We continue our NBA on DefPen Awards with the most predictable in terms of who will actually get the award. We all know who it is. But that’s just one position. Who are we going to put in the 2nd and 3rd position?
There have been a lot of players that have shined this season even if the MVP conversation was over before we even entered 2016. I have been given the task of picking 2 players out of a pool of 6 for who should step onto the podium along with the clear winner. And a message for whoever has somebody different for the award. Just stop, this award is so unanimous that there’s more chance of Elvis, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston being alive and are actually living in the Australian Outback. Visually pleasing I know.
So who are the other six? Well to make this post zesty and spicy (words my editor picked) I decided to do some honourable mentions. No point in me saying six other candidates and not saying who made the cut. And those who missed it. The honourable mentions are in alphabetical order and then I will proceed with the top 3.
Honourable Mention: Chris Paul – To some people he is “The greatest point guard of his generation”. Shame that ‘Most Valuable Player’ is a yearly award. It’s also a shame that there isn’t a “Point God” award, because he would’ve locked up that award probably since 2008. For the past couple of years, he hasn’t got much shine in the MVP category because, like the San Antonio Spurs, the Clippers is mainly CP3, Blake and DeAndre doing work. And it’s the same again this year. 9.9 APG, just over 2 steals per game, Clippers looking decent (For Clipper standards) thanks to him. Definitely worth a shout.
Honourable Mention: Damian Lillard – The Portland Trail Blazers are Playoff contenders because of this total beast. Damian Lillard saw the offseason Portland had, losing all their starters, and took it as a challenge. He saw himself get snubbed in All-Star voting again and took it as a challenge. The Blazers are currently 6th in the Western Conference. Be honest, you thought they’d be a lottery team this season. We forget how dedicated this guy is. But please continue sleeping on Lillard, it’s just more fuel for him.
Honourable Mention: Kevin Durant – While I have this platform, why does he persists on wearing things that just amplify his skinny frame? Those KD’s he wore before a game where it went up to his knees was a weird look. Anyways. KD continues to be consistently one of the best offensive players in the game. 2nd in PER, 3rd in True Shooting and recently passed Allen Iverson in consecutive 20+ point games. He’s nearly past the 60 game mark and definitely deserves MVP consideration.
Honourable Mention: LeBron James – Oh how dare I leave out the King?! What is wrong with me?! No I am not leaving him out of the MVP podium just because he has been feeding the media with stupid stories. It’s simply because I don’t think he should be on the podium. Sure he’s 3rd in Box +/- and Value over Replacement, but at the end of the day. The 3 above him have stepped up their game this season. If only he was in an environment where he could get the same stats and be on a team where the people around him had the same motives as him. Somewhere a little warmer and has one of his “Brothers” on the team. Shame there’s not a team with all those parameters.
BUT ONTO THE TOP 3. DRUMROLL PLEASE!
3rd – Kawhi Leonard – I mean sure it’s a team game but there’s always a main guy, even for the most team-oriented squad in the San Antonio Spurs system. But Kawhi Leonard is advanced analytical porn. Top 5 in PER, Top 10 True Shooting, Top 15 Steal %, 6th in Offensive Rating, 1st in Defensive Rating, Top 10 in Offensive win shares, top 5 in Defensive and Overall Win Shares. Do I really need to go on? The guy is a master at doing things that classic box scores don’t account for and that deserves a place on the podium.
2nd – Russell Westbrook – You think Kristaps Porzingis is a unicorn? How about this out and out tank?! The man is leading in APG, he’s the only player on our list that is averaging a double-double, he is equalling MJ when it comes to triple-doubles in a month span. More triple-doubles than anybody in a two-year span, breaking Jason Kidd’s record. The amount of records he is breaking is putting his name against the likes of Magic Johnson, Wilt and the aforementioned Michael Jordan. He is electrifying and literally can do it all. He is definitely the second best player in the NBA, in my opinion.
Has anybody noticed that I have tried not to say the clear winners’ name throughout this piece?
2015/16 Most Valuable Player – Stephen Curry – WELL DUH! Let me ask you a question. Have you ever seen an NBA season where the MVP was locked up so quickly? I wasn’t alive or can’t remember the Jordan years so answering my own question it’s a no personally. Curry has been nearly unstoppable. Hitting shots from parts of the court that shouldn’t be made consistently. The man is simply not a man. No normal person can make these shots. From the look of it, Stephen Curry is looking like the blueprint for the future of basketball. Hitting threes from distances that are more applicable to Olympic Javelin.
MVP? This guy isn’t just the MVP, he’s getting people to consider making wholesale changes to the fabric of NBA Basketball.
