The NBA season has reached its halfway point, so it's time to hand out a few mid-season awards.
MVP: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers. Every year, there's a debate about whether the MVP award is the most valuable player or the most outstanding player. There should be no debate this year because both players are wearing a Lakers' number 8. Bryant's absurd scoring run of late has put him at 35.9 points per game.
But, there really is no "I" in "team" and Bryant will have to win with the supporting cast he's got. Outside of Lamar Odom, the Lakers' best player is named Smush. Their big men include retreads Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm. Sure, Bryant's taking over 27 shots a game, but he has to in order carry this Lakers team to the playoffs.
Honorable Mention: Elton Brand, Los Angeles Clippers.
Rookie of the Year: Chris Paul, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. It's hard to decide which is more shocking: the fact that this guy went fourth in the draft, or the fact that he wasn't even the first chosen at his position. Paul has done everything, scoring 16.3 points per game, grabbing 5.7 rebounds, handing out 7.4 assists per game and even recording 2.3 steals per game. The numbers don't tell the full story, however. Paul has become the leader of a team that has made more improvement than any other in basketball.
Honorable Mention: Channing Frye, New York Knicks.
Sixth Man Award: Mo Williams, Milwaukee Bucks. Before going down with a sprained ankle this week, Williams was one of the biggest reasons the Bucks are 23-21. He has filled a role this season as the finisher for TJ Ford, providing instant offense with 14.7 points in 29.8 minutes per game. Like last year's winner Ben Gordon, Williams has hit huge shots at the end of games, like his big three to give the Bucks a 103-102 win over the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 12.
Honorable Mention: Mike Miller, Memphis Grizzlies.
Most Improved Player: David West, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. Despite Paul's outstanding play, he may not even be the Hornets' best player. That distinction could go to West, who has come out of anonymity to score 17.1 points and grab eight rebounds a game after averaging just over six points and four rebounds last year. On Monday, West hit a shot at the buzzer to give the Hornets a 94-93 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. With Paul and West teaming up, the Hornets are destined for the playoffs in the Western Conference.
Honorable Mention: Boris Diaw, Phoenix Suns.
Comeback Player of the Year: TJ Ford, Milwaukee Bucks. This is the reason why Williams is up for the sixth man award; Ford has returned from a neck injury suffered two years ago to put a hold on the point guard position. Fifty-five games into his rookie season, Ford landed on his neck in one of the more frightening NBA injuries in recent memory. He missed the rest of his rookie season and the entire fallowing year, but has returned this season, using his quickness to average 12.1 points and 6.4 assists per game.
Honorable Mention: Alonzo Mourning, Miami Heat.
Coach of the Year: Byron Scott, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. Not only has Scott turned West and Paul into good players, but he looks poised to take a team without a star to the playoffs in the tough Western Conference. The Hornets are 22-22 right now and have won seven of their last 10, a remarkable feat considering their talent.
Honorable Mention: Mike D'Antoni, Phoenix Suns.
Executive of the Year: Elgin Baylor, Los Angeles Clippers. The man who has presided over one of the most consistently bad franchises in all of sports now deserves credit for a team that sits at 25-17. Baylor added Cuttino Mobley and Sam Cassell, and they have teamed with Elton Brand to give the Clippers some long-awaited respectability.
Honorable Mention: Larry Harris, Milwaukee Bucks.
Favorite for NBA Championship: Detroit Pistons. To go through a midseason report and not mention the Pistons is probably punishable by five to 10 years in prison. Yet that says something about this team, which is 37-6 and possibly on their way to a 70-win season without a legitimate star. (Chauncey Billups is mentioned in MVP talks, but it is more because sports writers feel guilty about ignoring a team that is having one of the greatest seasons in NBA history.) The Pistons have had the same starting lineup every game this season, an unbelievable statistic that, if continued, will help lead them to the promised land.
