NBA Awards Predictions

We're only about a month into the 2012-2013 season, but it's never too early to start predicting:

MVP: Kevin Durant
Durant is the hottest [and by that I mean on fire] player in the NBA. Kevin has been dominating every player and team and is unstoppable. Right now his stats stand at 26 points per game which isn't unusual, but he's become more of a well-rounder team player averaging 6 rebounds per game, 3 stocks [made-up stat by Bill Simmons, steals + blocks] and nearly 40 minutes a game. It appears to be working for OKC because they're currently on a 6 game win streak and remain one of the best teams in the league.

Other candidates: LeBron James - He's still the most athletically gifted and most well-rounded player in the league and is just a year removed from his last MVP victory
Kobe Bryant - He's just one 30 point performance away from being the 5th player to ever score 30,000 points and he remains one of the most prolific scorers and athletes in the game

Rookie of the Year: Damien Lillard
With 1st overall pick Anthony Davis going in and out of the lineup with injuries; the door is wide open for the rookie point guard to take this award from him. Lillard is having a monster rookie season averaging nearly 20 points a game 6 assists and with Lamarcus Aldrige struggling, he's even proving that he may be Portland's best player.

Other candidates: Anthony Davis - Health may be what's holding him back from winning this award, but when healthy, he's an animal; in 6 games this year, Davis is averaging 16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks a game



Defensive Player of the Year: Larry Sanders - This is by far my boldest prediction, but right now nobody is more deserving of this award than the 3rd year pro from Virginia Commonwealth. The Center/Power Forward is averaging 7 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game, nearly 5 per game in the last 14 days.  Sanders is also one of 2 player [Roy Hibbert is the other] to record a triple double this season consisting of points, rebounds and blocks. Sanders is doing this in a 6th man role, so if he can sustain this level of play, he may soon start, which would lead to even more blocks and rebounds.

Other candidates: Serge Ibaka -  My pick from last year for this award; Serge Ibaka is a block machine, trailing only Sanders for the league lead, averaging 3 per game. He's also setting a career high in defensive rebound [5 per game].
Dwight Howard - Coming off of the most disappointing season in his professional career, Dwight is back. This season, D12 is averaging nearly 3 blocks a game and a steal, totaling him at nearly 4 stocks a game.

                                                                                  Most Improved Player of the Year: Goran Dragic -

Dragic has been deserving a starting role for the past few years, and now he finally has one, and he's the centerpiece of the post-Steve Nash era Phoenix Suns. Goran is averaging 15 points, 6 assists and 2 steals to go along with a .462 shooting pct. Those may not appear as amazing stats when you look at them, but they are sure to improve the as the team builds more chemistry, Dragic may be on his way to averaging a double double.

Other candidates: O.J. Mayo - Mayo has skyrocketed this season and is neck and neck with Goran for this award and I was thinking for 30 minutes whether him or Goran is worthy of this award [I'm still not even sure] Mayo is shooting over 50% on 3 pointers, enough said.
Larry Sanders - [See Defensive Player of the Year]

                                                      
6th Man of the Year: Jamal Crawford -

Usually, I don't like player who can only score the ball, but nobody scores off the bench as well as the 13 year old veteran Crawford. Jamal is averaging 17 points a a game off of the bench on a .442 shooting percentage. But Jamal's real specialty is the free-throw line shooting .932 from the charity stripe. That is ridiculously close to automatic and Crawford just may end up setting the record for highest free-throw percentage in a season.


Other Candidates: Larry Sanders [See Most Improved Player of the Year]
Andray Blatche - Blatche went from exciting young prospect - to underachieving locker room cancer - to being amnestied and then signed to a minimum contract - to leader of arguably the best bench group in the NBA. Blatche is averaging 11 points, 6 and a half rebounds and shooting .477 from the field in only 20 minutes per game!