With a nearly a full month in the books, the NBA awards races have officially heated up to a point of no return. Although many of the top spots remained the same, there are still plenty of questions worth asking, such as: While the Golden State Warriors are 16-0, have their players, both new and old, earned their respective spots on this list?
With the Los Angeles Clippers imploding through locker room walls, has Blake Griffin fallen out of our MVP discussion for now?
While Rookie of the Year seems sewn up nice and tight now, a couple of New York youngsters have made their marks already, equally eager to make a run at No. 1. In the Most Improved category, Eric Bledsoe continues to mature and bust out of his cocoon and then we also wonder if we have to pivot on Coach of the Year already.
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Either way, there’s something here for just about everybody, so check out our updated list and compare them to past predictions, evaluations, and rankings. As always, shout at me on Twitter if you like I’ve blatantly missed your team’s best player — but I’m sorry Jahlil, it’s not you, it’s me.
Next: The KAT's Meow
Rookie of the Year
1. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves (Last Week: 1, –)
Despite a 1-2 week, Karl-Anthony Towns remains in our top spot for a variety of reasons:
- Towns has made last year’s hapless Timberwolves stay competitive in nearly every game thus far.
- Towns took Round 1 against Jahlil Okafor in what will hopefully become one of the league’s best rivalries. Never mind that Towns got in foul trouble early, played only 19 minutes, and shot just 3-for-7 because he won, which is far less than Okafor can say at this point.
However, even when Towns loses, as he did against the Orlando Magic last Wednesday in overtime, he stuffs that stat sheet, taking over the game and blocking a ridiculous six shots, including one on an almost sure game-winning layup.
Towns’ Line of the Week: 11/18 vs. ORL — 21 points, 12 rebounds, 6 blocks, 4 TOs, 8-12 FG%
Week Grade: B
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2. Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks (Last Week: 2, –)
While the rest of the world can’t decide on a nickname for the Latvian sensation, the New York Knicks’ Kristaps Porzingis has continued to be the most exciting thing at the Garden since Linsanity gripped the city in 2012.
Although the Knicks are just 8-7, Porzingis has made the Knicks fans want to watch again and his immediate surge to the surface might just be the difference between sneaking into the playoffs or not come April.
It’s too bad that the All-Star Game isn’t in Manhattan this year or we might seriously start seeing people carrying pitchforks and torches down 8th Avenue when the enigmatic rookie doesn’t end up as an Eastern Conference selection in a few months.
Porzingis’ Line of the Week: 11/21 vs. HOU — 24 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 7 blocks, 3 TOs, 8-12 FG%
Week Grade: B+
3. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brooklyn Nets (Last Week: –, Up 1)
Speaking of those pitchforks and torches, listen, let me explain myself: Since Hollis-Jefferson joined the Nets’ starting lineup on Nov. 6t Brooklyn hasn’t looked as downright awful and, I promise you, that’s an incredible testament to the rookie’s immediate impact.
Although Hollis-Jefferson has a massive problem leaving his feet with nowhere to go, the chaos, excitement, and scrappy, fearless defending has made the rookie a fan favorite in Brooklyn already.
Besides, he has three wins, Jahlil, count ‘em, three! I know I can officially be labeled as an Okafor-hater, but that honestly couldn’t be further from the truth. Between him and Nerlens Noel, the Sixers had the opportunity to pick up their first win a couple times in this Week 5 frame. However, since it’s in the Sixers’ best interest to lose every night, I’m unlikely to waver for now.
Here’s a deal — if Okafor and the Sixers win their first game in 2015 before Dec. 3 (their first in 2014), I’ll stick him back in the top three where he belongs. But if Okafor can’t help the Sixers be even a little bit better than the awful squad they put out in 2014-15, then can he really be Rookie of the Year?
