The Informer’s 2013-14 NBA Season Awards
There is less than one month remaining in the NBA season which can mean only one thing; it is time for The Informer to hand out his 2013-14 NBA Season Awards.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Goran Dragic
The Informer never knows how to answer the “most improved” question because there are so many variables that can make valid cases for numerous players.
Is Anthony Davis the most improved because he has remained relatively healthy this year and started putting up 30-15 games? Or does that just make him a guy who stayed healthy which allowed him to reach his potential?
A person could make a case for DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins, who is averaging 22-11 on the season. But is he really that much improved from a season ago when he was averaging 18-10?
Some would say the most improved is Lance Stephenson, who has been a borderline All-Star for one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Then again, for those people who actually watched the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs last year, you wouldn’t call Stephenson improved as much as you would say continuing what he started a season ago.
Like The Informer said, this award can go one hundred different ways and each way would be correct. Therefore, in the spirit of fairness, The Informer has a couple of criteria to add before he picks his winner.
First of all the guy has to play on a winning team. The Informer is sorry he is not sorry, but guys like Davis and Cousins can’t be considered the most improved when their teams are playing for lottery position.
Secondly, you must be someone who actually improved their game to the point they are a different player. This wrinkle rules out Lance, because like The Informer said before, the Pacers forward has been playing at this level since the 2013 NBA Playoffs.
So, if you use these two guidelines then there is only one possible answer to the NBA’s most improved player: Phoenix Suns point guard Goran Dragic.
Here is a guy who has the Suns in the playoff hunt (winning team) while turning into a legitimate all-star point guard (actually improving).
This season Dragic has raised his scoring average to 20ppg (his career average is 11ppg) his rebounds have went up, he is averaging six assist per game and for the first time in his career he is shooting over 50% from the field and over 40% from the three point line.
What this all means is that with the criteria provided, Goran Dragic is the most improved NBA player.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Joakim Noah
The Chicago Bulls Joakim Noah has been so good this year that The Informer actually thinks the Bulls “Floor General” not only deserves the Defensive Player of the Year award, but he should also be in the top tier when it comes to MVP talks.
Seriously, watch the Bulls play and you will see Noah doing everything from defending the pick and roll to running the pick and roll as the point guard. Joakim without a doubt has become a “must watch” NBA player.
(The Informer note – A “must watch” player is a guy you need to watch on a nightly basis because you don’t want to miss a historic/great performance. Currently for The Informer that list contains; Kobe, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Noah, Stephen Curry and Blake Griffin. )
As for the reason why he is the DPOY, here is a video of a Noah sequence from a few weeks ago against the Miami Heat. In this clip you will see my favorite Noah play of the season (at the one minute mark) where he blocks an easy lay-up that ended all hope of a Miami comeback.
Continuously coming up clutch on the defensive end is why Noah is a no-brainer selection.
BEST VINTAGE PERFORMANCE BY AN AGING SUPERSTAR: Dirk Nowitzki
With all due respect to the San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan, The Informer has to give this award to “The Big German” down in Dallas country. The Dallas Mavericks long time staple has played this season at a very Dirk Nowitzki-like level while leading a team of cast-offs and so-called has-beens into the playoff hunt.
Truthfully, this award was up for grabs between the two Texas stars until last night when Dirk out-dueled Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder while leading Dallas to a must win overtime victory. Dirk sealed the game with a three pointer which capped off a 32-point vintage Dirk performance that included threes, runners and that crazy one-legged fadaway jumper.
Needless to say, Nowitzki is the reason the Mavericks are currently in a fight for the eight seed in the Western Conference, instead of a battle for lottery supremacy. And because he has carried his team on his back, “Da German” is the winner of “best vintage performance by an aging superstar” award.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Tom Thibodeau
Let’s see . . . First his best player (Derrick Rose) goes down with a knee injury. Then his front office trades away his second best player (Loul Deng) for the right to cut Andrew “Bum” Bynum. Yet, despite two of the biggest setbacks a team can go through, Tom Thibodeau has the Chicago Bulls on pace for a three seed in the East and the title of team nobody wants to play in a seven game series.
If that doesn’t spell Coach of the Year, then The Informer doesn’t know what does.
WORST COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike D’Antoni
This really isn’t an award, The Informer just wanted to share his dismay of Mike D’Antoni with all of you. I mean seriously, who the hell hires D’Antoni over Phil Jackson?
The only silver lining to all of this D’Antoni mess is that the Los Angeles Lakers are going to be picking first in the best draft since 2004.
Yes, The Informer said picking first. If you don’t think the NBA is going to rig the lottery so the Lakers get the first pick, then you obviously have not been watching basketball for the past 30 years.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Michael Carter-Williams
This award brings up an age old question: Does it still count if you average 17-6-6 while playing for a team that has lost 25 straight games?
