The NBA season came to an end two weeks ago and the draft wrapped up last Thursday, but the league calendar keeps on trucking ahead. And no, I’m not talking about the annual Summer League (which features the Toronto Raptors and tips off in Las Vegas on July 7).
The NBA Awards will be handed out Monday night with a new format: a live show hosted by Raptors global ambassador and chicken salad sandwich hater Drake. Ahead of the festivities, here’s a look at the nominees and expected winners:
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
The Nominees:
Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma Thunder: 31.6 ppg (NBA rank: 1st), 10.7 rpg, 10.4 apg (3rd), 42 triple-doubles (NBA record) and first player to average a triple-double since 1962.
James Harden, SG, Houston Rockets: 29.1 ppg (2nd), 11.2 apg (1st), 8.1 rpg, 22 triple-doubles, 66 double-doubles (1st).
Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Antonio Spurs: 25.5 ppg (9th), 5.8 rpg, 1.8 spg (T-3rd), 13.6 win shares (4th).
Who will win: Russell Westbrook.
This is in part because of some investigative work that dug up results of more than half the voters, and also because the media members who determine the award winners love a good narrative. He entered the season a lone wolf after being abandoned by longtime teammate Kevin Durant, and, as always, appeared to take things personally on the court. The intensity with which he played in the wake of Durant’s departure, and, of course, the triple-double record are why he’s essentially a lock to win his first MVP. Westbrook’s team finished with— by far— a worse record than both Harden and Leonard (and in Leonard’s case his supporting cast was just as meh as Westbrook’s) but that won’t stop him from walking home with his second MVP award of the season.
GAME-WINNER OF THE YEAR
The Nominees:
Tyler Ulis, PG Phoenix Suns: Step-back three-pointer at the buzzer versus the Boston Celtics.
Kyrie Irving, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers: Turnaround jumper versus the Golden State Warriors on Christmas day.
Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder: Long-distance three-pointer at the buzzer versus the Denver Nuggets.
Who will win: Russell Westbrook.
The first of a series of new fan-voted awards, Irving’s impressive spin shot still left about four seconds on the clock, Ulis’ clutch heave was the result of a broken play and poor defensive communication on the part of the Celtics, and so Westbrook’s storybook dramatic buzzer-beater will deservingly get the nod.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The Candidates:
Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Antonio Spurs: In 33.4 minutes per game, he got more steals (132) than fouls (122) this season.
Rudy Gobert, C, Utah Jazz: 12.8 rpg (4th), 2.6 bpg (1st), 6.0 defensive win shares (1st).
Draymond Green, PF, Golden State Warriors: 7.9 rpg, 2.0 spg (T-1st), 1.4 bpg (11th), 5.4 defensive win shares (2nd).
Who will win: Rudy Gobert.
Green is deserving, and may be the favourite heading into tonight’s show, but Gobert established himself as the NBA’s premier rim protector and the anchor of a Utah Jazz defense that propelled them to compete with the West’s best.
DUNK OF THE YEAR
The Nominees: Larry Nance, SF, Los Angeles Lakers; Zach Lavine, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves (now Chicago Bulls); Victor Oladipo, SG, OKC Thunder.
Who will win: Larry Nance.
One of the most fun types of dunks are the ones that you don’t see coming, and that’s what makes Nance’s slam so special. His hang-time is unbelievable. Combine it with the power of the slam, I think the award will go to Nance. If it were up to me, though, Oladipo and his Dominique Wilkins impression would be the clear winner, for those same reasons.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
The Nominees:
Lou Williams, SG, Houston Rockets: 14.9 ppg, 163 3PM (21st)
Eric Gordon, SG, Houston Rockets: 16.2 ppg, 246 3PM (4th)
Andre Igoudala, F, Golden State Warriors: 7.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.5 bpg, 52.8 FG%.
Who will win: Eric Gordon.
A welcomed addition to Mike D’Antoni’s Rockets offence, Gordon was a killer beyond the arc all season, registering at least six threes in 10 games this season and was the second-leading scorer for the NBA’s second-best offensive team.
ASSIST OF THE YEAR
The Nominees: Steph Curry and Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors; Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets; Chris Paul, PG, Los Angeles Clippers.
Who will win: Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
…Because it encapsulates both how dangerous and entertaining the 2017 Warriors were. Jokic had a few passes like this one, and is the most exciting passing big man in the NBA, while Paul’s pass was nice but at this point we may simply be spoiled by his ability to find teammates.
COACH OF THE YEAR
The Nominees: Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat (41-41); Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs (61-21); Mike D’Antoni, Houston Rockets (55-27).
Who will win: Mike D’Antoni.
One of the hardest awards to predict, a strong argument can be made for all three. Spoelstra orchestrated a stunning turnaround and just narrowly missed the playoffs with a roster of scrubs. Popovich’s team chased the Warriors for the league’s best record with a roster of role players (…and Kawhi Leonard). But D’Antoni completely overhauled the Rockets and designed an impactful offence based on the strengths of his roster.
PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
The Nominees:
Klay Thompson, SG, Golden State Warriors: 60 points in 29 minutes in Dec. 5 blowout win over the Indiana Pacers.
James Harden, SG, Houston Rockets: Monster triple-double— 53 points/16 rebounds/17 assists in Dec. 31 win over the New York Knicks. The first 50/15/15 game in NBA history.
Devin Booker, SG, Phoenix Suns: 70-point game, March 24 versus the Boston Celtics, the 10th-highest scoring game ever.
Russell Westbrook, PG, OKC Thunder: Monster triple-double— 57 points/13 rebounds/11 assists on March 29 versus the Orlando Magic.
Who will win: Klay Thompson.
The craziest part? Thompson only took 11 dribbles en route to his 60 points…
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
The Nominees:
Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers: 20.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.5 bpg.
Dario Saric, PF, Philadelphia 76ers: 12.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.2 apg.
Malcolm Brogdon, SG, Milwaukee Bucks:10.2 ppg, 4.2 pg, 45.7 FG%.
Who will win: Malcolm Brogdon.
Saric is the favourite heading into tonight (Embiid is the clear best player here but played less than half a season due to injuries), but Brogdon, a second-round pick, gets the edge for starting and contributing on a playoff team.
BLOCK OF THE YEAR
The Nominees: Hassan Whiteside, C, Miami Heat; Kristaps Porzingis, PF, New York Knicks; Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Antonio Spurs.
Who will win: Kawhi Leonard.
Another tough one, both the Whiteside and Porzingis blocks are demoralizing as they come. But Leonard’s epic chase down sealed the win for the Spurs and encapsulated his MVP candidacy in one 14-second sequence.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
The Nominees:
Rudy Gobert, C, Utah Jazz: 14 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 2.6 bpg, 58 double-doubles (T-3rd).
Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets: 16.7 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 4.9 apg, 39 double-doubles, six triple-doubles.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, G/F, Milwaukee Bucks: 22.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.6 spg, 1.9 bpg, 52.1 FG%.
Who will win: Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Gobert managed to stay on the floor and start 81 games this season, while Jokic exceeded expectations and proved he can be the face of the Nuggets franchise. But the Greek Freak set himself apart from the class and put his name on the map as one of the NBA’s next true superstars.
BEST STYLE
The Nominees: Iman Shumpert, SG, Cleveland Cavaliers; Russell Westbrook, PG, OKC Thunder; Dwyane Wade, SG, Chicago Bulls.
Who will win: Honestly, I don’t know.
The Drake-hosted NBA Awards tip-off at 9 p.m. ET live on Sportsnet One.