Προσωπικά δεν βρίσκω καμία λογική σε οτιδήποτε πλην Χάρντεν ή Γουέστμπρουκ.

After LeBron (James), he's the most dominant player in the league right now

* Leonard has scored 30-plus points in 22 games this season. He joined George Gervin and David Robinson as the only players in franchise history to score 30-plus in at least 20 games in a season.
* Leonard has scored in double figures in 90 straight games, the longest streak by the Spurs since Tim Duncan had 91 straight in 2002-2003

Αν θελουμε τον MVP να κερδιζει, ψηφιζουμε Leonard. Δεν προσεξα αν γραφτηκε στα συν του, αλλα το οτι τα κανει ολα αυτα σε ομαδα του Ποποβιτς ειναι παρασημο.

Θα πει καποιος οτι ο Harden τα συνδυαζει και τα δυο. Ναι, αλλα παιζει στους Rockets του D' Antoni... Δωστε στον D'Antoni το Coach of the year και κλειστε το θεμα εκει.

O Leonard είναι MVP των (επικείμενων) playoff και όχι για την regular. Άρα και πάλι καταλήγω στον Harden.

O Γιάννης έχει τη δυνατότητα του χρόνου να οδηγήσει την ομάδα με τον ίδιο ακριβώς τρόπο που το κάνει ο Ηarden, προσαρμοσμένος στην θέση του PG.

Οι λοιποί σε Cavs και Warriors νομίζω δεν αξίζουν MVP με τόσο πλήρες supporting cast . Eίναι αξιοσημείωτα τα επιτεύγματα τους , δεν αντιλέγω, αλλά ο τίτλος του πολυτιμότερου έχει άλλη αίγλη. Είναι αυτός που κάνει τους συμπαίκτες του καλύτερους.

The block [at the end of the game] is what makes him special. Obviously, the 3, you know [James] Harden makes 3s. Kawhi makes 3s. This guy makes 3s, that guy makes 3s. Steph [Curry] makes 3s. Everybody does that. But I don't know who goes to the other end and does what he does -- not that many people on a consistent basis, and entire game, game after game."

Kawhi wanted it badly, and he went in and took it.

Ο Ράσελ Ουέστμπρουκ οδήγησε την ομάδα του στη νίκη, φτάνοντας sto 32o φετινό του triple double, έγινε κι ο 2ος παίκτης στην ιστορία του ΝΒΑ που κάνει κάτι τέτοιο μέσα σε μια σεζόν.gazzetta.gr

Αν δεν πάρει το MVP ο ιστορικός του μέλλοντος θα καταγράψει:

-Και ξέρεις ε, δεν είχε βγει MVP εκείνης της σεζόν, ο Ουέστμπρουκ

-Πως γίνεται αυτό;

-Eε, το είχαν δώσει σε έναν άλλο γιατί η ομάδα του είχε κάνει περισσότερες νίκες από ότι η δική του

-Λολλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλ

Ο Ράσελ Ουέστμπρουκ οδήγησε την ομάδα του στη νίκη, φτάνοντας sto 32o φετινό του triple double, έγινε κι ο 2ος παίκτης στην ιστορία του ΝΒΑ που κάνει κάτι τέτοιο μέσα σε μια σεζόν.gazzetta.gr

Αν δεν πάρει το MVP ο ιστορικός του μέλλοντος θα καταγράψει:

-Και ξέρεις ε, δεν είχε βγει MVP εκείνης της σεζόν, ο Ουέστμπρουκ

-Πως γίνεται αυτό;

-Eε, το είχαν δώσει σε έναν άλλο γιατί η ομάδα του είχε κάνει περισσότερες νίκες από ότι η δική του

-Λολλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλ

Εν μέρει θα συμφωνήσω, αλλά σε μια ομάδα με τρεις supertar, ποιός κάνει καλύτερος ποιόν? Είναι λίγο δύσκολο να θεωρηθεί πολύ σημαντικό ή το πιο σημαντικό κριτήριο.

Τοτε να το αντιστρεψω: Ποιος ειναι αυτος που δεν κανει τους υπολοιπους all stars να μοιαζουν συνηθισμενοι παιχτες; Γιατι αν το κανεις, μαλλον ζημιωνεις την ομαδα.

Το χειρότερο όμως είναι ότι αντί να αμύνεται, αφήνει τον αντίπαλό του να σουτάρει για να πάει να μαζέψει το ριμπάουντ. Συνολικά έχει 234 contested shots ή 3,5 ανά παιχνίδι. Το διανοείσαι? 3,5 contests ανά 35 λεπτά παιχνιδιού? Κάνει ένα contest το 10λεπτο!!! Μιλάμε για ντροπή! Ο Πέιν (ο αναπληρωματικός του μέχρι το πρόσφατο trade) είχε περισσότερα contested shots ανά παιχνίδι παρότι αγωνιζόταν μόλις 16 λεπτά (ούτε τα μισά δλδ)! Είναι επίσης 4ος απ το τέλος σε contested τρίποντα, ανάμεσα σε όσους έχουν 30+ λεπτά ανά αγώνα. Λιγότερα έχουν μονάχα οι Whiteside, Gobert και Drummond! Ο DeAndre Jordan έχει κάνει 30 περισσότερα contests σε τρίποντα απ ότι ο Γουέστμπρουκ!!!

Which player forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments?
1. LeBron James, Cleveland – 75.0%
2. Stephen Curry, Golden State – 21.4%
3. Draymond Green, Golden State – 3.6%
Last year: LeBron James – 62.1%

Who is the best defensive player in the NBA?
1. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio – 66.7%
2. LeBron James, Cleveland – 10.0%
3. Avery Bradley, Boston – 6.7%
Draymond Green, Golden State – 6.7%
DeAndre Jordan, L.A. Clippers – 6.7%
6. Hassan Whiteside, Miami – 3.3%

Who is the toughest player in the NBA?
1. Tony Allen, Memphis – 23.3%
2. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio – 16.7%
3. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City – 13.3%
4. Steven Adams, Oklahoma City – 10.0%
Draymond Green, Golden State – 10.0%
6. Matthew Dellavedova, Milwaukee – 6.7%
LeBron James, Cleveland – 6.7%

Which player is the best leader?
1. LeBron James, Cleveland – 57.1%
2. Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers – 14.3%
3. Stephen Curry, Golden State – 10.7%
Draymond Green, Golden State – 10.7%

Which player is the most athletic?
1. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City – 62.1%
2. LeBron James, Cleveland – 17.2%
3. Zach LaVine, Minnesota – 10.3%
4. Aaron Gordon, Orlando – 6.9%
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee – 3.4%

Οι Θάντερ μοιάζουν με περιφερόμενο θίασο. Στα μάτια μου, ο Γουέστμπουκ δεν είναι τίποτα άλλο παρά ένας χαρισματικός κλόουν/διασκεδαστής. Όλη η ομάδα παίζει για την πάρτη του.

