It’s time to pull out the Ouija board and hope that things go better than in the new movie of the same name.
The NBA season tips off Tuesday night so we here at PBT are throwing out our predictions for the coming season. We’re actually going to do that for the next couple days, but today we focus on the big end of season awards — MVP, Rookie of the Year, etc. (tomorrow we get into who makes the playoffs and who wins what Steve Ballmer affectionately calls “Larry”).
Even before the first game tips off are some clear frontrunners for several of the NBA end-of-season awards… but we didn’t aways go with them. Here are our calls, followed by a few comments.
MVP: This has been a two-person race for the past couple years, and with Kevin Durant now out for a couple of months, most of us chose LeBron James as the guy who gets the hardware. However, if you’re looking for a good dark horse candidate — and if the Clippers do turn out to be elite contenders — Chris Paul is a good call. So Brett Pollakoff chose him and bet on Ballmer’s team
Rookie of the Year: Jabari Parker drew three of our votes and after his strong preseason looks like the guy to beat in this category. I went another way with Nerlens Noel because he was the guy that most impressed me at Summer League, and because he had a full year on the sidelines to build up his body and study the NBA game. Like with Blake Griffin I think it’s a huge advantage. Bottom line here, I’d be shocked if the award didn’t go to one of three guys: Noel, Parker or Andrew Wiggins.
Most Improved Player: Sean and I both chose Anthony Davis, but not really because he may be the most improved player, he already averaged 20.8 points and 10 rebounds a game last season (although I do expect him to take another leap forward this year). This is really about some voters finally noticing and recognizing him and what a beast he is becoming — he will be the third best player in the NBA within two years. He’s not getting the MVP this year (although I think he gets votes) so voters will slot him in here.
Sixth Man of the Year: This race seems wide open but three of us think Taj Gibson could be the man, with Dan Feldman going with Greg Monroe (which is an interesting choice in Detroit, so long as he isn’t traded). That said, there are a number of players — Isaiah Thomas in Phoenix, Jamal Crawford with the Clippers — who also will be in the mix.
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- truehooper1421 - Oct 27, 2014 at 10:38 AM
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AD averaged 20.8 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game….You guys must expect this guy to go for 28, 14, and 5 blocks this year huh.?
Seems like there isn’t too much room for improvement, next step is MVP I think he’s beyond MIP.
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- fballlvr22 - Oct 27, 2014 at 10:40 AM
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D-Rose – Comeback player (Knocking on Wood)
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- spursareold - Oct 27, 2014 at 10:42 AM
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No such award. There used to be, but it seemed every year it was won by some recovering coke head. It was changed to the MIP award.
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- spursareold - Oct 27, 2014 at 10:40 AM
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COY – Popovich
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- arrondior - Oct 27, 2014 at 10:41 AM
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Anthony Davis is the most exciting player to watch in basketball right now (in my humble opinion). If the Pelicans make the play-offs this season he is a lock for Most Improved.
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- truehooper1421 - Oct 27, 2014 at 11:04 AM
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AD is in the running for MVP this year, forget about MIP.
AD will be good regardless, just like last season. I’m sure he will improve, but them making the playoffs depends on Holiday, Gordon, Asik and Evans staying healthy. Also, Having Ryan Anderson (poor man’s Kevin Love) off the bench is going to be big if he stays healthy, he averaged 21 and 7 in 22 games last season. Those 5 combined missed 170 games and Davis missed 15 too.
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- arrondior - Oct 27, 2014 at 12:21 PM
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Anthony Davis is going to dominate this season. Mark my words. He has it all. Size, Strength, Range, high basketball IQ, handles, great post moves, fantastic defense. Yes, he had this last year but he has improved every area of his game in the off season. All that said, I think all eyes are going to be on the Cavs and Lebron this year. I don’t see Davis getting MVP this year unless the Pelicans finish in the top 3 in the West this year…. I just don’t see that happening though.
I really hope he grows and stays with the Pelicans and brings a championship trophy home to New Orleans. That would be a fantastic story. I bet the Lakers (and other big market teams) are salivating at getting a shot at him for the 2016-17 season though. Kobe will have retired and they will have a shot at landing him and other young talent then.
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- andrewwiggins22 - Oct 27, 2014 at 10:59 AM
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My predictions:
MVP: LeBron James
ROY: Jabari Parker
6th Man: Taj Gibson
DPOY: Serge Ibaka
Coach of the year: Dwane Casey
MIP: Jared Sullinger
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- 00maltliquor - Oct 27, 2014 at 11:37 AM
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*Most improved: Jordan Hill
*6th man: Isaiah Thomas
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- edon8334 - Oct 27, 2014 at 2:12 PM
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MVP: LeBron
ROY: Elfrid Payton
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- edon8334 - Oct 27, 2014 at 2:14 PM
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DPOY: Anthony Davis
Coach of the year: Jason Kidd (lol)
MIP: John Wall
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- 2drunk2dunk - Oct 27, 2014 at 8:08 PM
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you guys don’t think dhalsim is the fav for DPOY?
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- illogic87 - Oct 27, 2014 at 2:41 PM
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You experts really went out on a limb on your predictions!