That is the biggest problem with this year’s rookie class, there are some good players but no one has separated themselves, or truly made their teams better.
Honestly, we should probably just cancel this year’s ROY award and make next season’s worth double. Unfortunately, the rules clearly state there must be a winner; therefore, The Informer is picking Michael Carter-Williams because The Informer predicted back in November that the 76ers guard would win the award and more importantly because the guy is averaging 17-6-6 as a rookie in the NBA (For comparison sake, LeBron averaged 20-5-5 as a rookie).
Before we get to the biggest award of the night, here is a quick rundown of the rest of The Informer’s made up awards.
For the fourth straight season OKC center Kendrick Perkins won the award for worst attempt at impersonating a basketball player.
Perkins’ teammate and actual basketball player Russell Westbrook won the award for most unguardable move. You know the one where he gets the rebound and flies coast to coast for the easy layup. It is seriously unstoppable.
Houston Rockets guard James Harden won the award for “the best flopper in the NBA”. Trust The Informer, unless you are playing European soccer, this is not a complimentary award.
LeBron James won the award for “individual game of the year” after he went off for a Miami Heat team record and personal best 61 points in a win over the Charlotte Bobcats.
The “dumbest NBA subplot that ruined two weeks of my life” award was given to Phil Jackson joining the New York Knicks front office. The Informer is not saying this won’t be a good basketball move, what The Informer is saying is who gives a ****?
The award for the funniest “NBA Meme” went to Steve Nash for asking Kobe to pass the ball:
The Informer does not care who you are, that right there is funny #Long live the “Black Mamba”.
New Orleans Pelicans center Anthony “One Eye Brow” Davis won the award for “fantasy basketball sleeper of the year”. Davis won this award after averaging 22 points 11 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. Ladies and gentlemen, those are 2000 Tim Duncan numbers. The Informer is guaranteeing right now that next year all of the experts will have “One Brow” as a top five fantasy pick.
The San Antonio Spurs won the “death and taxes” award after making the playoffs for the 17th straight season.
Did you all see what The Informer did there? He is saying the only certainties in life are death, taxes and the Grep Popovich-Tim Duncan led Spurs making the playoffs.
Moving on, Dwight Howard won the award for best player to routinely disappear in big games. This may surprise you, but Howard became the first player in NBA history to win this award three straight seasons.
D12 wrapped up this accomplishment two weeks ago after his astounding nine point 10 rebound performance in a loss to the Thunder. Congrats on making NBA history Dwight, don’t worry about the fact that it is history for routinely not trying.
Honestly, The Informer can’t wait until the Houston Rockets get swept in the first round and Howard once again starts demanding to be traded to a “real” contender.
(PS – If you couldn’t tell, The Informer really “Sport-hates” Dwight Howard.)
Alright, The Informer has had enough fun and games. Let’s get down to the award everyone has been waiting for:
THE 2013-14 NBA MVP: Kevin Durant
At this point there is no question Kevin Durant is the 2013-14 NBA MVP.
“Sniper Jones” has been the best player on one of the best teams in the NBA while having one of the best seasons anyone has had in the past thirty years.
Did you know Durant has 36 straight games (and counting) where he scored at least 26 points? That is the longest over 26ppg scoring streak since Michael Jordan did it 40 straight games during the 1986-87 season.
Did you know that during the month of January Durant averaged 38.5ppg? Only Hall of Famer George “The Iceman” Gervin has ever averaged more points (41ppg) during the month of January.
Did you know that this season Durant leads the NBA in 30 point games (44) 40 point games (11) and 50 point games (2)?
Did you know that for the season Durant is averaging 32.1ppg? If KD finishes the season averaging more than 32ppg he will join Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Bernard King, Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson as the only players since 1984 to finish a season averaging more than 32ppg. This means Durant is doing something that only five other players in the past thirty years have done.
In fact, KD is on pace to become the first player since 1989 (Michael Jordan) to average 32-8-6 over the course of an entire season.
It should also be mentioned if Durant and the Thunder finish the season with the #1 seed in the NBA, he will join Jordan as the only player in the past 30 years to average at least 32ppg while playing on the NBA’s best team.
Finally, did The Informer mention that KD is averaging six assist per game? So not only is he scoring the ball at an incredible rate, he is making his teammates better.
In conclusion, Durant is having a historically great stat season, his team is winning and he has improved his game in every way possible.
Looking at all the factors, there is no doubt in The Informer’s mind that Kevin Durant is the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2013-14 NBA Season.
To be honest, there is no one else even close to the 25-year old superstar.
Anton Joe
Brendan Taylor