Το χειρότερο όμως είναι ότι αντί να αμύνεται, αφήνει τον αντίπαλό του να σουτάρει για να πάει να μαζέψει το ριμπάουντ.

Αυτός ο παπατζής αξίζει να θεωρείται ο πολυτιμότερος παίκτης στη λίγκα??? Ο άνθρωπος είναι γελοίος. Όσοι γουστάρουν να τον αποθεώνουν, με γεια τους με χαρά τους. Προσωπικά μου προκαλεί εμετό. Και κανείς άλλος να μην υπήρχε ως υποψήφιος, καλύτερα να μου κοβόταν το χέρι παρά να τον ψήφιζα. Γουέστμπρουκ, Χάρντεν, Τόμας και λοιποί πανηγυρτζήδες απλά προσφέρουν θέαμα και διασκεδάζουν τον κόσμο. Σοβαρή ομάδα με κλόουν στο τιμόνι δε φτιάχνεις. Τουλάχιστον αυτή είναι η γνώμη μου. Πείτε με γραφικό, νο πρόμπλεμ. MVP Κουάι δαγκωτό από εμένα.

The Most Valuable Player.
Something strove for in every sport. The epitome of annual greatness. The man or woman who receives this award is held in high regard (or infamy) for what he or she meant to their team that year.
Throughout the history of professional American sports, this award has changed. The way it was voted upon, when it was voted for, and why that player was voted have all fluctuated since the birth of the idea itself.
In the NBA, it’s only been since the year of 1980 that voting shifted from a player vote to a media panel of beat writers and broadcasters from around the country.
Fans should be glad for this change — as stated in Bill Simmons’s Book of Basketball, plenty of bias (players voting for players) had shaped the MVP award.
37 years later, we sit in a season that is an anomaly. A new generation of basketball, defined by the greatness of LeBron James and the efficiency of increased long range shooting, has become its mold. It’s quite the shift.
So many scenarios, narratives, and processes (no pun intended) make the 2016–17 season the beginning of a new era.
Russell Westbrook home alone in Oklahoma City, LeBron James finally having a team worthy of his talent, James Harden’s fresh start in Houston, and Kawhi Leonard’s emergence in San Antonio.
Wait. I forgot, that deadly Kevin Durant/Stephen Curry combo up there in Golden State.
On most other teams, in most other seasons, Stephen Curry would not be just an afterthought. On this Golden State…
We haven’t even seen this year’s playoffs. Jeez.
This generation of basketball has become so popularized because of how it translates into the ideals and evolution of its people. The world of social media, lack of attention spans, and the love of everything spectacular have made the NBA the sport that fans around the earth love.
For example, the idea of a young boy in China, mesmerized by watching Kobe Bryant dominate basketball. Because of Bryant’s aggressive playing style, his existence within a winning franchise, while having an excellent attitude and work ethic, that young man saw what greatness really was.
In each and every basketball fan’s mind, they have a picture that the young Chinese boy has. They love a team for where it is, or they love a team because their father did. Or they love a player because of what he represents. His playing style. The smile on that player’s face when he slams the ball down on a breakaway, or hits a step-back buzzer-beating three.
That’s the beauty of basketball. But also, its achilles heel. It’s become less and less about the love for the team, and more about the individual talent on that team.
Not only that, but social media (Twitter) has changed the way fans share their opinions. Everybody has a voice, even if it’s small. Even if it’s dead wrong.
Then commences a new generation of even fans. Split from the “intellect” of bloggers, beat writers, and intense followers of the game. This is what I call a “casual fan.”
This is the fan that can’t watch every game on every night. The fan that watches highlights on ESPN when they get home from work. The fan that bases their ideas of who is “good and bad” by what they hear Nick Wright and Colin Cowherd say. Or by which player scores the most points in 2k. The fan that is enamored by the box score, high flying dunks, and scoring in the clutch.
No, I’m not saying these fans are illegitimate. Or that a majority of the people reading this article aren’t “casual fans.” It’s the idea that the average fan is not able to break down players by the watching of film or roam sites like Basketball Reference and Synergy for hours on end.
They are simply fans. Their opinion is defined by their love of the beauty of basketball. The innocence in their understanding of the game of basketball has Matt Moore daily calling Twitter users a “child.” But maybe that’s not a bad thing. Maybe having a child-like love for something is more enjoyable than realizing the truth of things.
That the NBA is a business. Players aren’t role models. They get paid millions and millions of dollars to prepare to shoot a cylinder object into a enclosed space. Blah blah blah.
Ranting about this isn’t going to change anything. But what it can do is present the foundation of an MVP argument based on stats many could give less of a s*&+ about. And maybe this stuck-up, know-it-all NBA writer can explain it all to those fans. After all, that fan is inside all of us.

The narratives of this season have built a stepping stone into a new generation of basketball. In a nutshell.
Kevin Durant leaves Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City cries.
Golden State is stacked.
Houston hires Mike D’Antoni, NBA innovator.
Daryl Morey puts together a shooting-heavy roster.
It becomes a league requirement for centers to shoot threes. Who knew?
Joel Embiid is basically the second coming of Jesus Christ. *in Philadelphia*
#TrustTheProcess
Westbrook tears off triple-doubles at a faster rate than his increasing suit collection.
OMG. James Harden is good at passing and scoring?!
LeBron is going to “coast.” While averaging an insane amount of assists.
Kawhi Leonard is lowkey great, but again, no fan gives a usage percentage.*
The Bulls suck.
Nikola Jokic is gooooood.
Kyle Lowry is out til the playoffs.
Boogie to New Orleans happens. For a bag of Skittles and the “next Stephen Curry.”
Cleveland adds parts.
Houston adds parts.
Golden State loses KD until the playoffs.

*Note: explicit words are to now be replaced by advanced metrics… the extremity of them, the extremity of the explicit. Get it? Good. Footnotes are a Bill Simmons thing, I do know. No, I’m not stealing his idea! I should probably stop typing right about now…*
Now. The point has come in the NBA season where every fan and writer tussle over who deserves that Most Valuable Player award.
There are a few issues here.
What in the VORP is the “MVP award”? What and who defines those who are deserving of it?
The issue of every single person having an opinion, even an educated opinion, is preconceived bias. This includes only looking at certain statistical indicators, or by only watching certain tape. The foundation of anyone’s argument is already unconsciously defined by what we as human beings have experienced and learned. What this actually means: opinions are onions. (You read opinions, didn’t you). Peel away its layers; you can find the core of its claim.
Not I, any writer reading this, or fan, vote for the MVP award. Our opinion (and onions) does not count.
That is why we have to either
a) figure out a formula for why a MVP is chosen, or
get into the head of the people who do have a vote to understand exactly their voting strategy.

