With the NBA near it’s official quarter-mark, let’s check in and see how the award races are shaping up. It may be early, but many of the names here are already staking their claim to the NBA’s individual player hardware:
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
1. James Harden, G, Houston Rockets
Last season, Harden vs. Russell Westbrook was a legitimate MVP debate that lasted throughout the season. But when it came time to vote, the final result wasn’t even close, with Westbrook and his triple-double-filled campaign earning him 69 first place votes to just 22 for Harden. It should have been closer, and in retrospect the voters were far too enamored with Westbrook’s statistical achievements, to the point that they overlooked an equally impressive campaign from the Rockets superstar.
This time around, Harden is leaving no room for debate.
He once again leads the league in assists (9.8 per game), while upping his scoring to a league-best 31.7 points per game and improving his shooting rates, particularly from deep where he’s knocking down more than 40 per cent of his threes (40.7 per cent) for the first time in his career.
What stands out about Harden is his consistency— he’s scored at least 20 points in every game this season. His game makes those around him better and has helped turn young Rockets centre Clint Capela into one of the most impactful bigs in basketball. Oh, and Houston sits first in the West at 16-4.
Reddit user ‘livefreeordont‘ put together this nifty graphic, using Basketball-Reference’s weekly MVP tracker, which shows the seperation Harden has made between himself and the rest of the pack roughly 20 games into the 2017-18 season:
2. LeBron James, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs season is a mess. Derrick Rose, the teams starting point guard at the start of the season while Isaiah Thomas recovers from injury, left the team and is considering leaving basketball altogether. Long-time starter Tristan Thompson is reportedly on the trading block, and the supporting cast around James hasn’t been this bad since his rookie season.
And yet, Cleveland is third in the East— winners of nine straight— and there is still little doubt that they will probably be the favourites to reach the Finals out of the East once more. It’s because James, an absolute freak of a human, is playing some of the best and most complete basketball of his career.
At age 32 with more than 51,000 minutes of playing time under his belt, he’s scoring more than he has in eight years and blocking more shots than he ever has. His absurd line of 28.6/8.1/8.5/1.1/1.2 is punctuated by career-highs in shooting (57.7 per cent from the field and hitting 42.3 per cent of his 4.9 attempts from deep each game). Also of note: his average of 9.6 points in fourth quarters is tops in the league, and more than two points higher than any other player.
Don’t let the otherwise sad state of the Cavs overshadow a historically great season from the best player in the game.
3. Kyrie Irving, PG, Boston Celtics
Yes, the Celtics own the league’s best record thanks to stellar team defence and contributions across the board from their young cast. No, they would not be 18-4 and the clear-cut top team in their conference were it not for the early-season performance of Kyrie Irving.
His numbers aren’t all that different than last season, but this time around he’s the undisputed leader of his team and has responded to the newfound responsibility he sought this summer incredibly well. Like his former teammate ranked one spot ahead of him here, Irving has been reliable down the stretch, averaging seven points in fourth quarters this season for Boston, who have survived the Gordon Hayward injury without skipping a beat thanks in large part to Irving’s play.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
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1. Al Horford, F/C, Boston Celtics
Horford’s stats won’t stand out like others in the running for DPoY— he doesn’t rank in the top 20 in rebounds, blocks, or steals— but his impact on the defensive end of the floor has been greater than just about anybody so far this season. He’s the anchor for the league’s best defence on the league’s best team, and it’s moments like this (that occur multiple times every game) that show his impact on that end of the ball:
2. Paul George, F, Oklahoma City Thunder
Always known as a two-way player, George’s play on the defensive end has more than made up for his decreased production offensively so far during his first season in OKC.
George has used his length, athleticsm, and experience to transform himself into the league’s premier ballhawk, leading all players in deflections (5.1 per game), with a whopping 17 more than anyone else in the NBA. He also leads the league in loose-balls recovered (43) and steals (2.8 per game). His 54 steals are 15 more than any other player. Unsurprisingly, he also leads the NBA in defensive win shares as the catalyst of the Thunder’s second-ranked defence.
3. Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers
You expect him to average more blocks than he has (a still-impressive 1.6 per game), but Embiid is just an overwhelmingly scary presence in the post that many players just avoid going near altogether. Simply put, nobody is safe when The Process is on the court. Just ask Damian Lillard:
Joel Embiid with the block on Damian Lillard! pic.twitter.com/ftSusAu075
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) November 23, 2017
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
1. Andre Drummond, C, Detroit Pistons
His numbers aren’t dramatically different than last season— he’s again one of the NBA’s best rebounders, currently averaging a career-best 15.6 per game— except for one notable exception at the free throw line, where he’s upped his shooting rate from a putrid, practically unthinkable 38.1 per cent over his previous five seasons to 61.8 per cent through 19 games thus far.
Drummond finally seems to have come into his own this season, and is being utilized better than ever in Detroit, posting up less and using his size to draw defenders driving to the rim off screens, to find opportunities for his teammates. At 13-6, the Pistons look like the real deal, and the strides Drummond has made to refine his game are a big reason why.
2. Kristaps Porzingis, PF, New York Knicks
We sort of expected this kind of performance from Porzingis, except probably not this soon into his career. The 22 year-old has been playing at an all-star level for the Knicks (who don’t totally suck!) this season, ranking fourth in points per game (27.0) while hitting more than two three-pointers each game. But defensively he’s improved the most, and is currently third in the NBA in blocks at 2.2 per game.
3. Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana Pacers
Chalk this one up to a player being ultra-motivated after being traded, and given a massive opportunity to be the go-to scorer on his new team. No matter the circumstance, Oladipo is having a stunning start to the season, currently 12th in the NBA in scoring (23 points-per-game, up from 16 last season), and getting to the line twice as much as he did in 2016-17. The Pacers could be playoff-bound in large part to Oladipo’s breakout campaign.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1. Ben Simmons, F, Philadelphia 76ers
Here’s what I wrote about Simmons, the highest-ranked rookie on my list of the top 25 players under 25 earlier this month:
The 2016 first-overall pick sat out his entire first season with a foot injury, but has been well worth the wait, blowing away the already high expectations surrounding him on draft night, when he was sold as LeBron James-lite (minus the outside shooting).
Through his first 13 games, Simmons is averaging 17.8 points, 9.2 boards, 7.5 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.8 blocks. Like Antetokounmpo, none of it seems like a fluke or merely a hot start. Simmons has played under control and managed to tear up defences without a jump shot in his arsenal. Embiid had Philly fans excited for “The Process.” But Simmons holds the key to their franchise turnaround.
2. Jayson Tatum, F, Boston Celtics
Tatum is looking like the best player in the 2017 draft so far this season and was integral to the Celtics’ recently-snapped 16-game win streak during which he averaged nearly 15 points on 50.7 per cent shooting from the field, with plenty of clutch plays to boot.
3. Kyle Kuzma, PF, Los Angeles Lakers
Kuzma, the 27th pick in the draft, is proving that neither his Summer League nor pre-season performances were a fluke. He has continued his impressive play in games that actually matter. He’s averaging 16.7 points per game and a respectable 38 per cent from deep, out-performing second overall pick Lonzo Ball, and has been so good that he could play a part in forcing a teammate and recent lottery pick, Julius Randle, out of town as the Lakers look to find more minutes for this apparent diamond in the rough.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
1. Eric Gordon, SG, Houston Rockets
OK, so he’s started 13 of the Rockets 18 games so far, but with Chris Paul back in the lineup Gordon resumes his role as the NBA’s premier bench scorer, averaging just shy of 20 points per game with a perennial green light at his disposal.
2. Jonathon Simmons, SG, Orlando Magic
The Magic have fallen back to Earth after their hot start to the season, but Simmons, who signed with the team after a breakout playoff performance with the San Antonio Spurs, just keeps producing. He’s averaging nearly 15 points off the bench for Orlando on near-50 per cent shooting.
3. Lou Williams, G, Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers may be terrible but Williams is as productive a scorer as ever, averaging a career-high 18.2 points per game. This award almost always goes to gunners like him, and looking at the field this year should be no exception.
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