NBA Awards Watch: Dwyane Wade Joins the MVP Race

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Dec 4, 2015; New York, NY, New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) being defended by Brooklyn Nets forward Thaddeus Young (30) in the second half at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks win 108-91. Mandatory Credit: William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports /

Rookie of the Year

1. Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks (Last Week: 2, Up 1)

It has happened.

I, for one, accept our Latvian Overlord and I’m prepared for a brave, new NBA that is led by another seven-foot European sharp-shooter. After trying to stir up the dead, if-not-on-life-support rivalry between his crosstown competitors in Brooklyn, Kristaps Porzingis carried the New York Knicks in absolute throttling of the Nets on Friday. Porzingis has had his troubles shooting an efficient percentage at times, but since November 29th, he’s shot 59.5%, a vast improvement from earlier this season.

Ultimately, this comes down to Porzingis or Karl-Anthony Towns, but one guy has his team at 5-10 and contending in the East while the other is getting considerably absent in the fourth quarter on a team in certain freefall. That alone, even if it’s just for a week, gives me the confidence to bump Porzingis up to the number one spot.

Porzingis’ Line of the Week: 12/04 vs. BKN — 19 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 7-13 FG%, 3-4 3-PT%
Week Grade: B+

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2. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves (Last Week: 2, Down 1)

Over the last week, Towns’ minutes have jumped back up to the normal range, but even some late heroics from the rookie against the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers weren’t enough to keep his Timberwolves from tumbling down the Western Conference ladder. For quite some time now, people have muttered: well, what if Anthony Davis could shoot threes? We’d all be screwed, right?

We may be getting some early looks at that proposition through Towns. With the game on the line against Portland, the Timberwolves ran not one, but two three-point plays for the rookie. Although he only made the first one (the second rimmed out), we’re still getting small tastes of how special this rookie may truly be.

Towns’ Line of the Week: 12/5 vs. POR — 27 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers, 13-21 FG%, 1-2 3PT%
Week Grade: B

3. Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers (Last Week: –, Up 1)

Just one-week after heaping all this praise on Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and his team-changing efforts in Brooklyn, the Nets announced today that he’s likely out until March with an ankle injury. So, in comes Jahlil Okafor.

I did promise that the talented forward for Philadelphia would regain his spot in top three once the lowly 76ers won a game, didn’t I? Although a cornucopia of off-the-court issues got him suspended by the team for two games, his in-game offense has been typically fun to watch. Now, I still don’t care much for Okafor’s defense and the fact that he’s somehow making it harder for Nerlens Noel to anchor the entire scheme by himself — but, really, is there another rookie that could be here whatsoever?

Bueller?

Okafor’s Line of the Week: 12/7 vs. SAS — 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 3-14 FG%
Week Grade: D-

Bounced Out: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brooklyn Nets

Honorable Mentions: Stanley Johnson, Detroit Pistons; Montrezl Harrell, Houston Rockets; D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers; Justise Winslow, Miami Heat; 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
Week 6: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Week 7: Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks

Next: Destroyer of Worlds

Dwyane Wade Joins the MVP Race In The NBA Awards Watch

By Ben Nadeau | Dec 9, 2015

Rookie of the Year