Banter's 2015-16 NBA Preview: Part III - The Hardware

Now that you've endured me blabbering on about every team's season prognosis for several thousand words, we get to the fun part: the awards; the hardware; the glory.

What follows are Banter's predictions for the NBA's All-Stars, awards, and playoff results. These picks are more or less who I believe will be selected, more so than who should be. It's tough to completely compartmentalize that bias when making these predictions, but I'll try.

Before we get to that madness, a brief pause to acknowledge the passing of T-Wolves' Coach/GM Flip Saunders; a longtime and widely-beloved NBA fixture who tragically lost a battle with cancer at age 60. Thoughts are definitely with the Wolves and Saunders family during this tough time; Flip will be missed.

And so, without further ado...

EAST ALL-STARS:

STARTERS: G- John Wall, G- Kyrie Irving, F- LeBron James, F- Carmelo Anthony, F- Pau Gasol

BENCH: G- Jeff Teague, G- Jimmy Butler, F- Chris Bosh, F- Paul Millsap, F- Kevin Love, WC- Kyle Lowry, WC- Paul George

WEST ALL-STARS:STARTERS: G- Steph Curry, G- Chris Paul, F- Kevin Durant, F- Anthony Davis, F- Marc Gasol

BENCH: G- James Harden, G- Russell Westbrook, F- Blake Griffin, F- Kawhi Leonard, F- DeMarcus Cousins, WC- LaMarcus Aldridge, WC- Klay Thompson

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
This is going to be a pretty interesting race this year. Myles Turner could blow up. D'Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay will both be thrust into the spotlight as contribution-heavy starters. Jahlil Okafor has an NBA-ready game, vying for the one award where team success has (or should have) no bearing at all.

That said, Towns is a total bully on the block who might have most NBA-suited body we've seen on a rookie in years. He'll be stuffed into a low-expectation, high-upside unit where he'll be able to contribute from Day 1 without any fear of a short leash. His energy and physicality suggest he's a very unlikely candidate to hit the 'rookie wall', and every scout who's seen him play at length is very high on him. Time to make Flip proud.
Contenders: Jahlil Okafor, D'Angelo Russell, Emmanuel Mudiay, Myles Turner

All-Rookie Teams: First- G- D'Angelo Russell, G- Emmanuel Mudiay, F- Stanley Johnson, F- Karl-Anthony Towns, C- Jahlil Okafor

Second- G- Jerian Grant, G- Justise Winslow, F- Trey Lyles, F- Mario Hezonja, C- Myles Turner

COACH OF THE YEAR: Who Knows
Trying to predict this award is a painfully futile process. The winner usually winds up coaching a team that defied or exceeded expectations (and therefore wasn't a logical prediction pick). If the team was supposed to be good, that usually somehow counts as a strike against Coach X (which is totally counterintuitive but I digress..). Place your bets and hope for the best.
Contenders: Gregg Popovich, Brad Stevens, Jason Kidd, Fred Hoiberg

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls
Early indications out of Chicago are that Fred Hoiberg favors a Gasol-Mirotic frontline that spaces the floor in the trendy NBA offensive setup. If this holds true, Noah would have to be the favorite for Sixth Man, as a high-energy menace off the bench who could see minutes at both 4 and 5.

I'm predicting Noah will bounce back after an off year in which he seemed visibly burnt out by the Tom Thibodeau Grind. With Thibs out the door, Noah - who doesn't know how to take a possession off - will get to pick his spots a little better and play with max energy and primacy more consistently.

If he remains a reserve this award might be a wrap, but a reclamation of his starting spot could open the door up for...
Contenders: Isaiah Thomas, Ryan Anderson, Dennis Schroder, Nikola Mirotic


MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: CJ McCollum, Portland Trailblazers
The reality of this award is that its definition warps from season-to-season on a strangely arbitrary basis. Its nature also defies predictions to a large extent because it appeals to the unexpected. So I'm fully expecting my prediction here to backfire, but McCollum - who was red-hot during the post and pre-season - will have ample opportunity to make his mark.

He should be starting by December, and will be able to take advantage of a decimated Blazers roster that's short on any kind of consistent offensive backup for Damian Lillard. McCollum was always touted as an NBA-ready draft prospect, but had his first two seasons derailed by injuries and heavy competition for minutes. Both those factors - along with expectations for Portland - are gone, leaving all the pieces in place for a serious MIP push.
Contenders: Bradley Beal, Meyers Leonard, Nicolas Batum, Elfrid Payton

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
This just feels like a slow train coming, albeit not that slowly. Davis is an otherworldly defensive freak in the pivot, the likes of which the NBA hasn't seen since Hakeem Olajuwon (all apologies to Ben Wallace). He put up eye-popping numbers last year, most of which he played as a 21 year-old.

Now give him another year of growth (both physicality and ability terms), and shift him from a team that played at a glacial pace to one that's going to run more than Forrest Gump. Simply put, Davis' raw statistics are going to be unfathomable this year; it's hard to place a ceiling on what he might do. Beyond that, his versatility as a big man is unparalleled; he's mobile enough to chase larger wings and stretch bigs, while closing out on jump shooters and pick & rolls better than pretty much anyone.

