It’s me, it’s the Big D-O-double G. (What a lame ass sentence I just wrote). Back at it again with some dose of NBA Previews! I know I should be studying for the final exams or doing my projects and thesis but there’s no school tomorrow (writing this on a Sunday, October 15th) and I just got done with the thesis and projects earlier this afternoon. What a way to go into the sunset by giving my hot takes on the respective awards for the upcoming 2017-18 NBA Season.
Let’s admit it, the NBA this year has changed so much that if you’d think about it, last season seemed like a million years ago if you look at it now. Superteams increased in number, superstars leaving their old teams, shifting the landscape of the NBA, Nike now provides the jerseys. Much can be said for the awards this year. If last year, there were clear cut winners from the beginning. This year, the race is wide open. In the last part of the 3-part preview of the upcoming season, I’ll try to predict who would win respective awards that the NBA hands out at the end of each season, meaning the MVP, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, 6th Man, Most Improved, even up until the Executive of the Year award. To start;
Executive of the Year: Sam Presti, Oklahoma City Thunder
Runners-up: Daryl Morey (Houston Rockets), Joe Lacob (Golden State Warriors)
Did we expect somebody else to bag this award? After the offseason that Sam Presti and the whole Oklahoma City Thunder organization had? From acquiring Paul George in a trade last June, pulling Carmelo Anthony from a zest pool that is the New York Knicks just this past month and to cap things off for Presti’s off-season moves, signing Russell Westbrook to the biggest contract in NBA history (5 year, $205 M), locking him up long term. He turned what was to be chicken-shit to chicken salad. He lost Kevin Durant to free agency in 2016 and now he has 2 of the best Small Forwards in the game, playing alongside the reigning MVP. He wins this award easily.
Most Improved Player: Rodney Hood, Utah Jazz
Runners-up: Brandon Ingram (LA Lakers), Jusuf Nurkic (Portland Trailblazers), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), DAngelo Russell (Brooklyn Nets)
The MIP award is one of the hardest awards to predict in the pre-season. It’s one of those awards that can be predicted during mid season but I’m footing my foot down with this and go with Rodney Hood of the Utah Jazz to win this particular award this year. The reason why I went with Hood is that somebody else has to produce offensively for the Jazz now that Gordon Hayward and George Hill are gone. I can’t expect Rudy Gobert to lead their offense since he’s primarily a defensive player, Joe Johnson is too old to lead an offense. So the burden now falls on Rodney Hood. Last year, he averaged 12. 7 points, 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 37.1% from downtown, expect those stats to rise up as he’s expected to lead the Jazz’s offense this year. One of the main criteria’s for the MIP award is the increase of scoring output of a certain player and I think Rodney Hood fits that criteria this year.
6th Man of the Year: Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors
Runners-up: Eric Gordon (Houston Rockets), Derrick Rose (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Can we give this guy the damn award already?? I felt like he’s always in the running for 6th Man of the year for years now but somehow he doesn’t even win the award once. The voters are always been so lazy with this particular award. They just give it to a guy coming off the bench who scores the most points. It’s unfair to guys like Iggy who actually gives more value to the team coming off the bench than guys who won this award in the past. He gives the Warriors much needed boost coming from the bench. He’s one of the reasons why the Warriors have the most potent, offensively and defensively, bench in the league. He’s due for this award for a long time now and I wish he’d get it this time around. I’m sick of guys like Jamal Crawford winning this award every damn year. (I love Jamal and his crazy handles and I don’t blame him, I blame the voters, but for the love of G, someone else win this award please!!)
Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
Runners-up: Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs), Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors), Hassan Whiteside (Miami Heat)
Last year, I went with Kawhi Leonard for DPOY but I didn’t figure in the voters’ fatigue as he won it the previous two seasons. So this year, I’m not making the same mistake and actually going with Rudy Gobert. Now that Gordon Hayward’s gone, expect Rudy Gobert to be the Alpha Male for the Jazz. I expect him to be an All-Star this year because he rightfully deserves it. He has been the center of the Jazz’s success the past two seasons. He anchored the Jazz’s defense, averaging 12.8 rebounds and, a career high, 2.6 blocks per game, last year as they were the 3rd best team in Defensive Rating (102.7). Expect much to be the same with Gobert leading the Jazz defense.
Coach of the Year: Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
Runners-up: Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors), Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs), Tom Thibodeau (Minnesota Timberwolves)
This prediction is another “he should’ve won it last year” type of deal. Brad Stevens has been consistently the best coach in NBA for the past 3 years. He spearheaded the current renaissance of the Celtics’ franchise when he got the position back in 2013. He led the Celtics to the playoffs in every year ever since and constantly improving their record each year. From 40 wins in 2015, to 44 in 2016 and to the Conference best, 53 wins just this past season. He’s the best coach in the Eastern Conference. Period. He should’ve won it last year and with the offseason additions (Kyrie Irving and reuniting with his best College player back in Butler, Gordon Hayward) that Danny Ainge made and the projections of the Boston Celtics this season, he might get it finally this time around.
Rookie of the Year: Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
Runners-up: Lonzo Ball (LA Lakers), Milos Teodosic (LA Clippers)
Lemme tell you something, this draft class is stacked as hell. I could think of a lot of rookies who have a legit case for the Rookie of the Year award. From Lonzo Ball, Jayson Tatum, Milos Teodosic, Dennis Smith Jr., that guy in New York (can’t spell his name), Kyle Kuzma, Markelle Fultz, Josh Jackson, DeAaron Fox. The thing is this draft is stacked with talent but too bad this rookie class won’t have the ROY award. I actually think it might go to last year’s No. 1 pick, Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers. He’s definitely the best rookie coming in to this season and that’s saying a lot considering the batch of rookies he’s coming to the league with. He’s clearly an all-world talent and we saw some glimpse of brilliance in the few games he played in the off-season. His playmaking abilities is top notch and will definitely impact the 76ers from the get-go. He and Embiid will run the East in a few years, only if they stay off injuries. No offense to the other rookies, but Simmons will bag this award this year.
Most Valuable Player: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Runners-up: Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors)
I know what you’re saying, “What the hell is this guy thinking picking Giannis Antetokounmpo as the MVP?”. I know this pick is a bit off left field but I realized something a while back. The last 3 MVP’s that came from the Eastern Conference were LeBron James (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013), Derrick Rose, (2011) and Allen Iverson (2001). That’s nuts, the last time a guy not named LeBron James and Derrick Rose, won the MVP award was Allen f’n Iverson and it was way back in 2001. It’s been a long time since the MVP came from the Eastern Conference and with the migration of some of the superstars of the East to the West, the votes will definitely split off with some of their newly reformed superteams. So don’t expect for guys like Russell Westbrook, James Harden or Kevin Durant to win it this year. Now this is where Giannis comes in to the conversation, it’s clear he’s the Alpha Dog on the Bucks, and he’s the 2nd best SF in the East behind LeBron but see, LeBron doesn’t really put too much effort in the regular season, so he’s out as well. That pretty much leaves Giannis as my pick for MVP. He’s been constantly improving at an impressive rate in his 4 seasons in the NBA and if continues this pace of improvement, look for him to bag this award, as long as the Bucks are in the playoff hunt. Call me crazy but I sticking with my pick, Giannis Antetokounmpo, for the MVP this year. I’m betting against the LeBron’s and the Durant’s of the world and I truly believe this is his year.
The 2017-18 NBA season starts October 18th (Manila Time) with a TNT double header featuring the Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 AM, followed by Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets at 10:30 AM. So watch out for that! As for this time, this is it for now, I still have the Final exams to look forward to. So I’ll see y’all at a future time! and remember to “Keep it Chill” 🙂
Ambassador of Chill 
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