Josh Eberley of Hoop Magazine asked the question of worthiness, defining the value of the past MVP’s in an article last week. He presented the three ways fans generally define the MVP.
1) The best player on the best team contending for a title.
2) The best individual player.
3) The player that would cost his team the most wins should he be replaced.
Eberley then went on to use statistical analysis from the past 20 years of MVP winners to conclude whether or not they fit into the criteria of the “best player on the best team” scenario.
11 out of the 20 MVP winners, in his opinion, fit that criteria. A pretty healthy ratio for that definition.
One has to realize that so much context is needed to understand year-to-year voting for that MVP award. Only once in the history of the MVP has the award been given out unanimously. It can be argued that this is because the panel of voters didn’t and do not want to give the same man an award continuously. This is why LeBron enthusiasts will tell you he has three more MVP awards than he currently does.
Or is it because every year there’s a better performing team with a “weaker” statistical player, but since said player “led” his team to a better record is he deserving of that award?

Every season is different. The award is NOT defined by the generational talents in the association . LeBron does not have a dynasty of MVP awards since 2007 because he’s been the best player in the league. The award doesn’t work like that.
So much rests on the team play and the emergence of new stars, which pokes a gaping hole into the “best individual player” logic.
Even the idea of taking a certain player from his team making the amount of wins lost express who is truly “most valuable.” is faulty. This definition rests on statistical predictions like Win Shares, which can’t account into the thousands of non-box score factors that would exist if that player was replaced.
Well, what happens then if one took every single MVP winner since the beginning of time itself (1973 to be exact) and dissected a formula to which a MVP model was produced?

Josiah Brady of Def Pen Hoops did exactly this. He took team wins; games played; double-doubles; and field goal, three point, and free throw percentage, along with 0–40–90 club representation, points, rebounds, steals, blocks, and win shares to create a model in which the MVP could be defined.
Obviously, the model is not perfect, but the general idea is clear. Statistical evidence does matter. Can one perfectly quantify the amount to which it does matter? No.
This is where our preconceived bias as fans comes in. Again. Ugh. We can again look at stats and say “so and so didn’t deserve an award this year.” But what if the justification lies beyond the box score?

Using advanced stats that have been made to quantify efficiency. One could say “look at Derrick Rose and Kobe Bryant — those were both very weak, inefficient MVPs.”
Yet, both the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers were at the top of their respective conferences those years: the Bulls finishing with 62 wins and the Lakers with 57.
Obviously, these three statistics are not the only things that define efficiency. After all, BPM and PER are both flawed in that they favor big men (and players that stuff the stat sheet) But the idea is there. Generally, highly efficient players win the MVP.
The efficnency averages from the past 10 years of MVP award winners are as follows—
PER: 28.97
BPM: 9.73
TS: 61.3%
Now, here are some of those stats from each of the top players in the MVP race this year.

Every single player eclipses at least one of the averages, Westbrook and Harden having eclipsed two.
For kicks and giggles, let’s say we awarded 4 points to the top candidate in the statistical category, and 1 to the least, and added up the value of each player’s overall efficiency.
The following points would be awarded.
Westbrook — 10
Harden — 9
Leonard — 7
James — 4
Yet, we still have to understand that the order listed is also the same exact order of their usage percentages. With the exception of LeBron, the lower one goes down the list, the higher their teams' record is.
Westbrook — 42.2 Usage %
Thunder record: 36–29
Harden — 34.1 Usage %
Rockets record: 44–21
Leonard — 31.3 Usage %
Spurs record: 50–14
James — 29.8 Usage %
Cavaliers record: 42–21 record

Yet again, context needs to be understood. Westbrook might be carrying the Thunder on his back on an insane usage percentage, and still be an incredibly effective force on the floor, but all for avail. The last time a team won less than 50 games and/or was less than a third seed in their conference, and had an MVP was Moses Malone in the 1981–82 season.
Only two players in the last 50 years have won MVP with a sub-45 percent field goal percentage: Allen Iverson in 2001, and Derrick Rose in 2011. And both the 76ers and the Bulls were fighting for the first seed in the East those years. Oklahoma City is not. And Russell Westbrook’s shooting percentage is 42.1 percent.
That really rules out Westbrook from even having a shot at the award.

So what about what the fans think? LeBron James is always a safe pick. James Harden has been amazing this year for Houston. Kawhi Leonard is on a team with a better record than Houston and is averaging 26 and 6 a game, with scoring efficiency faintly familiar to Stephen Curry, circa 2015.
At the end of the day, history says that more than 50 percent of the time, the best player on the best team will win the MVP.
Who is that? Harden and Leonard are both on teams that won’t be first seeds. Only the Cavaliers can claim that first seed in the East.
This is why the fans and the number-crunching bloggers don’t have a vote. Especially in the unique circumstances of this year, it’s nearly impossible to predict the outcome of whom that media panel thinks is worthy.
Speaking of predicting the MVP voting results, San Antonio Spurs’ head coach Gregg Popovich spoke on Kawhi Leonard’s MVP chances just days ago.
“We don’t talk about MVP Awards. We don’t talk about any awards. We don’t talk about championships. We just play the game,” Popovich said following Leonard’s 39 point game against Houston. “Everybody tries to do what they can to make the team better and whatever records or awards or wins that come, that’s the way it is.”
He also clearly laid out his thoughts on why teams that campaign for their star to win MVP is foolish.
“I believe that people who vote for it vote based on criteria that are logical and appropriate and I don’t think they need to be politicked and talked to and stroked to do what they need to do.”
Maybe we as fans and analysts need to take a page out of Pop’s book.
Everyone’s focus on the individuality of the award has lost sight of the real goal — watching and simply enjoying this beautiful game of basketball. Deep down, we are all those biased fans that just love the game.
One can quantify what the MVP means all they want, but it’s in the hands of that media panel to decide who wins the award.
It’s in our hands, as fans, to enjoy the beauty of basketball while we still can. Just enjoy greatness.

Δεν θεωρώ τον Ουέστμπρουκ περισσότερο τσαρλατάνο από τον ίδιο τον οργανισμό στον οποίο αγωνίζεται και σίγουρα λιγότερο παπατζή από τους περισσότερους συμμετέχοντες σε αυτό το ούτως ή άλλως θεατρικό...

66 Mon, Mar 13, 2017 8:00p ET @ Minnesota Timberwolves
67 Wed, Mar 15, 2017 7:00p ET Dallas Mavericks
68 Fri, Mar 17, 2017 7:00p ET Chicago Bulls
69 Sat, Mar 18, 2017 7:00p ET @ Charlotte Hornets
70 Mon, Mar 20, 2017 7:30p ET @ Boston Celtics
71 Wed, Mar 22, 2017 8:00p ET Atlanta Hawks
72 Fri, Mar 24, 2017 7:00p ET Brooklyn Nets
73 Sat, Mar 25, 2017 7:30p ET @ Cleveland Cavaliers
74 Tue, Mar 28, 2017 10:30p ET @ Los Angeles Lakers
75 Wed, Mar 29, 2017 10:30p ET @ Los Angeles Clippers
76 Fri, Mar 31, 2017 9:00p ET @ Utah Jazz
77 Sun, Apr 2, 2017 8:00p ET @ Golden State Warriors
78 Tue, Apr 4, 2017 7:00p ET Charlotte Hornets
79 Thu, Apr 6, 2017 7:30p ET @ New York Knicks
80 Sat, Apr 8, 2017 7:00p ET Miami Heat
81 Mon, Apr 10, 2017 8:00p ET @ Detroit Pistons
82 Wed, Apr 12, 2017 8:00p ET @ Miami Heat

Επίσης, άξιος αναφοράς είναι και ο Isaiah σχετικά με το που βρίσκονται οι Celtics φέτος και το potential που παρουσιάζουν.

