Predicting the winners of the NBA Regular Season awards is always a difficult task. The decision can be influenced by team performance, off-court narrative, and even by voter fatigue. Last season, despite putting up impressive numbers, some might argue that Joel Embiid won MVP because voters were tired of seeing Nikola Jokic win it year after year.
This season, however, Jokic is back as the frontrunner for MVP, Victor Wembanyama is showing the world that the hype is real as he leads the race for Rookie of the Year, and every other award – Sixth Man of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, and Coach of the Year – seem very competitive between the candidates.
Most Valuable Player (MVP):
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets – Many fans and analysts believed that Jokic deserved to win his third MVP in a row last year, but a combination of voter fatigue and Joel Embiid’s impressive numbers cut him short. However, it seems like this year he is once again the favorite for the award after another stellar season. The reigning NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, with a record of 57-25, are tied with first place Oklahoma City Thunder, but have finished the season in second place in the Western Conference due to their head-to-head record. Jokic has been leading the way for the Nuggets once again, averaging almost a triple-double of 26.4 points per game (PPG), 12.4 rebounds per game (RPG), and 9.0 assists per game (APG). What bolsters his case even more is his team’s success while he is on the court, as the Nuggets’ net rating is 22.0 points per 100 possessions higher when Jokic is on the court.
Honorable Mentions:
This season has offered us one of the most competitive MVP races in recent years with five possible candidates with a solid case to win an honorable mention.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder – The young Canadian point guard has been the definition of consistent for the Oklahoma City Thunder this season. Leading them to their first 50 win season since the 2015-16 team that featured Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Gilgeous-Alexander finished third in the league in PPG, at 30.1, second in offensive win shares, and in the top 10 in defensive win shares.
Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks – Luka Dončić finished the season first in scoring, averaging 33.9 PPG, along with 9.2 RPG, and 9.8 APG. He just broke Mark Aguirre’s record that stood for 40 years for most points in a season by a Dallas Maverick. Unfortunately for him, he is falling victim to his team’s lack of consistency. Although the Mavs enjoyed a successful season, finishing fifth in the West with a 50-32 record, they have not been as consistent as the teams of the rest of the players in the MVP conversation.
Giannis Antetokoumpo, Milwaukee Bucks – Already a two-time MVP and another player who is always in the conversation, Giannis Antetokoumpo has put up 30.4 PPG, 11.5 RPG, and 6.5 APG. He lead the Bucks to the third seed in the Eastern Conference, while being the most efficient from the field of all the MVP candidates, at 61.1% field goal.
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics – Lastly, Jayson Tatum stakes his name in the race, as the Boston Celtics, his team, finished with the best record in the NBA with 64-18. Tatum leads the team with 26.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG, and 4.9 APG.
Rookie of the Year (ROTY):
Victor Wembenyama, San Antonio Spurs – Truly an anomaly, standing at 7’4” with the handles of a point guard, Wembenyama has shown the world that the hype is real. The big man has a knack for sinking three pointers and leads the league in blocks per game (BPG), as he is truly having a box office season. Wembenyama has had many impressive games to show the world that he not only deserves the ROTY prize, but that he can truly become an all time great in the NBA.
He became the youngest player in the league’s history to record a 5×5 game (which occurs when a player has at least five points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks) against the Lakers on Feb. 23, as he ended with 27 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals, and 5 blocks. But also, just last week on April 2, against the Denver Nuggets, he was just two assists and one block away from recording a quadruple double, something that has only occurred 4 times in NBA history. He ended the night with 23 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists, and 9 blocks.
Honorable mention:
Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder – Another award, another runner up position for the Oklahoma City Thunder, as Chet Holmgren is the only real competition to Victor Wembenyama for this award. Similarly to Wembenyama, Chet Holmgren is another one of those unique seven footers who can do a bit of everything. This season he has been a key part to his team’s success, but as he is on a better team, he gets less of the ball and stands out less than Wembenyama does. The rookie of the year competition has been a fun one this year, and with these two being a similar age and having such a similar skillset, it will be a rivalry that will hopefully continue to give us many more battles for years to come.
Sixth Man of the Year:
Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings – This award tends to be given to the player that averages the most points off the bench, but Malik Monk has done more than that this season. Along with his 15.4PPG, Monk registers an average of 5.1APG and is also a key player for the Kings in clutch moments of close games. When at the start of games you are on the bench, but at the end of games you tend to be on the court, that shows how valuable you are to your team’s success, making a true sixth man of the year candidate.