Hollis-Jefferson’s Line of the Week: 11/22 vs. BOS — 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 blocks, 1 block, 1 TO, 2-3 FG%
Week Grade: B
Bounced Out: Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers
Honorable Mentions: Stanley Johnson, Detroit Pistons; Montrezl Harrell, Houston Rockets; D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers; Justise Winslow, Miami Heat; Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers; T.J. McConnell, Philadelphia 76ers; Willie Cauley-Stein, Sacramento Kings
Week 1: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Week 2: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Week 3: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Week 4: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Week 5: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Next: Destroyer of Worlds
Defensive Player of the Year
1, Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs (Last Week: 1, –)
This week the San Antonio Spurs find themselves virtually tied for first place in defensive efficiency with the Miami Heat (their Eastern Conference rivals edge them by just 0.1) at 94.1 points per 100 possessions. Soon, Leonard’s write-up in this category will just read like a new diary entry:
Dear Diary,
On November 18th, that Danilo Gallinari shot a miserable 2-for-9 from the field and we won by 11 points! Yesterday, I was a huge reason why Anthony Davis and Eric Gordon shot 12-for-32 even though we lost. Today, I guarded Jeff Green (Nov 21st) and he only shot 3-for-7.
Oh, wait, I just did that.
Leonard’s Line of the Week: 11/23 vs. PHO — 24 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 3 TOs, 11-18 FG%
Week Grade: A-
2. Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors (Last Week: –, Up 2)
According to the newly released Real Plus-Minus rankings from ESPN, there are only three players with a higher WAR rating than Green’s 2.79: Stephen Curry, Kyle Lowry, and Russell Westbrook. Of course, we always hear about Green’s contributions on offense, but there’s a strong possibility that he’s getting overlooked defensively.
His size and versatility, not unlike the aforementioned Leonard, allows Green to guard all five positions, take advantage of mismatches, and, perhaps most importantly, keep Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson from having to chase around some of the opposition’s best players for 40-minute stretches.
Now that the Warriors are 16-0 and own the best start to an NBA season ever, it’s finally time to add a fourth Golden State player into the mix in these awards. Yes, they’re that good. Yes, they deserve every bit of hype.
Green’s Line of the Week: 11/21 vs. LAC — 19 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 TOs, 7-9 FG%
Week Grade: B+
3. Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz (Last Week: 2, –)
Rudy Gobert is sticking around for another week, folks! After missing a couple games last time around, Gobert now finds himself going through a bit of a rough patch. Although it’s tough to heap it on too much — games against Toronto, Dallas, and Oklahoma City in one week are no joke — but, statistically, Gobert hasn’t been as impressive.
In fact, Gobert registered just his second zero-block game of the year against the Thunder and gave away the ball a staggering five times as well. However, Gobert and Derrick Favors still combine to create the NBA’s seventh-best defense with an efficiency of 99.1 and the Jazz are, somehow, still afloat in the Western Conference.
We’ll see if he can get back on track against the struggling Los Angeles Clippers, the historically great Golden State Warriors, and an Anthony Davis-sized problem versus the Pelicans this week to show the world that he and Jazz deserve some more respect.
Gobert’s Line of the Week: 11/20 vs. DAL — 8 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 TO, 2-4 FG%
Week Grade: B-
Bounced Out: Andre Drummond Detroit Pistons
Honorable Mentions: Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls; Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons; Hassan Whiteside, Miami Heat; Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans; Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City Thunder; DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers; Nerlens Noel, Philadelphia 76ers.
Week 1: Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
Week 2: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Week 3: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Week 4: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Week 5: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Next: From Boston to the Bay
Coach of the Year
1. Luke Walton, Golden State Warriors (Last Week: 2, Up 1)
Somehow, an interim head coach with no experience whatsoever at this level has the Golden State Warriors at 16-0 and playing better than they were at the end of last season. You know the drill.
Walton’s Win of the Week: 11/19, Golden State Warriors 124, Los Angeles Clippers 117
Week Grade: A
2. Fred Hoiberg, Chicago Bulls (Last Week: 3, Up 1)
Considering that the Chicago Bulls dropped their only game of the week in a tight one against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, we’re willing to call it almost-possibly-perfect week. Now, the Bulls are 8-4, keeping pace with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and have seen signs of life from the man formerly known as Nikola Mirotic.