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry was pragmatic in his reasoning in choosing James Harden for MVP over Russell Westbrook or LeBron James.Harden and Westbrook have been leading the talks when it comes to who will be crowned the NBA MVP this year.For two-time reigning MVP Curry, the choice is not that difficult - go with Harden."You kind of have to reward the better team, I would think, record-wise. That's just kind of going in the history of the MVP award. So, I think James will probably edge him out just off of that," Curry said Monday on The Dan Patrick Show, via NBC Sports.Even though both Harden and Westbrook have strong cases to take home the title, the Houston Rockets have a 46-21 record compared to the Westbrook's Oklahoma City Thunder (37-29).However, James and Kawhi Leonard's names have also been dropped into the MVP race, and the latter's San Antonio Spurs were only a half game behind Curry's Warriors for the best record in the NBA entering Monday.Curry's choice is especially interesting considering it was Harden who famously complained he should have won MVP in 2015 when the Warriors star did.

Το'χω γράψει και σβήσει 2-3 φορές αυτό το ποστ.

Η Θαντέρα το καλοκαίρι έμεινε δίχως Ντουράντ και δεν μπορεί πλέον να πουλήσει ελπίδες τίτλου στο σχετικά μικρό, ούτως ή άλλως, κοινό της. Ο μόνος τρόπος να τους κρατήσει ζεστούς ήταν να προβάλει το κυνήγι των ατομικών ρεκόρ της triple double machine που της έμεινε. Το ότι η φάση αυτή βοήθησε στο να πειστεί ο Ουέστμπρουκ να υπογράψει επέκταση ήταν σαφώς στα συν. Επιχειρηματική ανάγκη είναι όλο αυτό που γίνεται στην Οκλαχόμα. Αν οι Θάντερ τερμάτιζαν στο 1-2 της Δύσης, τότε το MVP θα ήταν καπαρωμένο από τον Ράσελ κι ας του έκαναν μποξ άουτ οι συμπαίκτες του και όταν υπογράφει αυτόγραφα. Όμως δεν είναι ούτε καν στο 3-4. Οπότε το MVP είναι δύσκολο και άντε να δοθεί ως παρηγοριά από την λίγκα για να χαρούν και οι μικρές αγορές (να ελπίζει και ο Γιάννης ότι θα το πάρει αυτός σε 5-6 χρόνια). Όσο για την άμυνα, με το USG% που έχει, το κλέψιμο πίσω για να πάρει ανάσες είναι απαραίτητο. Τουλάχιστον ξέρουμε ότι ο Ουέστμπρουκ άμα χρειαστεί θα παίξει lock down άμυνα, σε αντίθεση με τον μούσια που δεν θέλει/ξέρει. Ή τον ΙΤ που δεν μπορεί.

Ο Χάρντεν έχει τους Ρόκετς στο 3 της Δύσης και λογικά θα τερματίσουν με +50 νίκες. Ατομικά στατιστικά δεν είναι πολύ χειρότερος του Ουέστμπρουκ. Το πόσο ισχυρή είναι η υποψηφιότητα του εξαρτάται από το πόσο πιστεύουν οι εκλέκτορες ότι το Χιούστον με τα 50+ τρίποντα θα είναι ανταγωνιστικό στα πλέυ οφφ μέχρι και τον τελικό της περιφέρειας τουλάχιστον ή είναι μοναχά μια curiosité της κανονικής περιόδου. Αν πιστεύουν ότι μπορεί, έχει τ'ατομικά και ομαδικά στατιστικά να το διεκδικήσει σοβαρά. Αν όχι, τα ατομικά, όπως και για τον Ουέστμπρουκ, είναι αμφίβολο αν φτάνουν.

Ο Κοάι είναι ο καλύτερος παίχτης στην #2 ομάδα του πρωταθλήματος, πιθανότατο #1 seed στο τέλος, στη χειρότερη #2, και μάλλον πάει για 60+ νίκες. Παίζει εξαιρετική άμυνα και είναι πρώτο βιολί στην επίθεση. Δίχως να έχει δίπλα του 3 σούπερ σταρ + 1 Finals MVP όπως ο Ντουράντ στο Golden State. Ή 2 All stars και την συντροφιά του δαχτυλιδιού (Deron, Korver, Smith, Thompson, Frye, Williams) όπως ο Λεμπρόν στο Κλήβελαντ. Ο συνδυασμός ατομικών και ομαδικών στατιστικών που έχει είναι, για την ώρα, ο καλύτερος. Οι Σπερς έχουν ήδη ξεκινήσει να τον σπρώχνουν. Το ερώτημα είναι αν προλαβαίνουν ή είναι too little, too late.

Ο Γουόλ έχει ελπίδες μόνο αν οι Γουίζαρντς πάρουν το #1 seed στην Ανατολή. Το ίδιο και ο ΙΤ. Ο Λεμπρόν κάνει πολύ καλή χρονιά, αλλά η ομάδα του έχει πιο πολλά σκαμπανεβάσματα απ'όσα θα έπρεπε. Δεν φταίει ο ίδιος, τραυματισμοί κι ελλείψεις στο ρόστερ μέχρι πρόσφατα έπαιξαν το ρόλο τους, αλλά η ομαδική επίδοση μετράει. Στο Golden State όλοι χάνουν λίγο ατομικά για να κερδίσει η ομάδα, οπότε κανείς τους δεν μπορεί να θεωρηθεί υποψήφιος.

Οπότε αυτή τη στιγμή η αξιολόγηση μου θα ήταν Kawhi > Westbrook ~ Harden > Lebron > Wall > IT

Κι αφού τα συζητάμε εδώ, να πω ότι περιμένω το coach of the year να πάει στον Ντ'Αντόνι, αλλά αν το έδινα εγώ θα πήγαινε στον Spoelstra γιατί το να βάλει τους Χιτ στα πλέυ οφφ με αυτό το ρόστερ είναι άθλος.