With all the trendy focus on defensive metrics, there's sure to be plenty of convoluted arguments for a variety of players, but I'm thinking Davis at fully-spread wings will be too much to ignore.
Contenders: Kawhi Leonard, Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green, Serge Ibaka

All-Defensive Teams: First- G- Chris Paul, G- Tony Allen, F- Kawhi Leonard, F- Anthony Davis, C- Rudy Gobert

Second- G- Mike Conley, G- Jimmy Butler, F- Draymond Green, F- Serge Ibaka, C- Andrew Bogut


MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
Ya, I've got Davis doing the double-dip this year. Instead of go on about why he should win MVP this year, instead let's talk about why all the other contenders probably won't:

Steph Curry: Won an insanely-competitive MVP race last year in surprisingly-decisive fashion (#GroupThink). This was mostly due to the Warriors' dominance of a conference that's highly-unlikely to yield another 67-win team (since the rest of its Top 5 all improved noticeably in the offseason).

James Harden: Last year's runner-up as an all-around stat monster. He'll still be a killer this year, but will be slightly less of an omnipresent force for Houston with Ty Lawson alongside him and a healthier frontcourt. His numbers should dip accordingly, bringing his MVP case with them.

LeBron James: Unless Cleveland absolutely pummels the East this year (and teams "playing for June" like the Cavs seldom do), it's going to be tough to give LeBron a nod. He knows he's the best player alive and is likely spending most of the regular season on relative cruise control as he inches further into his 30's.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook: Are likely to cancel each other out this year. There's a reason why Shaq & Kobe only have one MVP each.

Of course some other unknown contender might throw his hat into the ring, but at this point it would be foolish to bet against Davis on a healthier team, with a better coach, and the "His Time is Now" narrative likely to fuel lots of subconscious motivation in the minds of voters. The Pelicans will need a rival injury to crack the West's top-6, but Davis is going to be good enough to seriously challenge the notion that the MVP has to come from a contender.

All-NBA Teams: First- G- Stephen Curry, G- James Harden, F- LeBron James, F- Anthony Davis, C- Marc Gasol

Second- G- Russell Westbrook, G- Chris Paul, F- Kawhi Leonard, F- Kevin Durant, C- DeMarcus Cousins


Third- G- John Wall, G- Jimmy Butler, F- Paul George, F- Blake Griffin, C- Al Horford

PLAYOFFS:
East Finals: Cavs over Bulls
West Finals: Spurs over Warriors

NBA CHAMPION: Cleveland Cavaliers
Ya. There it is. I'm going against the grain of the West's clear superiority, if for no other reason than it's going to be toughest conference ever to escape intact in the playoffs. These teams are going to beat the living shit out of each other over a plethora of seven-game series, while the Cavs could walk rested and untested to a Finals where they'll (odds are heavy) be healthier than last year when LeBron came within two games of winning a title with Tristan Thompson as his 2nd-best player. They'll have continuity and more experience on their side as well (remember last year was both Love and Irving's first trip to the postseason), not having to work a new roster together on the fly throughout the season. LeBron's lost his last two trips to the Finals, and much like the last time, I don't see him standing for a third.

That's it for the Preview kids, it's time for the 2015-16 NBA season to unfold...

Banter's 2014 UnOfficial Awards

A week ago, I unveiled my picks for the NBA's regular season awards, as usual a little early. I do this (mainly) for two reasons: a) to get the jump on other analysts whose opinions you surely care more about, and b) to avoid letting their logic subconsciously influence my decisions. Maybe I plan this too carefully for someone whose vote doesn't actually count, but according to ESPN's awards forecast pollsters - lots of whom are card-carrying NBA voters - I'm looking decent to go 5 for 6, with the arbitrary Most Improved Player being the lone sure miss.

Most of what I've read suggests Goran Dragic will snag MIP, which doesn't sit well with me. Dragic made a pretty big leap as a scorer this year, but by most numbers, and some general definitions wasn't even the most improved player in his own starting lineup.

Phoenix's season was a huge surprise; a refreshing burst of entertainment in a season when so many teams openly refused to compete (to overstate a point, the Suns were supposed to be one of them). Stellar as Dragic's campaign was, he was far from the only contributor on a team whose (essentially) whole rotation had dramatic career years. And it's also not as though he came out of nowhere.

Dragic should be acknowledged, but he's already a near-lock for an All-NBA nod in a season where a guard-injury epidemic hit perennial candidates Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo, Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose. Handing this award to him is akin to erroneously crowning the best player on the best team MVP, and it's especially tough to single out one player, when Phoenix's improvement was such a team function.

Speaking of seasons that need to be acknowledged (and with that rant off my chest) there was plenty more to celebrate in 2013-14 than the NBA's standard awards can cover, so without further delay, here are Banter's UnOfficial Awards:

Bobby Boucher Award: Al Jefferson
The player whose acquisition to a new team created the greatest positive impact.

Big Al was just an offensive beast this year; there's no way to deny his impact on Charlotte's pretty-unlikely run to the Playoffs, putting up near-career-best numbers for a team who exceeded the general preseason consensus by ~ 15 wins.

There's plenty of blame to go around; the team as a whole gelled nicely under a near-COY first year from Steve Clifford. But after Jefferson shook off his early bum leg, the Hornets relied on his post presence consistently, especially during Kemba Walker's absence. Their inspired refusal to tank is largely his fault.

Regards to: The Phoenix Suns, Dwight Howard, Monta Ellis

Canibus Award: Enes Kanter
The young player who was set to blow up this season, had plenty of opportunity, and didn't really deliver.

Not too much went right in Utah this season, and while the aim wasn't exactly for the Jazz to be "good" per se, part of the motivation for for letting Paul Millsap and the aforementioned Al Jefferson walk away for nothing last summer was to clear room for ^this guy to blossom in the low post.