They’ve got a tough game against the San Antonio Spurs this week, but, after that, the Bulls will have a chance to put together a nice run with a slate against the Nuggets, Hornets, Suns, Celtics, Clippers, Pelicans, 76ers, Grizzlies, Pistons, Knicks, and Nets before Christmas.
Sure, we’re getting ahead of ourselves, but if the Bulls can take care of business, they’ll be sitting pretty in the Eastern Conference come the New Year.
Holberg’s Win of the Week: 11/18, Chicago Bulls 103, Phoenix Suns 97
Week Grade: A
3. Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics (Last Week: 1, Down 2)
After crowning Brad Stevens just a week ago, a tremendous setback has dropped him down to number three on the list. The loss of Marcus Smart will hurt as the team lacks another perimeter defense with that much tenacity, which was often how the scrappy Celtics caused so much chaos and turnovers.
Of course, these turnovers led to their 25-point throttling of the Nets on Friday night, which not only improved their standing in the Eastern Conference, but dropped Brooklyn one more tiny percentage towards earning Boston the gem of the upcoming draft, Ben Simmons.
However, without Smart, the Celtics dropped the away game in New York on Sunday to even things out between the division rivals. Ultimately, we trust Stevens to come up with something crafty as the surprise Celtics are suddenly just 7-7.
Stevens’ Win of the Week: 11/20, Boston Celtics 120, Brooklyn Nets 95
Week Grade: B-
Honorable Mentions: Mike Budenholzer, Atlanta Hawks; David Blatt, Cleveland Cavaliers; Stan Van Gundy, Detroit Pistons; Frank Vogel, Indiana Pacers; Doc Rivers, Los Angeles Clippers; Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat, Jason Kidd, Milwaukee Bucks; Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs; Dwane Casey, Toronto Raptors; Quin Snyder, Utah Jazz
Week 1: Fred Hoiberg, Chicago Bulls
Week 2: Fred Hoiberg, Chicago Bulls
Week 3: Stan Van Gundy, Detroit Pistons
Week 4: Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
Week 5: Luke Walton, Golden State Warriors
Next: The Best Player in New Orleans
Sixth Man of the Year
1. Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans (Last Week: –, Up 3)
Disclaimer: I have no idea what’s going on in this category anymore. At some point, somebody is going to run away with this award and just make things so much easier for me. Until then, we’re going to double-down on my original hot take by saying Ryan Anderson is back, baby! Now, we ask questions like: is Ryan Anderson the greatest basketball player that ever lived?
Or, even, is Ryan Anderson secretly Stephen Curry?
In the New Orleans Pelicans’ three games last week, they played the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and Phoenix Suns, which, honestly, could’ve been an 0-3 week and nobody would’ve blinked. Instead, the Pelicans went 2-1 behind Anderson’s 30-, 30-, and 29-point outputs and a combined 14 three-pointers in the process.
I knew I wasn’t crazy in October — so keep it up, Ryan Anderson!
Anderson’s Line of the Week: 11/20 vs. SAS — 30 points, 7 rebounds, 2 TOs, 12-21 FG%, 6-11 3pt%
Week Grade: A
2. Alec Burks, Utah Jazz (Last Week: 1, Down 1)
Even after flying to the top of the list in just one week, Burks is on similar probation to Rudy Gobert. Burks has proven early on that when he catches fire, he’s a tough dude to guard; but when he’s off, boy, can it get bad. Over Burks’ three games this week, he shot just 11-for-35 from the field and was unable to provide much otherwise in a shaky 1-2 slate.
For shooters, however, (ahem, sorry, Ryan) we’ve been proven wrong already by axing one of the NBA’s best shooters early on, so we’re willing to give him another week to show up. Burks will likely be guarded by Eric Gordon, Lance Stephenson, and Klay Thompson this week, so he should have a decent opportunity to rebound in the points department.