Honorable mentions:
Nazreon Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves – The New Jersey native has been a key piece for the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the main big man option off the bench to replace the stars in Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. A versatile player who can play both the center and power forward positions, Reid has been an important part of the Timberwolves battle for the top seed in the West, as they ended up finishing in third, one game back on the first place Oklahoma City Thunder.
Norman Powell, Los Angeles Clippers – On a team with so many big names like Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, James Harden and Russell Westbrook, Norman Powell has managed to quietly have a great season and is a key part of this stacked LA Clippers roster. A player that was once the 46th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Powell is now a valuable player who can play in multiple positions for a team that is hoping to make a run at the title this season.
Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY):
Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves – The Minnesota Timberwolves hold the league’s best defensive rating, as they currently allow 107.9 points per 100 possessions, and Rudy Gobert is the centerpiece to making that happen. The French center is averaging 2.1BPG and leads the league in defensive win shares as well. Winning this award would make it his fourth NBA DPOY, putting him first place in NBA history along with Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace.
Honorable Mentions:
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs – Individually, Wembenyama has proven that he is a standout on defense, leading the league in blocks with 3.5BPG and truly being a presence in the paint that opposing players are aware of and intimidated by. However, the San Antonio Spurs, his team, ranked as the 6th worst defense in the league this season. Judging from the performances in his rookie year, however, it is fair to speculate that he will garner many DPOYs throughout his career.
Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers – Similar to Wembanyama’s situation, Anthony Davis has been exceptional defensively this year. However, the Lakers, his team, have had the 8th worst defense this year, and although Davis ranks second in BPG with 2.4 and second in defensive win shares, it is not enough to compete with the best defender on the best defensive team.
Most Improved Player (MIP):
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers – Maxey is a player that was considered last year for this award, as he had his breakout season averaging 20.3PPG and 3.5APG. Yet, this season he has improved those numbers to 25.9 PPG and 6.2 APG and made his first all-star game. There was a lot of drama surrounding the 76ers before the season started, as James Harden decided to leave, which solidified Maxey as the second option on this team. In a season where reigning MVP Joel Embiid has played only 37 out of a potential 78 games so far and primary ball handler James Harden was traded, Maxey kept this team in a position to make a playoff push, as they finished 7th in the East. With Embiid finally back, they look like the strongest of the Eastern Conference teams in the play-in tournament (a single game elimination tournament between the teams ranked 7th to 10th in each conference to decide the 7th and 8th place positions).
Honorable Mention:
Coby White, Chicago Bulls – The only true competition to Tyrese Maxey for this award, Coby White has had a great bounceback year after averaging a career low 9.7PPG last season. This season with averages of 19.1PPG, 4.5RPG, and 5.1APG, White has been one of the key factors on a Bulls team that finished in 9th place in the East. Although White’s numbers this season compared to last have taken a bigger jump than Maxey’s numbers have; being a better player, being on a better team, making an all star team, and handling the headlines surrounding the 76ers throughout the season, Maxey is the favorite for this award.
Coach of the Year (COTY):
Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder – What Daigneault has managed to accomplish with this young Thunder team is nothing short of spectacular. The Thunder are the second youngest team in the NBA, with an average of 23.8 years, yet play with a poise and consistency that some of the most experienced teams do not even possess.
After just clinching a play-in game last season, finishing in 10th place in the West with a record of 40-42, the Thunder have leveled up and finished first in the Western Conference this season, with a record of 57-25.
Daigneault has brought a culture of great basketball to Oklahoma and is certainly the leading candidate for this award.
Honorable mentions:
Chris Finch, Minnesota Timberwolves – The Minnesota Timberwolves are another team that have thoroughly improved from last year. Chris Finch has done an excellent job at figuring out how to play with two big men, and with the best defense in the league the Minnesota Timberwolves are looking like real contenders this season.
Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic – In his third year as head coach, Mosley has led the Magic to their most wins in a season since 2007-08. They finished this season as the fifth seed in the East, and had the third best defensive rating in the league. With key players like Paulo Banchero and Franz Wagner both having great years, Jamahl Mosley hopes to lead the Magic to their first playoff series win in 14 years.
Joe Mazzula, Boston Celtics – The head coach of the Boston Celtics is another strong candidate in this race. His team has the best record in the league on the season, being the only group that has 60 plus wins. The Celtics are the favorites to win the Eastern Conference and make it to the NBA Finals, and Mazzula has had a large impact in this.