Αν ψήφιζαν πραγματικά για τον πιο πολύτιμο κι όχι για τον πιο λαοπρόβλητο, εντυπωιακονουμερίστα, δερματόδετο και χρυσοποίκιλτο, η πραγματική διαμάχη θα ήταν Λέοναρντ-ΛεΜπρον. Εδώ λοιπόν ψήφισα Λέοναρντ, αν και κατανοώ όσους θα ψήφιζαν ΛεΜπρον: είναι απίστευτα ουσιαστικοί, τρομερό impact και στις δυο πλευρές του γηπέδου day in day out, χωρίς αυτούς οι ομάδες τους δε θα πήγαιναν ούτε πλέι οφ και πιστεύω ότι είναι και οι δυο ομάδες που θα πάνε τελικούς. Κερδίζουν, είναι ουσιαστικοί, παίζουν εκπληκτική άμυνα, έχουν φοβερούς αριθμούς και όλα αυτά μέσα στο σύνολο κι όχι μπάσκετ στη μπάντα στη μπάντα έρχεται ο Λοσάντα, τι άλλο να ζητήσεις; Αν ήθελαν θα έκαναν τριπλ νταμπλ κάθε βράδυ, αλλά προτιμούν να κερδίζουν κανένα ματς παραπάνω και να είναι οι ομαδες τους contenders. Θα ήμουν πιο επιεικής με τον Ουέστμπρουκ αν δεν κορόιδευε τόσο στην άμυνα, ειδικά από έναν παίκτη που το έχει αμυντικά, αλλά δείχνει τραγική εικόνα πλέον όταν αμύνεται. Ο Χάρντεν καλός χρυσός αλλά με άριστα το 10 θα έχει πάντα ταβάνι το 5, γιατί στο 50% που αφορά την άμυνα παίρνει μηδέν επειδή δεν υπάρχει πιο κάτω. Μισός παίκτης δεν μπορεί να μπαίνει στη συζήτηση του MVP. Πιο εύκολα έβαζα τον Τόμας που είναι λιγότερο εντυπωσιακός ή καλαθομηχανή αλλά κάνει ό,τι του επιτρέπει το κορμί του στην άμυνα.

NBA MVP race: 17 questions to help settle Westbrook, Harden, LeBron, Kawhi debate

The MVP race this season is set to be one of the closest in league history. Most are expecting a split ballot, with four key names having emerged: Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and perennial contender LeBron James. Each have phenomenal cases, and to be clear, they’re all worthy of winning MVP. But one guy is going to win.
There’s a lot more to talk about when we ask the question of who the MVP is, and also, who’s going to win the vote, and those are separate issues. But if you want to have your choice for MVP, you need to have really thought about it. These players deserve your full deliberation, if you’re a voter or just a fan, and you need to be able to defend your decision.
We’re here to help.
Here are 17 questions about the 2016-17 NBA MVP race before you make your decision.
1. How do you define valuable?
This, of course, is the very first question you need to decipher, since it’s the central question that follows everything. But it’s not as simple as people make it out to be. Let’s start here: Do not be confused into believing that the league has a definition of that word. The term is purposefully ambiguous and is not defined anywhere in any official document. Every voter is able to determine what that means. So you’re not beholden to “how much better he makes his team,” or “how bad his team would be without him.” That’s one interpretation, and if that’s where you build your argument from, that’s fine. But just know you’re not beholden to it.
Here’s a sampling of ways that loaded word, “valuable,” gets interpreted.
* The team would be in the dumps without him.
* He’s what makes his team great.
* Individual excellence, a simple “best player.”
* Most impactful (I’m partial to this interpretation).
* Superior statistical production.
* Intangible “helps his team win the most” factor.
All of these ways have been used to define that word, and it has affected votes through the years. You have to have that framework. But really, using one definition is probably flawed. If you only view this question, or any question, through one prism, you’re going to miss a great deal. The reality is that all of these different ways of defining value are flawed in their own ways, and valid in their own ways.
Basically, this whole thing is complicated, even if you figure out what you think value is.

2. How much does offense-defense balance matter?
We’ll get into the specifics of just how good or bad the four candidates are defensively later, but one thing that’s not a secret is that Leonard is the best of the bunch on that end. Westbrook and Harden are obviously offensive-centric players. But Leonard is balanced, elite defensively and nearly as good offensively.
Think of it this way.
Imagine you judge a player in offense and defense on a 1-5 scale, with 1 being the worst and 5 being elite. Is it better to be a “5” on offense and a “3” on defense, or a “4” on offense and a “4” on defense?
Those are both “8” scores. So which is better? Now, you can argue that you think Leonard is a 5 on both sides, or that Harden is a 2 on defense, or that LeBron is a 5 on offense and a 4 on defense, but you still have to figure out if that matters.
One more thing to consider when we talk about this: If you talk to players about the great players in the game, they tend to point to offensive players. And not just the efficient ones, but guys that are what you might call “volume” scorers. Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, these guys are revered by players. So when you have a guy putting up historic offensive numbers, that’s going to carry weight. Why? Why is that more important than defense? I’m not saying we should argue whether it should or not, that’s a separate conversation. But you need to know where you stand on offensive production being a trump card over defense.

3. How many wins does a candidate’s team have to have?
No MVP since 1985 has won the award on a team lower than the 3rd seed. Think about that. Wins trump everything. Now, we’re not looking at who will win the award based on the voters today (and it should be noted the voting bloc has changed substantially in the past 10 years). But it does show a standard in place you need to consider.
Now, team wins are not tied to how good a player is. Anthony Davis is still awesome despite the Pelicans being bad. But no one’s seriously considering Davis for MVP, and that’s because his team is irrelevant. Does that matter to you? Do you think a player is responsible for his team’s record? One of the common veins of thought is that a player is not solely responsible for his team’s record, but if he’s not able to raise them up to a certain threshold, that’s a knock on him. However, what’s that threshold? If Westbrook pulls his team to 49 wins, how does that compare with Leonard’s Spurs having 60?
We’ll talk about impact on that team next, but first you have to kind of set a threshold. If that’s “zero, his individual play should matter most and only,” that’s a valid philosophy to take, but you still have to answer this question. What’s the number a player’s team has to get to for him to qualify?

4. Is it more important how much better a player makes his teammates, or how good he makes his team?
Net points per 100 possessions for the team while player is on/off the floor:
James Harden SG / Houston
ON: +7.3 OFF: +3.7 ON VS. OFF: +3.6
Russell Westbrook PG / Oklahoma City
ON: +3.7 OFF: -11.7 ON VS. OFF: +15.4
On the surface, this ends the conversation right there. Westbrook has a greater impact when on the floor than Harden does. But look at the raw numbers. Harden’s team is better than Westbrook’s when you look at when both are on the floor. You can argue that the Rockets are way better than the Thunder, and that’s fine. But you still have to figure out what’s more important -- making a bad team good, or making a good team great.
The argument for Harden is that his team is better when he’s on the floor than Westbrook’s team is when he’s on the floor. The argument for Westbrook is that without Westbrook, the Thunder are a disaster and he makes them “pretty good.”
It’s a fascinating debate, even if you take the numbers out of it. The Spurs are better than the Cavaliers, at least in terms of regular-season wins and performance. But without James, the Cavs are pretty pathetic, while the Spurs remain a pretty great team when Leonard is on the bench. What’s more important?