Didn't quite happen, as Kanter's game developed at a rate far slower than any Mormon had hoped, while his presence in tandem with Derrick Favors was mostly dysfunctional. The Jazz are getting a good Lotto pick and have cap room to spare, but any kind of leap from Enes this year would've been encouraging going forward. (In completely, totally, 100% unrelated news, Kanter may or may not have also been one of my preseason picks for Most Improved Player).

Regards to: Ed Davis, Dion Waiters

Kevin Willis Lifetime Achievement Award: Derek Fisher

The player who demonstrates outstanding devotion to the game, defying most laws of common sense and physics through an utter refusal to retire. 

Fisher took this award home last year, but in a season where Russell Westbrook's injuries gave him unfathomable amounts of floor time, Fisher delivered some witty veteran play, often at key moments for the Thunder. He proved he wasn't a total relic, which the meme to your right more or less indicates.

Regards to: Antawn Jamison, Chauncey Billups, Jermaine O'Neal

Energizer Bunny Award: Joakim Noah
The player who just keeps going, and going, and going, and going...

You know how Drake's just been everywhere with basketball these past few weeks? Annoyingly popping up in every little unexpected corner of a game - courtside, in the locker room, in the ESPN studio, afterparty VIPing, or looming from his perch as the Raptors' Human Mascot - just to remind you how "on it" he is?

That was Noah all year. Dude just didn't stop.He combined perpetual movement with flawless execution; his efforts were both more balanced and focused; he did so much for the Bulls, while never taking plays off. It was a joy to watch, and every bit as irritating as Drizzy for whoever was up against it.

Regards to: Jimmy Butler, Monta Ellis, Blake Griffin

Leon Phelps Award: Andre Drummond
The player who caused the most drama with the ladies this season.

In an era where Social Media has more or less devoured actual social behavior, Drummond made headlines last year with his public Twitter pursuit of teeny-bopper Jennette McCurdy. His hashtag-bred courtship (how romantic.) led to several PDA-heavy dates, continuing to feed the viral frenzy around the young lovebirds. McCurdy even penned a very well-articulated op-ed for the Wall Street Journal on all the commotion.

The two became a highly-topical fodder for both gossip media, and members of the ubiquitous "anything's possible on the Internet" movement.

In a shocking turn of events, this hasty celebrity couple didn't last very long, with McCurdy's midseason revelation that her and Andre only went on a couple of dates, didn't vibe too well, and that a tiny teen actress kissing a 7-foot basketball player is every bit as awkward height-wise as you'd picture.

But of course, it wouldn't be a standard NBA relationship without something like this happening at all-too-perfect a time.

Regards to: Paul George, Raymond Felton, Dante Cunningham

The Earl Manigault Rebound of the Year: Shaun Livingston
The player who - against great odds or obstacles - made the most significant comeback this season.

The injury-ravaged career of Shaun Livingston had mostly been a tragic tale of great potential succumbing to a fragile body. Since 2004, he'd seen seasons of 4, 8, 10 and 26 games, only once playing more than 70.

After yet again appearing in just 17 for the Wiz last year, Livingston landed on the Nets - his seventh team in six seasons - and highly improbably dropped near career-best numbers for a Playoff team, appearing in a personal best 76 games, and having been the first sign of life when Brooklyn bombed out of the gate.

The fact that he's still in the NBA is a testament to his will and toughness; what he showed us this season deserves a nod.

Regards to: Derrick Rose, Kyle Lowry, Channing Frye

Ham of the Year: Andrew Bynum
The player who insulted expectations, his paycheck, and the game of basketball the most through continued dubiousness and a general resemblance to a roasted slab of meat.

I don't like to pick on injured players with this award, but in some cases it's just unavoidable. Especially when said injury was incurred while the player was tossing some ten-pin before he was cleared for activity. Enter this season's Andrew Bynum's Saga:

After spending a year on the bench, becoming an internet sideshow, Bynum's time in Cleveland was marked by disconnected play and enough incredulous stories to fuel a Best of Maury Povich DVD. There were sources claiming he'd slept with a coach's wife, others saying he'd spent an entire team scrimmage launching three-pointers off every touch, and one report went so far as him meeting with then-GM Chris Grant, claiming he didn't want to play basketball anymore.

Slotting an early-termination clause into his deal - allowing them to ditch him mid-season in the somewhat-likely event this were to happen - was the best thing that happened to the Cavs this year, turning the ability to fire Bynum into a trade asset. Indiana doesn't exactly have much to say about his time there.

Regards to: OJ Mayo, Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Bennett

The David Stern Award: Anthony Davis
The player who made the biggest power move this year.

I'm introducing this new award, not only as a needed salute to a legendary builder whom we all owe as fans of the game, but as the UnOfficial Awards' answer to Best Picture, Album of the Year, and Choice Hissy Fit.

The best way to explain my logic for this award is a combination of MVP and MIP; a player has to have escalated significantly, but more or less to or within the NBA's Penthouse (ruling out basically the entire MIP field). Like Stern, he's shown tremendous growth that has registered in the most impactful way.

What Davis showed this season was the makings of an all-around big man eerily reminiscent of Hakeem Olajuwon, who Bill Simmons in The Book of Basketball declared a "kajillionpilliongazillionfrazillionfriggallionmaillion to one" that we'd ever see again. The guy can do pretty much everything right now, and is still 21 (twenty-f***ing-one) and has so much to learn that it's almost unfair what he's capable of. When he pulls it all together consistently, he'll be totally unstoppable.

