Biggest Storyline
Grant - It's a storyline every year in the ever-changing NBA, but there were a lot of new faces in new places this season, and the star quality of those faces was high. Paul George and Carmelo Anthony joined Russell Westbrook in OKC, Jimmy Butler was traded to Minnesota to team up with KAT and Andrew Wiggins, Kyrie Irving left LeBron for Boston (to join Gordon Hayward, who left Utah), and the Cleveland Cavaliers decided to simulate to the trade deadline, then completely change their team in one day, which is also my strategy in NBA 2K. For all the big stars we saw on new teams this season, we may see even more next season (Kawhi Leonard? Boogie Cousins? Paul George again? LeBron?). I love the NBA.
Troy - For me, the biggest storyline of this season might just be the large number of injuries suffered by high profile players. This was especially notable since the league has tried to get players more rest - they started a few weeks earlier to decrease the number of back-to-backs and eliminate three games in three days. Kawhi Leonard, Kristaps Porzingis and DeMarcus Cousins all had season-ending injuries. The Celtics lost Gordon Hayward in the first five minutes of the season and Kyrie Irving for the entire playoffs. The entirety of the Warriors' core has missed significant time this year. Steph and Joel Embiid will both miss the first round of the playoffs. It's interesting to think about what the season could've been like if all these players stayed healthy.
R.I.P. (Ridiculously Impressive Poster) Award
Grant - It is written in the Head in the Game bylaws (section 6, subsection 9, sub-subsection 4, paragraph 20) that every time we do an NBA awards article, we must give an award to Giannis. Nobody else (whom I am aware of) literally jumped over a whole human this season, so he has to get this award. But, since Troy also picked this dunk, I'll show a highlight of 6'7" Jaylen Brown posterizing 7'3" Kristaps Porzingis (because I am a man of the people).
Troy - Come on, the time Giannis literally jumped over Tim Hardaway Jr. has to take this award. There's no coming back from having someone complete an alley-oop by jumping over you. If you're Hardaway, I'm pretty sure the only thing you can do is send the league your retirement papers.
Unexpectedly Good Team
Grant - The New Orleans Pelicans were expected to contend for a playoff spot in the competitive West this season after acquiring Boogie Cousins at the 2017 trade deadline. But after Cousins tore his Achilles in late January, things looked grim. Little did people know, the Pellies, behind Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday, were just fine. They went 21-11 from the start of February to the end of the season, nabbing the six seed in the West.
Langston - The Indiana Pacers are my unexpected team for the year. After Paul George was traded, it seemed like they dealt him for next to nothing, and it looked like this year would be a tanking and a start to a rebuild. They have done the exact opposite. Victor Oladipo has shined in Indiana and led this Pacers team to the fifth seed in the East.
Troy - The Pacers were my most unexpected team for this season. After the Victor Oladipo trade, (yes, I no longer refer to it as the Paul George trade) it didn't seem like the Pacers could put together a team that would finish fifth in the East, beat the Cavs three out of four times, and sweep the Warriors in the season series. The team clearly believes in themselves and have found a bonafide star in this year's Most Improved Player (ope, spoiler alert) Oladipo.
6th Man of the Year
Grant - Lou Williams wasn't happy about not making the All-Star team, but he should be happy about the results of the Sixth Man of the Year Award. Lou Will was by far the most productive bench player in the NBA this season, averaging 22.6 points per game to go along with 5.3 assists per game. He also ranked 17th among all NBA players in made three-pointers (186), despite coming off the bench for the Clippers.
Langston - Lou Williams is my vote for 6th man of the year. Lou's 22.6 points a game, 5.3 assists per game, and 32.8 minutes per game are all career highs for him in his 13th NBA Season. While the year for the Clippers was not ideal after trading Blake Griffin, Williams production off the bench was a bright spot for this Clippers organization.
Troy - For this award, I will be giving it to Lou Williams of the Clippers. There could be a strong case for Eric Gordon to win the award for a second straight year, but I'm disqualifying him since he started 30 games this year. Williams came off the bench for LA, and was averaging 22 points and 32 minutes per contest. It's hard to argue with stats such as that.
Defensive Player of the Year
Grant - NBA Defensive Player of the Year can be a hard award to judge, but I think it's obvious who should win it this year: Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert. The "Stifle Tower" (he's French) was the fulcrum of one of the best defenses in the NBA for most of the season, helping the Jazz to a fifth-place finish in the West.
Langston - I am with Grant on this one, Rudy Gobert is the Defensive Player of the Year. Gobert averaged 10.7 rebounds per game, which I think goes into the award slightly, and also added 2.2 blocks per game. He is the leader of this Utah Jazz team that has one of the top defenses in the league.
Troy - This year's Kawhi Leonard Award, sorry, Defensive Player of the Year Award, goes to Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz. As Leonard has missed most of the year, he can't win his own award this year, which makes the category more competitive. Gobert won it simply because once he was back and healthy, the Jazz had one of the best defenses in the league. Utah led the Association in defensive rebounding, second points allowed, and fast-break points allowed.