Burks’ Line of the Week: 11/20 vs. DAL — 15 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 1 TO, 4-14 FG%
Week Grade: B-
3. Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors (Last Week: 3, –)
Honestly, the Golden State Warriors are 16-0, firing on all cylinders, and the reigning NBA MVP is somehow getting better, and yet, we’re still seeing some major Bay Area haters. At this point, the Warriors could go 82-0 and we’d still have people out there thinking: well, let’s wait and see before we crown them again!
Of course, you don’t even have your first crown without the efforts of Andre Iguodala and he’s been equally as important in this season’s hot start. Credit to Iguodala, who easily could’ve gone back on his agreement to come off the bench after his Finals MVP, but the veteran has stayed true to the strategy and it’s paying dividends for the juggernaut Warriors.
Iguodala’s Line of the Week: 11/22 vs. DEN — 12 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 1 TO, 5-6 FG%
Week Grade: B
Bounced Out: Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks
Honorable Mentions: Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls; Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers; Ty Lawson, Houston Rockets; Paul Pierce, Los Angeles Clippers; Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers; Lou Williams, Los Angeles Lakers; Kevin Martin, Minnesota Timberwolves.
Week 1: Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans
Week 2: Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
Week 3: Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
Week 4: Alec Burks, Utah Jazz
Week 5: Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans
Next: The Takeover Continues
Most Improved Player
1. Eric Bledsoe, Phoenix Suns (Last Week: 1, –)
Can a player win Most Improved and be in the MVP race at the same time? Asking, uh, for a friend — OK, you caught me, I’m talking about Eric Bledsoe, who has not only kept the Phoenix Suns afloat in the tricky Western Conference, but has also formed one of the league’s best backcourt duos with Brandon Knight.
As of Nov. 25, the Suns are 7-7, good for sixth in the West and just 1½ games out of third.
Yes, all the hysteria thus far is rightfully on Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, but some of that attention should trickle down to Bledsoe and the NBA’s newest success story eventually. Although Bledsoe has been hampered by a minor knee injury, the Suns have a chance to put the league on notice by winning that Friday night showdown against the Warriors.
If they stop the streak and go on a very plausible tear between now and Christmas, then fans will have no choice but to pay attention to Mini-Westbrook and his 22/4.2/5.8/2 stat-stuffing averages.
Bledsoe’s Line of the Week: 11/22 vs. NOP — 29 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 5 TOs, 7-15 FG%, 4-8 3pt%
Week Grade: A-
2. Danilo Gallinari, Denver Nuggets (Last Week: –, Up 2)
In many ways, Danilo Gallinari regressed in Week 5, but, truth be told, he was unlikely to recreate that masterful 32/8/8 game from last week anyways.
The Nuggets, now 6-9, took a bit of a free fall after losing all four games — thankfully they won’t have to play San Antonio, Phoenix, Golden State, and the Los Angeles Clippers every week — but it seems obvious that the Nuggets will live and die by Gallinari.
The Nuggets are 5-1 when Gallinari scores 20 or more and with Wilson Chandler officially sidelined for surgery, they’ll need him more than ever to score at a consistent clip. Things stay tricky this week for Denver as they play the Spurs on Friday before going on the road against the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks — can Gallinari keep them in the playoff race?
Gallinari’s Line of the Week: 11/24 vs. LAC — 20 points, 18 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 TOs, 2-10 FG%
Week Grade: B
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (Last Week: 3, –)
Raise your hand if you thought the Milwaukee Bucks would be at the bottom of the Defensive Efficiency rankings after fourteen games? (The Bucks rank 29th, just ahead of New Orleans, with a stunningly bad 107.6 rating)
Next question: How many of your expected the Bucks to be the Cinderella of the season, set the Eastern Conference ablaze, and watch Giannis Antetokounmpo turn into a star? Well, after they retained Khris Middleton and snagged Greg Monroe over the summer, perhaps we all got a bit ahead of ourselves on the Bucks’ Hype Train.