More or less everyone knew Davis was primed for a leap this year after adjusting to life in the NBA and its learning curve, fully healing his leg, and adding some bulk to his wiry frame. Nobody really saw this kind of casual all-around dominance from The Brow; the kind of season that promises he'll be an MVP someday.

It's really only a matter of how long the LeBron & Durant's Jay-Z/Nas duel carries on. They've got now, but Davis took next very decisively, and doesn't look like he's waiting too patiently.

Regards to: Kevin Durant, Joakim Noah, Blake Griffin 

Congrats to this year's winners (your trophies and Tim Horton's Gift Cards are in the mail). See you all on Saturday for what...? Playoffs.

Banter's 2014 NBA Awards

Last night, the UConn Huskies capped off a ridiculous NCAA Tournament in fittingly historic fashion as the first 7-seed ever to be the Last Team Standing. It was their Spurs-esque 4th title in 15 years (mind-boggling when you think about the leagues of teams vying for it), and equally incredible ways for Shabazz Napier and Kevin Ollie to end, and begin, their Connecticut legacies as player and coach.

Napier put on a very convincing Kemba Walker impersonation, doing seemingly whatever he wanted and coming up with innumerable huge buckets through the Huskies' run. His post-game interview only amplified the resonance. Ollie did an outstanding job of motivating and organizing these young men; keeping their play focused and intense through a series of tough opponents who played varying styles of ball. While Napier gets to move on to a league where he'll see a share of the millions his talents generate, we can only hope the next March Madness hero won't "go to bed starving". Hopefully, the NCAA can look itself in the mirror, and see how their priorities and rules about ensuring the integrity of the collegiate experience are hypocritically defeating themselves, before the game, and its athletes, suffer further.

Back in the big leagues, the regular season's coming down to its final games, which means it's time to gear up the annual debate about who deserves each of the NBA's awards. The competition was pretty thick for most of the trophies this season; a few battles with some decisive lead changes and close outcomes. In a season that where the Impiid for Embiid movement and the critical shittiness of the Eastern Conference were Adam Silver's first burdens to carry (along with that bizarre trip of a Dunk Contest), there was still plenty to applaud, so let's get ahead of ourselves by starting things off, as usual, with the future:

Rookie of the Year - Michael Carter-Williams
Carter-Williams can, to an extent, credit Philadelphia's hyperactive pace with his gaudy numbers that led all NBA freshmen in points, rebounds, assists, and steals, and put his rookie season in the same statistical realm as Magic Johnson's.

There's still plenty about his game that needs improvement for him to hit another level - chiefly his awful shooting from outside ten feet - and at 22, he's kind of old for a rookie in today's NBA. But MCW's rangy skill set and size as a PG are huge advantages for a developing player, and his unlikely outburst made him an easy choice amid a predictably shaky rookie class.

Regards to: Victor Oladipo, Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr

All-Rookie First Team: G-Michael Carter-Williams, G-Victor Oladipo, F-Giannis Antetokounmpo, F-Mason Plumlee, C-Pero Antic

Second Team: G-Trey Burke, G-Tim Hardaway Jr, F-Ben McLemore, F/C-Kelly Olynyk, C-Gorgui Dieng

Most Improved Player: DeAndre Jordan 

This award is usually the toughest to decide, not only because there are so many worthy contenders almost every season, but because of the unavoidable issue of whether a player getting more minutes due to a trade, injury, or new roster void constitutes actual "improvement".

Apologies to Anthony Davis and his sudden legions of bandwagoners, but regardless of how high his NBA stock's risen this year, he shouldn't be the MIP. The Brow's had an incredible season, no doubt, but two things work against him heavily; The first is very quantifiable: many of his per-36 averages are startlingly close to last season, indicating most strongly that he was under-appraised as a rookie, even an injured, undersized one. The second is a little more abstract, but it's pretty safely said that some of the hype around Davis has as much to do with the glimpses he's shown as what he's doing consistently, right now. The skills he flashes are so diverse, polished and casual that they promise something greater; making us forget that he's still pulling it together. The quantum leap in his game we all think we're witnessing hasn't even hit yet.

Meanwhile in L.A. DJ's undergone a complete transformation under Doc Rivers. His defensive awareness, positioning and toughness have all risen considerably. He plays with purpose on offense, able to finish without a perfect Chris Paul lob, and in the presence of a defender. As a result his numbers are up universally (both in advanced metrics and layman's stats); he's almost doubled his rebound and block averages (leading the NBA in rebounds, third in blocks) and is shooting a league-crushing .674 from the field, scoring in double-figures on the year for the first time, ranking 16th overall in Real Plus-Minus.

He hits all the criteria for this award in a big way, not only passing the eye and numbers tests, but improving organically, on a competitive team (which has to count for something), who hung tough through injuries partly because of his new level. The frightening angle is that he still has plenty of improving to do, but this season saw serious strides, for a player who - unlike Davis - didn't seem destined to unlock his potential.

Regards to: Anthony Davis, The Phoenix Suns, Lance Stephenson

Coach of the Year: Jeff Hornacek

A very strong field of worthy contenders put up a fight for the most arbitrary and results-oriented of all the NBA's awards, but ultimately whether Phoenix makes the Playoffs or not, too much went right for them this season.

Think back to November; this team was supposed to be playing for ping-pong balls, perhaps the worst in the West on paper. Hornacek was a stereotype of potential coaching failure; a first-year HC, hired by a franchise he used to star for, and a total rebuild facing his roster, with plenty of new faces and no identity.

