Sneakerboxx 2008 NBA Regular Season Awards

With one of the most exciting regular seasons in recent memory (boo to those that say the pros don’t play hard), it’s time to hand out the first annual Sneakerboxx 2008 NBA Regular Season Awards. As a disclaimer, I am a huge LA Laker fan, so you already know what my MVP vote will be. But without further ado, the awards.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: The eventual winner will be Hedo Turkoglu, but I can’t see giving someone that has been in the league 10 years the most improved award. Hedo was simply the product of a coach that believed in him…that talent was there all along. Therefore, the Sneakerboxx most improved player goes to…

LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE.

WIth averages of 18 and 8 on the year, dude almost doubled his first year averages of 9 ppg and 5 rpg. Imagine how dangerous Portland will be next year when Greg Oden is beside Aldridge in the post, forming a duo that will be scary. The West just got that more scarier.

Also receiving consideration: Rajon Rondo- but I prob could run a team with KG, Paul Pierce, and Jesus Shuttlesworth.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: KEVIN DURANT with respect to AL HORFORD

I truly hope that they share this year’s ROY award. KD was the best player on a terrible team, and Al Horford was the inside force on a team of small forwards, giving the Hawks their first playoff appearance since 1999. But the nod goes to KD b/c of his improvement in the second half of the season. The young boy had to deal with double teams in his rookie year as the only real option following the midseason trade.

Big Al was a double-double machine (10 and 10) and got his team to the playoffs and I expect him to be a beast down low for years to come once the Hawks can move him to his natural position of power forward.

Also receiving consideration: Luis Scola- even though he’s 27, dude averaged 10 and 6 on an overachieving Rockets squad that did win 22 in a row this year.

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: MANU GINOBILI!!!! (Say it like Charles)

This is a no-brainer. Dude might be the second- best off-guard in the game today behind KB24. The Spurs only go as far as Manu takes them.

Also receiving consideration: Umm…no real competition. Maybe the aforementioned Luis Scola (only 39 games started this year)?

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kevin Garnett

Biggest turnaround in league history. Turned a soft squad into the best in the league. Nuff said.

Also receiving consideration: Marcus Camby…but, have you seen the nuggets play defense? Me either.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Eddie Jordan

You lose Gilbert Arenas for most of the year, Caron Butler for 24 games, and still have the #5 seed in the East using role players like Andray Blatche and my boy Roger Mason? That’s coaching right there. Now that they’re finally healthy (sorta), it’ll be interesting to see how they fare against the Cavs. I’ll be watching…

Also receiving consideration: Byron Scott, for obvious reasons. They competed for the top spot in the tough West for most of the year with a team that everyone expected to be good, but not this good. On to the playoffs…

AND NOW, THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD GOES TO…

KOBE BRYANT!

If you read the site, then you pretty much already knew the answer. Sure, he’s had better seasons in recent memory, but if you remember where we were after last season, it’s not so much of a stretch. This is pretty much the same team from last year and KB24 has been able to steer them to the top spot in the West. And please remember that the great Andrew Bynum only played 35 GAMES THIS YEAR. And then after Pau arrived, he was lost for 3 weeks to an ankle sprain. And they still are tops in the West? Sounds like MVP status to me.

Also receiving consideration: Of course, none other than CP3. If we’re going by the same criteria that the league went by when they handed Steve Nash the MVP award 2 years in a row, then surely CP3 would be the MVP. If we’re going by the Dirk criteria, then it goes to KB24. I won’t be mad if either of them wins.

So there you have it. Agree? Disagree? Leave your comments. And please, be civil, or they will be deleted.

lik dot

Tags: Chris Paul, nba mvp