Now, there’s obviously plenty of time for the Bucks to turn it around, but it’s obvious that such an improvement would start and end with Antetokounmpo. It would ultimately be tough for a player even of Antetokounmpo’s caliber to win this award if the Bucks only manage to beat out the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference, so at three he stays for another week.
Antetokounmpo’s Line of the Week: 11/23 vs. DET — 17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 2 TOs, 6-10 FG%
Week Grade: B-
Honorable Mentions: Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics; Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers; Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks; Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves; Nerlens Noel, Philadelphia 76ers; Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz; Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz; Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
Week 1: Eric Bledsoe
Week 2: Eric Bledsoe
Week 3: Eric Bledsoe
Week 4: Eric Bledsoe
Week 5: Eric Bledsoe
Next: Splash On Fleek
Most Valuable Player
1. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (Last Week: 1, –)
Let’s see, what’s new in the week of Stephen Curry?
Well, the Golden State Warriors are the new, sole owners of the best start in NBA History at 16-0. In fact, some analysts are even saying that there’s very little chance the Warriors will be threatened until Christmastime.
As you’ve read in the paragraphs above, we’ve got Draymond Green, Luke Walton, and Andre Iguodala either leading or in the mix for other major award honors and they’ve sent the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers into equally terrible tailspins.
The constant? Stephen Curry.
Curry still has more three-pointers than Brooklyn (70) and Minnesota (66) with 78 and it seems like he effortlessly drops 20, 30, and 40 points without breaking a sweat. CurryMania is here, embrace it.
Curry’s Line of the Week: 11/19 vs. LAC — 40 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 7 TOs, 11-22 FG%, 6-14 3PT%
Week Grade: B+
2. Paul George, Indiana Pacers (Last Week: –, Up 2)
He’s back! PG13, who made our list back in Week 1, has returned to the MVP rankings in the fine fashion after leading the Indiana Pacers to a 9-5 record. Even cooler, the former All-Star is rounding into that fantastic MVP-type form we saw from him before that brutal injury he suffered with Team USA two summers ago.
Sure, it’s early, but George has statistically improved across the board upping his averages to 25.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.6 steals on 46 percent shooting. Now, George has scored more than 20 points in every game since Nov. 4 as well.
Over that period of time, they’ve just lost two tough divisional games against the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers and have gone 9-2 since starting the season 0-3.
Welcome back, Paul.
George’s Line of the Week: 11/18 vs. PHI — 34 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 3 TOs, 6-17 FG%.
Week Grade: A
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3. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder (Last Week: 2, Down 1)
Thanks in part to Russell Westbrook’s across the board contributions, the Oklahoma City Thunder have righted that once wobbly ship, brought Kevin Durant back from injury, and now finally find themselves near the summit of the Western Conference.
As for Westbrook, most of the shock of his absurd box scores has not only worn out, but now we expect him to score 40 and flirt with a triple-double. Does anybody else in the NBA have those type of standards day in and day out?
The Thunder will be unhappy with their record, seeing as they’ve already fallen behind the Warriors past the point of return, but they’ll be very thankful this Thursday that they’ve got their two superstars healthy with home-court advantage in the first round.
Westbrook’s Line of the Week: 11/22 vs. DAL — 31 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists, 5 steals, 1 block, 7 TOs, 12-22 FG%
Week Grade: A-
Bounced Out: Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Honorable Mentions: James Harden, Houston Rockets; LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers; Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers; Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat; Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder; Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers; Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs; John Wall, Washington Wizards; Eric Bledsoe, Phoenix Suns.
Next: NBA: 50 Greatest Players Of All Time
Week 1: Stephen Curry
Week 2: Stephen Curry
Week 3: Stephen Curry
Week 4: Stephen Curry
Week 5: Stephen Curry