5. What, really, is the value of a triple-double?
So Westbrook is on pace to do something that has only been done once in NBA history -- average a triple-double for a full season. He also has a chance at breaking the single-season record for triple-doubles. The triple-double has always been a revered mark. It’s supposed to indicate the very pinnacle of a versatile performance. Double digits in three separate categories is just hard to do, even if players are making it seem normal this season.
However, there is a pretty basic question to be asked: What really makes it great? To put it another way: What makes a 15-10-10 performance that much better than a 20-9-9?
Or, in concrete terms this season, is the two extra rebounds that Westbrook hauls in compared to Harden enough to really separate him when Harden averages more assists? Westbrook averages more rebounds and points than Harden, but does so at a lower efficiency, and there’s a lot of talk about the high percentage of uncontested rebounds that Westbrook collects. Harden averages 29-8-11. Are those two rebounds enough to really overtake Westbrook, just because we like nice, round numbers?

6. What impact does coach and system have?
Or, the Popovich conundrum. Look, the Spurs players are excellent, all the way down. They’re talented, athletic, superb basketball players who always make the right decision. But given their historical dominance and the way their system is designed, it does feed into the perception, at least, that you or I might be able to average five points on the Spurs. That’s an exaggeration and ridiculous, of course, but Kawhi Leonard plays for the most successful NBA coach of all time, in terms of sustained regular-season performance over an 18-year span.
Meanwhile, James is the system in Cleveland. How does that compare?
Harden plays for Mike D’Antoni, who is effectively a steroid boost for point guard numbers. Steve Nash was not Steve Nash, really, until he played for D’Antoni, despite a good career in Dallas. The pace and style that D’Antoni uses enables the kind of production that Harden has put up. Westbrook, on the other hand, plays for Billy Donovan, who is still finding his footing as an NBA coach, and has not had a team put up a prolific offensive season. Does Westbrook get more credit for putting up his numbers in a limited offensive system?
Can we really judge how good an offensive system is, beyond the context of players?

7. If you know one player is the best player in the sport, how much does that impact things?
The LeBron Corollary. If I asked you who the best player in the NBA is, not who has had the best season, and you’re not a fan of any one team/player, the most common answer is James. If you know that James is the best player in the NBA, what does the rest of this matter? Stats, team wins, all of this is secondary. James has good enough stats, a good enough record and is the best player. Is that enough?
(I don’t think so, I think the award is based on who has had the best season, not who the best player is. Being able to do something and doing something is different. But it’s something you have to consider.)

8. How much more talented is one candidate’s team vs. another?
Yes, James has Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. But J.R. Smith went from being a career punchline to the fourth-best player on that team, Tristan Thompson is still just a big body with long arms and good instincts and Richard freaking Jefferson is a pivotal rotation player on this team.
Leonard plays next to near-fossil Pau Gasol half the time. His point guard, Tony Parker, is a shell of his former self, though still an awesome shell. Dewayne Dedmon is his best defensive cohort.
Harden plays next to Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson, so the knock goes that he has more help. But both of those guys were on an underachieving Pelicans team for years and were considered low-impact players. Their improved health definitely matters, but the rest of this Rockets team was a joke last season. D’Antoni plays a part here, but Harden also raised his game.
Westbrook lost Kevin Durant. But he still has a team that made the conference finals, and that wasn’t all Westbrook and Durant. On the other hand, there’s no real star or threat you can point to, yet the Thunder are the sixth seed in the West.
To be honest, I’m not a fan of using this criteria. It’s mostly used as a way to discredit great performances and excuse efficiency issues. “Sure, Harden’s putting up great numbers. Look at his team!” Or, “Of course the Thunder offense is bad! Look at who his teammates are!” But it’s something worth considering.

9. If a player is a specialist in one area, and the team’s stats don’t reflect that impact, what does that say?
Westbrook is an offensive whirlwind, right? So why is Oklahoma City 19th in offensive efficiency? The offense is bad. The Thunder win games because they have the 11th-best defense in the NBA. And while Westbrook has moments and stretches of great defense, that’s not his contribution. So if he’s great because of his offense, but the Thunder don’t win because of their offense, then what are we talking about here?
You can then turn to the conversation about teammates and how, without Westbrook, the Thunder offense is a burning pit of garbage, but you can’t really get past the fact that even when Westbrook is on the floor, his 107.9 offensive rating is six points worse than Harden’s, five points worse than Leonard’s and seven points worse than James’.
It’s not just Westbrook that this applies to, though.
In December, I looked at the puzzling state of Kawhi Leonard’s defensive impact , and the fact that the Spurs’ defensive rating was the highest when he was on the court. Since then, Leonard’s individual numbers have improved dramatically, but Leonard still has the highest defensive rating on the team, and the team is way better defensively when he’s on the bench. So if Leonard’s big push in this conversation is that he’s the only player who has been great on both ends, then why is it that the Spurs don’t seem to really benefit from his defensive play, statistically? You can throw out the numbers if you want, but even if you take it anecdotally, you wind up with this: Do you think the Spurs would be anything less than great defensively without Leonard?
Meanwhile, without James, the Cavs’ defense is four points per 100 possessions worse. So clearly he makes a big impact, right? Except that James’ on-court defensive rating is still an abysmal 106. Harden’s is 106.4. We know James is a much better defender than Harden, but the stats don’t show him having that much of an impact on that end of the floor. He makes a bad Cavs defense better, but then we’re back to that question above.
Either way, you have to consider what the actual impact of a player’s emphasis on one end of the floor or the other is.

10. Do you think of efficiency as limiting wasted possessions, or production per minute?
The knock on Westbrook, above everything else (even team wins), is that he’s not efficient. He’s shooting 42 percent from the field, 33 percent from 3-point range. He’s second in turnovers (to Harden, who’s more efficient as a shooter). That, in many people’s minds, invalidates him from the conversation, based on modern conventional emphasis on efficiency’s value.
Except ... Westbrook leads the league in PER, Player Efficiency Rating. Now, some of that is because PER values rebounds and shot attempts. It typically rewards volume shooters. But it’s also built as a metric to evaluate how much production a player accomplishes per minute. And Westbrook is tops there. Points, rebounds, assists, he fills it up. He’s not just a gunner, throwing up shots constantly (though he leads the league in field goal attempts). He’s shooting, passing, rebounding, all the time -- every possession, over and over.
Leonard averages less than half of Westbrook’s turnovers. He shoots 6.5 percentage points better from the field. But he averages nearly six fewer rebounds and six fewer assists per 100 possessions, on top of five fewer points. So what’s more efficient? Westbrook’s per-minute production, or Leonard’s precision and limited waste of possessions?

11. How do you define ‘making teammates better?
Some people don’t think this one matters, that it’s a flawed concept. But it’s worth at least asking.
We’ve talked about the impact on teammates statistically. But Eric Gordon is having a career year next to Harden. Clint Capela is a pick-and-roll monster. Richard Jefferson is a key component on a championship team because of James. Leonard covers up for the defensive limitations of a slow, aging roster. Westbrook has dragged 10 assists per game out of a terrible cast of shooters.
Some of this is leadership. Some of this is unselfishness. You can argue that Leonard’s quiet, precise way of playing makes his teammates better by never being a ballhog or dominating possessions in a way Westbrook does, or you can argue that the attention Westbrook draws from defenders opens things up for a flawed roster. It’s worth considering.

