in the discussion for the MVP. How long was Kobe the best player in the game and got snubbed of this award. You can not tell me Kobe was not one of the most valuable players on those Laker squads (that won a championship). I'm just saying, I'm sure if kobe was out the Lakers won't make the playoffs, or would just barely sneak in. If lebron wasn't there i will put money that with bosh and wade they still will be an elite team (lets not forget Wade has done it already). So what is an MVP really doug smith?

[lee in ottawa]

Doug, Lets hope for a better Raptor season next year. Enjoyed your work, have a good summer. Talk to you again in November..

[Cluck Kent]

LeBron's problem is that he came into the league already believing he was the greatest of all time. That's why we don't see the passion and conviction to success that MJ and many others had. When you're already the GOAT, why extend yourself?
Would be great if Steve Nash came this way for all of the reasons mentioned.

[john]

I think there is a difference between having the best stats and MVP. I am not sold at all that LBJ is the MVP on his own team never mind the entire league. He played on a team with two other allstars and yet they have only the 4th best record. Miami makes the playoffs as a top three seed with our without him. The Heat made it to the finals last year with very little contribution from him, especially when it came to crunch time, so what makes him so valuable this year?

[john]

I have never, ever ever wanted the team I root for to lose, but I have to say that if one meaningless loss is the difference between getting the third best odds or the 8th best odds in this draft, and may I be struck down by lightening from the karma gods, I hope the Nets shoot the lights out....

Blogger's note: Ok, but who are you cheering for in the Cleveland, Sacramento, Golden State games, all of which have an impact as well.