NBA Awards 2018 expert tips: Can LeBron James claim MVP? Will Ben Simmons be ROY?
THE King LeBron James wants his fifth MVP and his protege, Aussie Fresh Prince Ben Simmons is favourite to win Rookie of the Year at Tuesday’s NBA Awards. Our jury picks their winners.
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AS the Golden State Warriors bask in the glory of back-to-back NBA titles, the attention of the basketball world is set to shift to the season’s award winners.
Houston Rockets star James Harden is the red hot favourite to claim the league’s most prestige individual gong, the season’s Most Valuable Player, while Aussie star Ben Simmons and Utah’s spearhead Donovan Mitchell are battling out for the Rookie of the Year.
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Voting closed for the awards before the playoffs started, so they are judged purely on regular season performance and will be announced on Tuesday, June 26, from 11am AEST (watch on ESPN) at a ceremony at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.
We spoke to four basketball luminaries and got their tips for each award.
EXPERT PICKS:
ANDREW GAZE
The Aussie GOAT
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: LeBron James
No words needed. Hands down the best player in the NBA.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Ben Simmons
Spectacular numbers for a rookie including 12 triple-doubles in the regular season. Made his teammates better and elevated the Sixers to championship contenders.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Eric Gordon
His 2016-17 was no fluke. His contribution off the bench was of starter proportions. Excelled when filling in for Chris Paul or James Harden. Averaged 18 points off the bench and was more than serviceable on the defensive end.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Victor Oladipo
Went from a good player to one of the best in the league. Elite at both ends of the floor. The numbers tell the story. Increased his scoring over seven points from the 2016-17 season but also improved in rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Rudy Gobert
One of the best, if not the best, rim protector in the league. Not as versatile some of the previous winners but just as impactful.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Dwane Casey
Steve Kerr should be coach of the year but if we can’t vote for him then Dwayne Casey is next in line. Led the Raptors to the best record in franchise history and the best record in the East. Had a talented group but others had more to work with. Got the best out of the team.
LAFAYETTE ‘FAT’ LEVER
2xNBA All-Star and Denver Nuggets legend
MVP: James Harden
Arizona State University guy (Lever’s alma mater). Great numbers all season and won the west.
ROY: Donovan Mitchell
Played in the toughest west coast conference and he did it all season and not always the main focus of the team.
6MOY: Lou Williams
Every team knew what he was on the court to do — score. Teams couldn’t stop him.
DPOY: Rudy Gobert
Defence wins games and that was his focus for a young team that made the playoffs in the tough Western Conference. Rudy protected guys that aren’t good on the defensive side.
MIP: Victor Oladipo
Turned an Eastern Conference team into a contender in the regular season and into the playoffs.
COY: Quinn Snyder
Tough choice, as Stevens was in a weaker conference but got a lot out of injuries. No one got more out of a season with little expectation than Quin Snyder. Coach Snyder gets the bid with turning less into a lot.
CHRIS ANSTEY
Aussie Olympian, 3xNBL champion, former Chicago Bull and Dallas Maverick
MVP: James Harden
Harden will win MVP, but I think LeBron should. What Harden did scoring and the volume he did it was as good as anyone’s been for a while. But I think LeBron, over the course of the playoffs, showed why he deserves to win it.
ROY: Ben Simmons
He’ll win it, because he’s eligible, but that’s a whole other discussion. I wouldn’t be surprised if they give it as a joint award to him and Donovan Mitchell
6MOY: Lou Williams
I’m still not sure why he doesn’t start. He impacts the game every time he comes in.
DPOY: Rudy Gobert
Lets teammates be better defenders and more aggressive defenders knowing they’ve got him behind them.
MIP: Victor Oladipo
Without Capela, I don’t believe the Rockets have the season they had and he was incredible, but he was allowed to be incredible because he had two superstar guards playing next to him. Oladipo took over the reigns of a franchise, took them to the playoffs in a year where most people saw them as rebuilding and not many would have picked them to play post-season basketball.
COY: Brad Stevens
Brad Stevens, followed by Quinn Snyder, followed by daylight. Brad Stevens was incredible. I know it’s a regular season award but when we got to the final four teams in the two conferences, you take away any of the head coaches, teams look the same. You take Brad Stevens away from the Celtics and they’re stuffed, they’re a different team. His play calling is incredible, what he’s built off the court is incredible, especially with the injuries, they’re dependant on him to be successful.
SHANE HEAL
NBL champion and ROY, former Minnesota Timberwolf and San Antonio Spur
MVP: LeBron James
LeBron is the best player in the world right now. This certainly cannot be disputed no matter how you feel about him personally. To play all 82 games and every playoff game is remarkable and to take an average squad to win the East gives him the MVP for mine.
ROY: Ben Simmons
Without doubt Ben Simmons. Mitchell and Jayson Tatum had great years but what Simmons did statistically with his all-round game was superb and unprecedented and sets up and even bigger year next season.
6MOY: Eric Gordon
He played a valuable role in the resurgence of the Rockets in helping them gain the best overall NBA record in the regular season.
DPOY: Rudy Gobert
He is an incredible shot blocker but I think his intimidation goes beyond the shots he blocks. It’s the shots he forces players to miss because they think they will be blocked.
MIP: Victor Oladipo
Emerged as a star in his own right after moving from OKC to Indiana.
COY: Brad Stevens
He was brilliant this season and took a good team without their two best players and gave them a chance to compete for the East title against all odds. He found a game plan in every series that gave his team a chance to over achieve.
CHRIS GOULDING
MVP: James Harden
Harden simply because he had an incredible regular season.
ROY: Ben Simmons
Because he’s an Aussie!
6MOY: Lou Williams
At one point he had two girlfriends at the same time and he was almost an All-Star off the bench.
DPOY: Anthony Davis
He led the Pelicans defensively into the second round.
MIP: Victor Oladipo
No one wanted him and he showed everyone by having a great year with the Pacers.
COY: Dwane Casey
Best team in the East for the whole year, rough luck in the playoffs.
List of award nominees
NBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
James Harden, Houston Rockets
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
NBA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
NBA SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets
Fred Van Vleet, Toronto Raptors
Lou Williams, LA Clippers
NBA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
NBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Clint Capela, Houston Rockets
Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets
Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers
NBA COACH OF THE YEAR
Dwane Casey, Toronto Raptors
Quin Snyder, Utah Jazz
Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
OUR AWARDS JURY
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