12. Do you care about ‘stat-padding?’
I don’t, for the record. Westbrook leads the league in uncontested rebounds, per NBA.com. He still averages as many contested rebounds as James and more than Harden or Leonard. But the fact that so many of his boards aren’t contested leads to the idea that his numbers, his defining argument for MVP, aren’t legitimate. I tend to believe that someone still has to go get those uncontested rebounds, and I know that the Thunder system is designed to box out and clear space for Westbrook to go get them and then race the ball up to initiate the offense. There’s benefit to what he does.
There’s also the fact that Harden and Westbrook often play late in blowouts, gunning for assists. They’ll deny it to the day they die, but they both will try and track down the numbers for those triple-doubles, and some folks believe that hurts the team, because they’re not just organically pursuing the flow of the game. You’ll have to decide for yourself what it is.

13. What about aesthetics?
Harden draws a lot of fouls. That’s no surprise. He’s not doing it as much this season, or at least that’s perception. His free-throw rate is actually up significantly from the past two years. Some people loathe the way he seeks out contact to get to the line.
Westbrook, meanwhile, is reckless. He drives into contact constantly. His game isn’t built on the jumper, which is the most aesthetically pleasing tool to the masses. He seems to play with abandon, and that turns some folks off.
James doesn’t go 100 percent, because he’s 32 and playing for championships.
Leonard is basically a robot. His game is brutally efficient, but low on defining signature moves. He just does everything well.
The NBA is an entertainment spectacle above all else, so should the way players play, and how we experience it, matter? Do you want a flopping, flailing, foul-drawing con artist as MVP? What about a coasting legend who could seem to do more but doesn’t? Or a robotic, lifeless player who doesn’t inspire much joy? Or a reckless, ball-dominant super-usage star intent on collecting all the attention?
I tend to think these are arbitrary constructs that don’t belong in who is deserving of the award, but that’s if you care about the players receiving it, and not the legacy of the award. There are drawbacks to both.

14. Does it matter what happens if you take that player off their team?
This one is really popular. As we mentioned above, the Cavs and Thunder are basically rotten eggs and spoiled milk when James and Westbrook aren’t on the floor. That’s how a lot of people, voters even, decide their MVP.
“Their team would be nothing without them, they are good with them. The end.”
The problem with this is that it means that all the other factors we talked about are irrelevant. Let’s say that the Pelicans were literally the worst team in NBA history when Anthony Davis isn’t on the floor. Worse than the 2012 Bobcats, just the worst team ever. And with Davis on the floor, they’re just bad -- basically a 30-win team. He took them from the worst of all time, to not-great. Is that most valuable?
The common construct is to place a requisite number of wins on this. So it becomes “who takes a bad team and makes them a X-wins team?” If that sounds like kind of an arbitrary and flawed setup, it is. This also ignores the fact that these stars play with starters most often. If they play with better players, of course the team is going to be worse without them.
Then there’s the “OK, what if you just removed them entirely.” Well, the problem with that is it assumes there’s no replacement for them. If you take away Westbrook, and add an average point guard, are the Thunder one of the worst teams ever? If you take away Harden and put Jeff Teague in, what do the Rockets look like? They wouldn’t be great, that’s clear. But you can’t just act like if that player doesn’t play for that team, the team does nothing to replace their production and impact.
Win-loss records are the same way. If you take the best player off any team, they’re going to be worse. Look no further than the Warriors’ struggles without Durant for proof of that.

15. How is this vote going to look in six months? What about in five years?
Imagine that in 10 years, you and your friends were going to come back to wherever you are, and you have to defend that MVP vote. Now, you don’t, but imagine you did. The Steve Nash MVP (which I will still defend as correct) has aged terribly and is constantly ridiculed and criticized for not going to Kobe Bryant. The 2011 Derrick Rose MVP still gets a few grumbles. A respected (and great) writer robbed James of being the first unanimous MVP vote in 2013 because he voted for Carmelo Anthony. (He may still feel great about that. I haven’t asked him.)
You want to try and imagine how these votes will look down the line. If you don’t vote for the guy who averaged a triple-double, how is that going to look? If you don’t vote for Kawhi Leonard, and he winds up as the best player in a series where he destroys Harden, even though it’s a regular-season award, it’s like the Hakeem Olajuwon-David Robinson situation. It’s impossible to forecast the future, but you should try and think of how the vote looks now, instead of how it will look later, because these awards, more than anything, stand as history when considering evaluation of careers after the fact.

16. How memorable is his season?
To that end, how much will we be talking about this season? Both this question and the last one lean towards Westbrook. “Remember that year that Westbrook averaged a triple-double? He didn’t even win MVP.” James is averaging a career high in rebounds and assists. But based on how the Cavs have played, and James himself, this isn’t one of his most memorable seasons. In fact, given their record and that 22nd-ranked defense, if it weren’t for last year’s title, we’d be talking about whether the Cavs are in trouble, or if they’re ever going to win a title with James there.
For Leonard, the Spurs could wind up with more than 65 wins ... but they won 67 last year. Leonard has been amazing this season, but outside of Sunday’s performance vs. Harden, there are very few times where you just marveled at the way Leonard took over the game.
Harden, for his part, has had two 50-point triple-doubles. That alone is insane. You’ll remember this LeBron season for whatever happens in the playoffs, and the same with Leonard. But Harden and Westbrook’s regular seasons seems like they’ll be talked about for a long time.

17. Who’s most impactful?
This is the question I always get to, and it’s how I evaluate the award. I consider all the other questions on this list. But at the end of it, individual basketball excellence, is about what you do when you’re on the court, and how you impact the game. There are a lot of ways to answers this one. Leonard’s defense and two-way versatility. LeBron’s singular excellence and dominance over all aspects. Westbrook’s superhuman workload and thrilling statistical feats. Harden’s efficiency and how he’s raised the Rockets into being maybe the most dangerous team outside of Golden State in the playoffs.
Offense, defense, the stats, the highlights, the signature games, all of this makes for a formula. I’m less concerned with a team is without that player as I am with how they are with them. What do they look like? Are they dangerous? Confident? Can they run over teams? Does he take over games and win them on his own? Are teams afraid of him and gameplan for him?
These all make way more than 17 questions, but this is how complicated this year’s race is. If you’re not asking yourself these questions, then you haven’t really done the work.

Εδώ λοιπόν ψήφισα Λέοναρντ, αν και κατανοώ όσους θα ψήφιζαν ΛεΜπρον: είναι απίστευτα ουσιαστικοί, τρομερό impact και στις δυο πλευρές του γηπέδου day in day out, χωρίς αυτούς οι ομάδες τους δε θα πήγαιναν ούτε πλέι οφ και πιστεύω ότι είναι και οι δυο ομάδες που θα πάνε τελικούς.