Only instead, he pulled a literal Cinderella Story, turning pumpkins into stagecoaches, and his Replacements roster into a serious threat, running an imaginatively deadly four-out offensive scheme. He spaced the floor beautifully and took advantage of his shooting bigs, with their ability to move on D allowing them to "small ball" like few other squads.

Once teams realized Phoenix was for real and began game-planning for them, their second-best player conveniently got injured for three months, and the Suns still stayed competitive in the ultra-tough West. Bledsoe's injury is the only thing keeping him from joining three teammates (Miles Plumlee, Goran Dragic, Gerald Green) in the Most Improved Player race, and a fourth (Markieff Morris) who's sure to get some Sixth Man love.

Every player in the Suns' rotation (with the exception of Channing Frye; their elder statesman who missed last season with a heart condition) is having a career year, and that kind of dramatic, consistent improvement is indicative of a coach who not only connects with players very well, but is good at developing skills, and smart enough to employ them optimally on the court. Hornacek's done all that this season which, remember, is only his first. Get Horny.

Regards to: Gregg Popovich, Tom Thibodeau, Terry Stotts

Sixth Man of the Year: Taj Gibson

It seems ridiculous that he's somehow still eligible for this award (what with all the cost-cutting in Chicago and Carlos Boozer not having been amnestied), but in a season where scrappy defensive effectiveness defined the Bulls, Gibson's impact has been huge.

His diverse, disruptive athleticism was invaluable to the Bulls' stalwart D, and averaging an impressive 13ppg off the bench for the NBA's most offensively-challenged team. Those of you who checked out the Real Plus-Minus link above know that Gibson's rated higher overall than Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Blake Griffin, Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard.

The race between Gibson and stone-etched contender Manu Ginobili is very close, but Taj logs 126% of Manu's minutes every night, and hasn't missed a game all year. The Spurs were the epitome of balance and chemistry this season (Spoiler Alert: the NBA's best record has nobody on my All-NBA Teams this year). The Bulls had absolutely no business being this competitive this year, and Gibson's one of the two biggest contributors (leading us to...)

Regards to: Manu Ginobili, Anderson Varejao, Jamal Crawford

Defensive Player of the Year: Joakim Noah
"The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot". - Bill Russell


A small part of me is doing this because I gave Noah this award last year, and now he's belatedly getting hype and credit across the league because of the Bulls' unexpected success. A much larger part of me believes his intensity - either deeply irritating or endearing depending on who you're rooting for - has only become more valuable as he's matured and improved his awareness, making him that much more deserving.

He's a truly unique player; a mental game master who not only plays with a high IQ but knows how to get under opponents' skin painfully well, housed by a long, athletic and quick body, fueled by an F-1 engine on overdrive. Nobody in the NBA does more to constantly disrupt the flow of an opponent's offense in a variety of ways. He can body big centers, move with smaller ones, cover help in the air or on the dribble (and switch back faster than just about anyone), and even step onto the perimeter, contest shots and slow down bigger slashers. He's everywhere.

It's an all-around nightmare of a defensive presence; one that constantly looms: "I'm going to make your life hell for 35 minutes tonight. You're going to be very annoyed no matter what you do. Be afraid". And he's good enough to instill that fear.

Regards to: Roy Hibbert, Patrick Beverley, Serge Ibaka

All-D First Team: G-Chris Paul, G-Patrick Beverley, F-Serge Ibaka, F-Anthony Davis, C-Joakim Noah 

Second Team: G-Kyle Lowry, G-Mike Conley, F-Kawhi Leonard, F-LeBron James, C-Roy Hibbert


Most Valuable Player: Kevin Durant
The King is Dead! Or at least his death-grip on the MVP trophy has been thawed.

LeBron didn't exactly lose the MVP race this year; he played at absurdly efficient, superb levels for a team that almost took for granted his ability to "do everything", relying on him more and more, especially in Dwyane Wade's absence. He put up a valiant defense.

There was just no denying Durant this season. Not with the NBA Jam numbers he put up redundantly, and the way he lifted OKC from preseason doubts, through two Russell Westbrook injuries, to a strong Playoff footing. Again, in the West. It's been said a million times but bears repeating; the gap in depth between the two Conferences was immeasurable this year, and made being elite that much harder, making Durant's Man On Fire act that much more impressive.

LeBron could be the best NBA player ever, but square in his prime, he wasn't the best NBA player this season.

Regards to: LeBron James, Blake Griffin, Joakim Noah

All-NBA First Team: G-Chris Paul, G-Stephen Curry, F- LeBron James, F- Kevin Durant, C- Joakim Noah

Second Team: G-Goran Dragic, G-James Harden, F-Blake Griffin, F-LaMarcus Aldridge, C-Dwight Howard

Third Team: G-John Wall, G-Kyle Lowry, F-Dirk Nowitzki, F-Kevin Love, C-Al Jefferson

2013 Banter NBA Awards

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!

Coming to you live from the Halifax Forum it's the 2013 Basketball Banter Awards, on Eastlink local cable!

We've got plenty of awards to hand out tonight, and unfortunately our host Michael Jordan couldn't make it this evening (something about a scheduling conflict), so without further ado, here are tonight's nominees!

