Category: Games

NBA Awards 2009-10 Part 2

NBA’s Best in 2009-10

 

Part 2

 

Defensive Player of the Year

 

1. Dwight Howard

2. Josh Smith

3. Rajon Rondo

 

Another easy award. Howard dominates the paint like no player since Hakeem Olajuwon. (No, Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace were not in the same class.) While some folks are suggesting that LeBron may be in the midst of a string of MVP awards, his competition is closer to him than Howard’s is for DPY.

 

Josh Smith is getting lots of attention this year for his improved offensive efficiency but he’s improved even more defensively. As good as Atlanta has become, their lack of size at the center position is still a defensive weakness and neither Al Horford nor Zaza Pachulia does much to discourage penetrators from getting to the rim. That’s where J-Smoove comes in to play. His wingspan, hops and aggressiveness improve the Hawks’ interior defense immensely. As a face up defender, he’s done a stellar job against the amazing variety of power forwards in the league despite giving up inches to most. Being a 4 man who can switch out onto quick, short guards, also helps protect the Hawks’ defensively challenged point guard crew.

 

Rondo has regressed just a little bit this season as his offensive responsibilities have grown but he’s still clearly the best defensive guard in the league. To be fair to Rondo, not only has he done more offensively but with Kevin Garnett’s continuing physical ailments, Rondo’s taken the defensive reins as well. On a team with 3 future Hall of Famers, Rondo was the best and most indispensible Celtic this year.

 

Most Improved Player

 

1. Andrew Bogut

2. Rajon Rondo

3. Aaron Brooks

 

Bogut wins this award for me because he took the greatest leap of any non-star. (Durant’s improvement was the most in the league this year but his potential was so evident as to minimize my level of surprise. Besides, this isn’t the award he wants to win.) Bogut became the main cog on a playoff team that surpassed all expectations. Not only did Bogut score better, but he became a real force defensively. With a rookie point guard and new coach, Bogut moved in one season out of the Top Pick Bust bin into All-NBA consideration.

 

As I mentioned before, Rondo elevated his game tremendously this season. Every element of his game has improved and next year Rondo has a legit chance to be an All-NBA performer.

 

Aaron Brooks has surprised me for the entire year. I kept expecting him to fall apart at some point doing the season and it never happened. I thought he’d struggle because of the stellar West point guards, then I thought Kevin Martin’s acquisition would push Brooks to the periphery, then I expected he’d fall apart from overwork during the Rockets’ playoff push. Instead, Brooks has matured and improved enough that he appears to be Houston’s long-term successor to Stevie Franchise.

 

Coach of the Year

 

1. Scott Skiles

2. Alvin Gentry
3. Scott Brooks

 

Most folks think this is the Scott Squared show but Alvin Gentry’s Suns are just as much a surprise as the Thunder. After considering last year’s directions and the talent on the two rosters encourages me to slide Gentry just ahead of Scotty Brooks. These Western squads are both tremendous stories but Scott Skiles’ Bucks are preposterous! I pegged the Bucks to win around 30 games this year but instead they won 46 and would have had a real chance at winning a playoff series had Bogut not been injured. Skiles makes this a rare, easy selection in this category.

 

 

FDO

 

NBA Jam is Fantastic!

Here's an NBA junkie's confession…I was never fixated on NBA Jam but I feel now as though I missed out. Highlights from this article include discovering that:

 

Shaq not only owned two machines but made one of them the team travel video game. Yes, they carried it on the road!

Michael Jordan and Gary Payton were on the same team. Kinda.

Bill Clinton and 'The Big Hurt' Frank Thomas both had characters.

The game is haunted. Well, that's what the creator of the game says at least.

Check it out.

 

FDO

Sometimes it’s hard…

…to be a Pacers' fan.

Marc Stein says,

April 14: Indiana at Washington (ESPN)
The Pacers somehow wind up closing out an interminably long 82 games against a team that wants the season to be over even more than they do.

 

FDO

Sean Tuohy

A couple years back I wrote a post in which I said I'd like to meet Sean Tuohy, the broadcaster for Memphis Grizzlies basketball. My only reason is that he seemed like the nicest guy around. In an industry in which self-promotion is only secondary to unabashed employing team promotion, Tuohy was consistently honest and kind, even when it did not obviously serve his interests. 

Somehow, today things clicked for me and I recognized his name from promos about the movie 'The Blind Side' starring Sandra Bullock. I haven't seen the movie yet and I may not but I thought I should check and see if Sean Tuohy has a Wikipedia page. He does. Clearly, Tuohy is rich enough that he doesn't need the job and since he has a career outside of basketball that may explain why he's liberated to be so honest. Whatever the cause, I respect his professional generosity. And I still want to meet him. 

FDO

Peyton’s Place

well, his place in history continues to be elevated. Even though many Colts fans enter the playoffs with a a bad taste in their mouths, the rest of the league continues to be in awe of Peyton Manning who has won his record 4th NFL MVP award. This, like the previous 3, is well deserved.

I feel fortunate that I have been able to watch so many of his games. Witnessing history always feels nice to me, even if it's 'just' football.

FDO

Here I Go Again…On My Own

Well, apparently I'm the only person outside Texas who thinks the Cowboys will beat New Orleans Saturday night.

I don't want Dallas to win but I think they match up quite well with the Saints and are primed to (over?)perform. Dallas needs the game desperately, they are being counted out and they've been playing well. New Orleans may be getting a little heady. Unfortunately, they don't have the kind of big game experience that helps them prepare for the spotlight this game will produce. I hope I'm wrong but I expect Dallas to win and end the Saints' historic streak.

FDO