Την τελευταία εβδομάδα ο Westbrook έχει κλείσει την ψαλίδα από τον Harden. Η OKC έχει κάνει μεγάλες ανατροπές στα ματς με Dallas και Orlando με τον Ράσελ να ξεχωρίζει κάνοντας clutch παιχνίδια.

Νομίζω πως τελευταία ακούγεται σαν ενδεχόμενο - δε νομίζω πως πρόκειται ποτέ να λάβει χώρα - να δοθεί CO-MVP Award και στον Westbrook και στον Harden.

Η αντίθεση (με το βραβείο του MVP της RS) βρίσκεται στο ίδιο δίδυμο (Stockton-Malone), που αν και πάλι στην ίδια ομάδα (Jazz), δόθηκε στον παίκτη που σαφώς έκανε την πιο... δύσκολη από τις δύο δουλειές, δηλαδή να την στέλνει στο μπακλαβωτό (Γεωργίου ref νο2 )...

Η ψηφοφορία άραγε θα γίνει πριν τα πλέι-οφ? Γιατί αλλιώς η σειρά Rockets-Thunder νομίζω θα είναι καθοριστική για το τελικό αποτέλεσμα!

But this season's MVP race figures to be closer, with the first-place votes expected to be split between James, Harden, Westbrook and Leonard, with former teammates Westbrook and Harden as the frontrunners. Every first-place vote will be significant for the candidates, especially with ESPN's Brian Windhorst reporting the pool of voters has decreased to around 100 this season.

For some former voters, the move could come as a relief. There have been potential conflicts of interest in play for years since the media began voting for individual awards in the 1980-81 season. Another gray area is that some of the individual awards voted on by media members qualify players for more money in free agency.

The NBA's regular season ends April 12, and the deadline for participants to submit their votes for individual awards (MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man Award, Coach of the Year) is April 14.

That doesn't seem as if it would affect that many players, right?

That's true. It doesn't apply to many players. But the ones it does apply to could have a big impact on the league. This year, for example, if either Paul George or Gordon Hayward makes one of the three All-NBA teams, that would give his team an overwhelming advantage in re-signing him long-term.

It would make George eligible to sign a $200 million extension with the Pacers this summer. That's $75 million more than if he were to become a free agent in 2018 and sign somewhere else, such as with the Lakers. If he doesn't make the All-NBA team, and the Pacers lose this advantage, it is unlikely that he will sign an extension this summer, and that will apply pressure on the Pacers to trade him. This is a big vote -- one that George believes should go his way.

Hayward is a free agent this summer and has only seven years of experience, so he couldn't get the payoff now. But he could exercise his contract option for next season and then he could sign an extension beginning with the 2018-19 season that could become the largest contract in NBA history if the Jazz were willing to offer it, something in the range of six years and $230 million.

Πως να γίνεις MVP , μέσα σε 10 βήματα.
Ο καημένος ο Χάρντεν δε ξέρω πόσες αντοχές έχει για να φτάσει ξανά τόσο κοντά για το βραβείο. Anyway.

Xάρηκα που ο Νταντόνι πήρε το βραβείο για καλύτερος προπονητής. Έχει απαξιωθεί πάρα πολλές φορές για το στυλ που εφαρμόζει. Σίγουρα δεν το έχει δικαιώσει για ένα πρωτάθλημα, αλλά οι ομάδες που φτιάχνει είναι άπιαστες. Σε περιμένουμε στο Φοίνιξ , να βγάλεις ΜVP τον Μπούκερ και να σηκώσουμε κούπα( σε 5 χρόνια)...\

Για το Γιάννη και μόνο που ήταν 8ος για το MVP, το βραβείο που κέρδισε είναι μόνο η αρχή.

Στο ROY ειναι λιγο περιπλοκα

Ο embiid αν επαιζε ολη την σεζον σιγουρα θα το κερδιζε
Απο την αλλη δεν θα ηταν και εντελως δικαιο γιατι βρισκεται 3 χρονια μεσα σε μια ομαδα nba και δουλευει το σωμα του και σημεια του παιχνιδιου του(καλος σουτερ στο τριποντο οταν στο κολλεγιο δεν σουταρε καν)
Τωρα πιστευω δεν θα επρεπε να ειναι καν υποψηφιος,ακομα και σαν τον jordan να επαιζε δεν γινεται να εχεις υποψηφιο για βραβειο καποιον που σε 3 χρονια εχει παιξει 30 παιχνιδια

2016-17 NBA All-Defensive First Team
Position | Player, Team | 1st Team Votes | 2nd Team Votes | Total Points

F | Draymond Green, Golden State | 99 | -- | 198
C | Rudy Gobert, Utah | 97 | 2 | 196
F | Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio | 93 | 6 | 192
G | Chris Paul, LA Clippers | 61 | 18 | 140
G | Patrick Beverley, Houston | 38 | 34 | 110


2016-17 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
G | Tony Allen, Memphis | 17 | 46 | 80
G | Danny Green, San Antonio | 21 | 26 | 68
C | Anthony Davis, New Orleans | -- | 58 | 58
F | Andre Roberson, Oklahoma City | 3 | 47 | 53
F | Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee | 7 | 21 | 35

Other players receiving votes, with point totals (First Team votes in parentheses): Avery Bradley, Boston, 46 (12); Klay Thompson, Golden State, 45 (16); John Wall, Washington, 38 (14); DeAndre Jordan, LA Clippers, 35 (1); Paul Millsap, Atlanta, 35; Hassan Whiteside, Miami, 25 (1); Marcus Smart, Boston, 21 (5); Jimmy Butler, Chicago, 18; LeBron James, Cleveland, 12 (1); Robert Covington, Philadelphia, 11 (2); Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City, 10 (5); Paul George, Indiana, 7; Kevin Durant, Golden State, 6; Dwight Howard, Atlanta, 6 (1); Mike Conley, Memphis, 5 (1); Jae Crowder, Boston, 5; Jrue Holiday, New Orleans, 5; Wesley Matthews, Dallas, 4 (2); Stephen Curry, Golden State, 3; Andre Iguodala, Golden State, 3 (1); Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Charlotte, 3; Ricky Rubio, Minnesota, 3; P.J. Tucker, Toronto, 3; Trevor Ariza, Houston, 2; Nicolas Batum, Charlotte, 2; Marc Gasol, Memphis, 2; Eric Gordon, Houston, 2 (1); Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota, 2 (1); Steven Adams, Oklahoma City, 1; LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio, 1; Al-Farouq Aminu, Portland, 1; Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Detroit, 1; George Hill, Utah, 1; Serge Ibaka, Toronto, 1; Damian Lillard, Portland, 1; Luc Mbah a Moute, LA Clippers, 1; Austin Rivers, LA Clippers, 1; Isaiah Thomas, Boston, 1; Cody Zeller, Charlotte, 1.