Rookie of the Year, presented by Thomas Ian Nicholas and Gary Busey:  Bradley Beal, Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond, Damian Lillard, Dion Waiters

Defensive Player of the Year, presented by Ray Lewis and Maurice Levy: Tyson Chandler, Marc Gasol, Paul George, Lebron James, Joakim Noah

Coach of the Year, presented by Phil Jackson and Mike Rice: Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra, Tom Thibodeau, Mike Woodson, Doug Collins, Frank Vogel

Sixth Man of the Year, presented by Bronn and The Hound: Ryan Anderson, Jamal Crawford, Jarrett Jack, Andre Miller, JR Smith

Most Improved Player, presented by Macklemore and Psy: Omer Asik, Paul George, Jrue Holiday, Larry Sanders, Nikola Vucevic

Most Valuable Player, presented by Adam Silver and Mikhail Prokhorov: Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Lebron James, Chris Paul

....and now, the moment you've all been waiting for (seriously, let's just get to the after-party), the winners are....

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Damian Lillard, Portland Trailblazers
What was seemingly Davis' award to lose heading into the season has, in fact, been lost, unfortunately for him it seemed, before he even got to stake his claim. While Davis put up a reasonable rookie campaign amid some concerns about his durability and frame at the NBA level, Lillard showed out for Portland, blitzing defenses with ridiculous quickness off the bounce, and an impressive set of moves for a 6'3" rookie. His playmaking ability is adept for a score-first guard, and while the NBA game hasn't come completely naturally to him (he's struggled on defense most of the season, particularly on-the-ball), he's by all accounts a gym-rat with a devotion to improving. Either way, for 2013, Dame Dash is the clear rookie chart-topper.

All-Rookie Teams:

First Team: G-Damian Lillard, G-Bradley Beal, F-Mo Harkless F-Anthony Davis, C-Andre Drummond

Second Team: G-Dion Waiters, G/F*Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (the asterisk denoting that the Bobcats didn't really have anything coherently resembling an offense this year, so slotting MKG here in a very thin rookie class isn't much of a stretch) F- Harrison Barnes, F- John Henson, C- Jonas Valanciunas

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls
The  Bulls' somewhat-controversial dismantling of the Miami Heat's historic win streak was a simple microcosm of what this team's about: brutally efficient defensive execution; it's what Tom Thibodeau was sought for by teams League-wide, and it's paid dividends with the Bulls' MVP on the shelf for most of the past two seasons.

That they pulled off that particular upset without Joakim Noah is drenched in irony, as Noah has been the heart, soul and spine of this team's defense for several seasons, and knowing Derrick Rose would be out for most (perhaps all?) of this season, he ratcheted his game up to the next level, becoming the League's most versatile post defender. A constant threat to not only disrupt big men and own the glass, but quick enough to get in front of any penetrating wingman, with the length and athleticism to make them think twice about a return trip. His increased court awareness and leadership in Rose's absence showed especially on D, where he never fell into the lapses that plagued him post-contract, fueling the system that kept Chicago above water through a litany of injuries.

All-Defensive Teams:

First Team: G-Tony Allen, G-Dwyane Wade, F-LeBron James, F-Joakim Noah, C-Marc Gasol

Second Team: G-Mike Conley, G-Chris Paul, F-Paul George, F-Serge Ibaka, C-Roy Hibbert

COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike Woodson, New York Knicks 
In a category that's defined by subjectivity and un-expectation, Woodson has risen to the top of this year's coaching crop by taking an oddly-cobbled, aging Knicks team, and turning them into the unquestioned Eastern bridesmaids with a unique inside-out attack that has had to take many forms amid numerous injuries.
Aside from adjusting his lineup all year through a perpetually-rotating cast of players, Woodson did many remarkable things this season:

First, he vastly exceeded expectations in the rabid Mecca, which between the fans, the media, the pressure, the presence of Jim Dolan, and everything else plaguing the Knicks, takes a minor miracle. Moreover, he took on a newly-assembled team with several "character issues" guys and steered them clear of any cereal-unrelated disasters. In a season of metrics-based innovation, he crafted the NBA's most devastating inside-out attack around a player (Tyson Chandler) with no low-post game, and a player (Carmelo Anthony) who wasn't very fond of posting up often, or doing things the coach's way. In convincing Melo to take more minutes at the 4-spot, Woodson was also able to make Anthony see the light that "passing can be a good thing" (consequently, a player who arguably had the most prove of anyone in the NBA this year enjoyed the best season of his career). Beyond all this, perhaps most impressive was Woodson's breakthrough with JR Smith (clearly an expert after repeatedly butting heads with the other athletic "J.Smith" who was taken as a high schooler in the teens of the '04 Draft), turning him from a talented but generally disruptive potential-journeyman into:

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: JR Smith, New York Knicks
You should really see the look on my face right now. If there were a "Ron Artest Wins the Citizenship Award" Award for the words I'm most shocked to be writing this season, this is a sweep:

Smith made a name for himself in the NBA as an explosive scorer who could carry any second unit offensively, but did little else, loved the continual self-dial, and conducted himself in a manner that not-so-seldom made headlines for the wrong reasons. After spending a year in China during the lockout, it was unclear what Smith's role would be upon signing with New York; even less clear how the Garden's bright lights would cast him.

Early on, Smith made an impact; as advertised, he was a lethal shooter but his game seemed to evolve; he was penetrating more, keeping defenses honest, scoring near the hoop, and getting to the line at a greater rate, becoming a much more efficient offensive weapon. This was an astonishing development after years of urging from numerous coaches had proven futile. Even more shocking, he was defending and rebounding aggressively, while playing an important role in the Knicks' pass-heavy offense, completing the full-on transformation from apparent selfish knucklehead to vital role player, while using Twitter hilariously as an outlet for his impulsive attention-getting, rather than fighting with refs and coaches.