Most Improved Player
Grant - Victor Oladipo. Next question... Ok, I'll provide some analysis. Coming over to Indy in the much-maligned Paul George trade, Oladipo blossomed into a superstar as the number one option for the Pacers, propelling them to a fifth-place finish in the East, and making it look like the Pacers *might have* come off on the better end of the Paul George trade (we musn't forget about Domantas Sabonis, who has also played well after coming over in the PG-13 trade).
Langston - This one is not close. There is zero question that Victor Oladipo is the Most Improved Player. He went from averaging 15 points and 4 assists behind Russell Westbrook last year to 23 points and 5 assists while also averaging 2.4 steals a game, which definitely has him in consideration for DPOY. Like I talked about earlier, he led the Pacers to the fifth seed in the East while also becoming an All-Star for the first time in his career.
Troy - Like I had mentioned earlier, the clear pick is Victor Oladipo. In the past season, Oladipo raised his scoring 7 points per game, and also added another 2 assists and a steal per game over last year's averages. In his time in Indianapolis, the guard has gone from the fourth or fifth option on the Thunder to being the go-to star for the Pacers, an All-Star, and potentially on the second or third team All-NBA.
Coach of the Year
Grant - Dwane Casey has done a fantastic job up North, and Brad Stevens is Brad Stevens, but I'm going to give this one to Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder. Despite losing star Gordon Hayward in free agency, Snyder's upstart Jazz, led by rookie sensation Donovan Mitchell and defensive-minded center Rudy Gobert, didn't lose a step, finishing fifth in the tough Western Conference.
Langston - I had to choose between Indiana Pacers coach Nate McMillan and Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder because both have over achieved this year, but I need to go with Quin Snyder. After Gordon Hayward decided to sign with Boston for this season, the Jazz have not skipped a beat. Donovan Mitchell has come in and played phenomenal all season, and Snyder has helped him tremendously.
Troy - Dwane Casey is my pick for Coach of the Year. The Raptors have been a good team in the past few years, but this year they took it to another level and are legitimate title contenders.
Rookie of the Year
Grant - I love Donovan Mitchell, but I'm not sure he understands that, by definition, Ben Simmons is, in fact, a rookie. Mitchell has Simmons (and all other rookies) beat in the points per game category (20.5 to 15.8), but Simmons has the better all-around body of work, averaging 8.1 rebounds per game and 8.2 assists per game (Mitchell averages 3.7 in each category). Donovan Mitchell is the better scorer. Ben Simmons is the better all-around player.
Langston - Come on. Ben Simmons. That is all I need to say. Ben Simmons is a rookie. Donovan Mitchell would be the rookie of the year if Simmons was not playing out of his mind, but he is. With 10 triple doubles, Simmons helped lead the Sixers to the third seed in the East, and they finished the year winning 16 games in a row.
Troy - It's Ben Simmons or bust. Donovan Mitchell has had a great rookie year, but he hasn't been playing at the same level of Simmons. Simmons is a dominant force for the Sixers and a threat to have a triple-double every night.
Most Valuable Player
Grant - As with Mike Trout in baseball, LeBron should probably win this award every year, but that would be boring. So I'm going to go with James Harden. The Beard continued to amaze this season, averaging 30.4 points per game, 8.8 assists per game, and 5.4 rebounds per game, and constantly taking poor defenders' souls.
Langston - In all honesty, LeBron James is probably the MVP every single year, BUT since I know that is not how the league gives out this award every year, James Harden is this year's MVP. He has led this Rockets team to the first seed in the West, which is quite the accomplishment considering the Warriors have run the West the last couple years. He is due for the MVP and his performance this year has been incredible. Also, Grant's clip of him breaking ankles is the most disrespectful ankle breaker I have ever seen.
Troy - MVP is always a tough category because no matter who you pick someone is going to tell you you're wrong. That is why I am taking the safe pick of James Harden. Harden has been the bridesmaid the past few seasons, and now is the time for him to get his due. He's the best player on the best team and also the best player in the league.
Finals Prediction
Grant - I don't know who's going to win the NBA Finals this year. I'm going to stick with my preseason prediction - Warriors vs Cavs, Part 4 - and, begrudgingly, I'll take the Warriors to win it (in six). But I could see the Rockets winning it, especially if Golden State isn't fully healthy, and I could see Cleveland falling in Round 1. It's a lot more wide open this year.
Langston - If Steph Curry is healthy, I envision Warriors vs Cavs for the last time, and I am going with the Warriors in six. Now, I can very easily see the Rockets coming out of the West, and in the East, I really think it is wide open, and I could see the Raptors or maybe even the Sixers coming out.
Troy - My finals matchup is Rockets vs Raptors with the Rockets taking the 'ship in Game 6. I believe if the Warriors are entirely healthy and decide to be much better than they were at the end of the season, they might take the Rockets out, but I believe Houston is the best team this year.
To stay up to date on the newest Head in the Game articles (and general sports commentary), follow @headingameblog on Twitter. You can also find us on Twitter @T_RoyStory (Troy) @G_Tingley (Grant), and @LangLang_3 (Langston).
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