Smith's play led to increased minutes - a career high 33.5 as of now - which naturally left him on the floor more often in the clutch, where that once-pseudo-swag he carried himself with found meaning, hitting numerous big shots to help secure wins, which puts the icing on this cake and the 6MOY in JR Smith's humble hands. Strange times we're living in.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Paul George, Indiana Pacers
Some people might find it puzzling that I don't have the guy who's likely to win this award (James Harden) included even as a nominee. While Harden's certainly come onto his new scene in a big way, becoming a Top-10 guy with the Rockets this year, it's not as though he's improved tremendously as a basketball player. He was the most under-utilized player in the NBA last year, and still posted one of the best seasons in 6th Man history. He was named to Team USA in the summer, and happily given a max contract by the guy who's very much looking like the smartest GM in the League at the moment. Now the clear #1 on a Houston squad with the fastest-paced (read: stat-bloating) game, it's only natural he'd be putting up numbers like he is.

Meanwhile, George underwent an evolution that was far less guided; one that saw him make significant statistical strides on one of the slowest-paced (read: stat-constricting) teams while having to work harder in a new role that was unexpectedly thrown at him. When trigger-happy Danny Granger went down early, the onus was on PG to become the Pacers' offensive leader (almost by committee) and get over his apparent hesitance to create his own shot. It didn't take too long for George to not only become confident in that role, but display the kind of ability to render Granger to sudden trade bait, while also upping his play on D to an elite level. His baptism-by-fire emergence is the biggest reason the short-handed Pacers will be a 50-win team (other than the depth of the Eastern Conference) and a total contrast to Harden's likely illogical victory in this category.

All-NBA Teams: 

First Team: G-Chris Paul, G-Kobe Bryant, F-Lebron James, F-Kevin Durant, C-Marc Gasol

Second Team: G-Russell Westbrook, G-Tony Parker, F-Carmelo Anthony, F-Tim Duncan, C-Joakim Noah

Third Team: G-Stephen Curry, G-James Harden, F-Paul George, F-Blake Griffin, C-Brook Lopez

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: LeBron James, Miami Heat 
The final award of the evening is a total anti-climax, defeating the entire purpose of leaving it for last, but I digress... In a season where several players put up what otherwise would be very compelling MVP arguments, LeBron silenced all. The performance he delivered this season has made people legitimately discuss the idea of a living player possibly being as good or better than Michael Jordan, and not be thrown in an insane asylum. And that's really that needs to be said.

The Rest of the Best: 2013 All-Star Reserves

I'm trying to stay ahead of the curve here; Banter's All-Star reserve ballot is being served up as a sequel to the starters before the coaches screwball everything and I have to write a column about why DeAndre Jordan is an All-Star.

First though, I've been taking some heat from a few readers about a couple of my selections as starters, namely Paul George over Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant getting "snubbed" by James Harden. I'll be the first to admit: I'm a huge hater of "reputation votes" and tried to find some underlying bias in these decisions, but still feel as though those two deserve to be there.

Through my jaded eyes, the All-Star game is a representation of the NBA season thus far, and should be an opportunity for the players who've defined it to be celebrated. It's not about who the better player is, it's about who has mattered more this season, that's George and Harden in this case. Let's travel back to the alternate universe where I decide the NBA All-Stars as I explain:

East Reserves

Dwyane Wade
Sure Dwyane Wade is a better player than Paul George, but Miami has been somewhat underwhelming at times this season, and never has it been more apparent that he's the second-best player on his team. Meanwhile, George's sudden eruption after their "franchise" guy went down and their "max" player couldn't cut it as a two-way focal point is the main reason Indiana's leading the Central. He's their leading scorer, gives them 8 rebounds/game from the 3-spot, and - on the League's #1 rated defensive team - is the most versatile, and probably best defender.

Kyrie Irving
Cleveland might be one of the NBA's worst teams, but Irving is without question one of its best young talents and belongs in the All-Star game not only on the merits of his stellar offensive play this season, but as an exciting, dynamic franchise talent that has loudly declared his arrival. There's only so much of a "his team's terrible" argument one can make to keep a player this skilled and - from the League's perspective -marketable out of the lineup (not that this should really influence things, but it's like Blake Griffin's nod as a rookie; it's good for the game).

Luol Deng
The answer to all of the following questions is: Luol Deng

Who is the only player in the NBA logging over 40 minutes/game? ____________

Who has been the best two-way player for a Bulls team that's pacing itself extremely well while their MVP heals up? _____________

Who is probably the most under-rated player in the entire League? ______________ (as evidenced by Shane Battier snaring more votes than him. Seriously)

Who unquestionably deserves a spot on this bench? ______________

There shouldn't really be any more questions.

Tyson Chandler
The 2nd-most important component to the Knicks' sudden dominance, Chandler has been a complete package, obviously defending at an All-World level while upping his scoring and leading the League in FG% by a simply astounding margin. There's an extremely valid case to be made that he should be starting, which even three years ago would've been an absurd notion. As late bloomers go, Chandler's been a stunning surprise, and yet another player Mark Cuban will likely eternally regret not re-signing.

Joakim Noah
Arguably as crucial to the Bulls' early success has been Noah's ever-consistent energy and defensive presence; he anchors an elite defense, disrupting everything around the basket with an irritating tenacity, and doing everything on offense excellently, save for actually putting the ball in the basket. Noah will likely never be a #2.... or 3 scoring option, but has increased his offensive production in Rose's absence, averaging career-highs in scoring and assists (as well as blocks and steals) to help fill the void.


Deron Williams
After some December faltering and Avery Johnson being taken out by Prokorov's elite squad of  covert-ops assassins, Brooklyn's new team has been reeling off some decent-to-impressive games, with Williams finally hitting shots and playing with the kind of swagger he used to show off in Utah before Sloangate. I don't think "over-rated" is the word, but as skilled as he is, it seems absurd that there was ever debate between him over Chris Paul.

Chris Bosh
The final spot on this roster came down to Bosh and Jrue Holiday, and while Holiday is in the midst of a breakout year that will put him in the thick of the MIP conversation all season, Kyrie Irving pretty much stole all his "awesome young point guard on a crappy team" thunder, and having the point guard of a 2nd sub-.500 team here seemed redundant. On the flipside, Bosh - a player who was never known for his toughness or versatility on defense - has manned up this season and spent most of his time effectively playing center, holding his own and producing impressively, while allowing Miami to maintain its optimal lineups. I rarely find room to compliment Bosh, but his and Dwyane Wade's contributions this season are the epitome of "less is more" in terms of the box score.

West Reserves

Kobe Bryant
So, about the whole Kobe thing: both Harden and Bryant are having amazing seasons, and that the Mamba is still doing it at this rate, at this age, is truly remarkable. But to me, this isn't even much of a question. Kobe's been visibly passive on D this year while still unloading on offense; a once-elite defender - the leader of these Lakers - selectively coasting to save energy for offense, on a team whose defensive issues have highlighted what is the most universally disappointing season of any NBA team. All Harden's done is put up similar numbers while still being a great defender, for a team with a better record and much less talent, who are performing above anyone's expectations largely because of him. I'm not sure what other than the weight of Kobe's name earns him the starter's nod, but here he is, an All-Star for the 482nd consecutive season.

Russell Westbrook
There's a lot of things you can say about Russell Westbrook, many of which used to be legitimately negative. As the seasons pass, those items are being steadily eradicated and have left us with the second-best point in the NBA this season. He's the most athletic guard in the League. He's a fearless competitor who plays hard every night (and I do mean every night; he hasn't missed a game in his career yet). He does many things at an elite level, always had the confidence to exert himself when needed, and is developing a much better sense of when to do so. He doesn't even turn the ball over that much anymore. He's a Top-10 player, helping to lead the NBA's best team this season. He's guaranteed not to mail in the All-Star Game and throw down 2 or 3 awesome dunks. Enough said. (for those of you who think I actually use dunks as All-Star criteria, I'm merely mentioning it as icing on the cake, honey on the blunt, chrome on the Bugatti, whatever lingo you like to use)

Blake Griffin
So, for those of you who thought this may have been some insane meta-joke by David Stern on his way out, the Clippers are actually awesome now, and Griffin's been his usual All-Star self. Though his numbers are down (on a team that's so deep their most legitimate rotation issue is finding minutes for everyone within the flow of the game) he's harnessing his athleticism and - especially on defense - playing with more control and focus. As for in-game dunk potential, well, when one's jaw-dropping poster shots have almost become redundant, one's presence in an event with defense as lazy as the All-Star Game is a must.

David Lee
Who needs Andrew Bogut? Lee's larger-than-life play for the surprise of the season makes him a must on the West bench. There's almost a certain algorithm at play here: ~20/10 Guy + Massively Over-Achieving Team + Playoff Solidification + Tough Conference - All-Star Caliber (when healthy) Center = All-Star Appearance. Easy math.

Zach Randolph
People thought Z-Bo was finished. People thought he couldn't be the same player after his injury. People were fucking wrong. Randolph has been the definition of a beast this season with his constant low-post assault of the basket and boards. He gives up quite a bit height and athleticism-wise to most NBA 4s, but makes up for it with raw hustle and pure positioning, leading all non-Dwights in rebounding and serving as the Grizzlies' go-to guy in a balanced attack.

Speaking of Dwight, you may notice he's not here, which I had brief second thoughts about, but don't really regret. Yes, he's been much more impressive over the past couple of weeks, but I haven't forgotten the first month and a half of the season when he was a complete shell of himself, nor can I look beyond the Lakers' utter dud of a campaign and honestly say they deserve a second player here. Sorry, but if the All-Star game is at all a "representation of the season thus far", the Lakers should be sweeping the floor on dead balls after they mowed down so many headlines, didn't hire Phil, and have sucked this much.

Stephen Curry
Like Lee, Curry has been lights-out for a Golden State team that's putting everyone's preseason predictions to shame, and most of the Western Conference on watch. He scores nearly at will, is one of the NBA's most underrated playmakers, and makes up for any size he gives up on D with lightning lateral quickness. The freedom he's been afforded in the backcourt this year without Monta Ellis has allowed him to truly find his role, and leaving no doubt that his team kept the right man.

LaMarcus Aldridge
Honestly, this feels like a bit of a freeroll since Kevin Love's knuckle pushups are the only reason this spot's available to begin with, but lost amidst the shuffling storylines and franchise-altering injuries, is the reality that the Blazers are above .500 in the West, and shallower than Kim Kardashian. Lamarcus Aldridge is still really, really good, and giving this team's fans just one reason not to hang themselves. So for trucking it out, being consistently awesome, and not making the slightest bit of pretentious media rumble about your team's long-term predicament, this spot's all yours Mr. Aldridge. See ya in Houston.