NBA Season Ending Awards

Lockout season is over. If you need to take a moment to collect your thoughts and emotions please feel free. I know I am very upset that this crazy and entertaining season has come to an end. But one good thing to come out of the demise of the season is the 1st annual SB Nation - Kansas City NBA Season Awards. And here we go...

MVP: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

This was a two horse race between KD and LeBron James. There were many, many moments where King James showed why is best basketball player on the planet Earth. But Durant was just better this season and was more consistent. Durant averaged 28 pts, 8 reb, 3.5 ast, 1.3 stl, 1.2 blk. He shot 49.6 from the field, 38.7% from 3, and 86% from the free throw line. The Durantula earns the crown this season.

Coach Of The Year: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs

Reigning COY Tom Thibodeau defiantly deserves a lot of consideration and along with Rockets head coach Kevin McHale. Any other season one of these guys might win it but there is no way anyone else should win this award. This lockout season was suppose to bury the old bodies of the Spurs. All they did was get the best record in the Western Conference.

Rookie Of The Year: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers

The Warriors began the ROY campaign for Klay Thompson to win this award a month ago and Rockets have done the same for Chandler Parsons. Thompson had a strong finish to the season and Parsons played well above his draft slot for a team competing for a playoff spot. But Irving had the far superior season to both of those players. They had nice seasons. Irving had a monster rookie season. Irving blew away the rest of the rookie class by posting 18.5 pts, 3.7 reb, 5.4 ast, and 1.1 stl. My favorite stats from Irving's rookie season are scoring 18.5 pts on 14.6 shot per game and shooting just under 40% from the three.

Sixth Man Of The Year: James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder

Save your arguments for Lou Williams and Taj Gibson. THEY SHALL NOT PASS! Harden is head and shoulders the winner of this award. 16.8 pts, 4.1 reb, 3.7 ast, 49% from the field, 39% from 3 and one sweet beard.

Defensive Player Of The Year: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

I know there is a lot of Howard Fatigue out there and that could result in someone other than Howard winning this award. That should not happen. Do not let the let the circus surrounding Howard this season deter from the fact that he is the best defensive player in the NBA.

Most Improved Player: Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks

Went from about to be cut for the second time in a season to the national face of the NBA for 3 months of the season.

Can't Miss Player Of The Season: JaVale McGee, Denver Nuggets

You might say Durant or LeBron should be the pick for this award. But they have nothing on the gift that keeps on giving that is JaVale McGee game. Botched dunks, ridiculous goal tending, and running the wrong direction all add to the glorious legend that is Pierre McGee.

Least Entertaining Team: Chicago Bulls

The Bulls take this award for one reason and that is Derrick Rose. I love watching D-Rose play but when he is out of the line up this team just is no fun to watch. They can be as boring as an episode of The Killing.

Team Who Started Good Then Went Bad: Portland Trail Blazers

Wow....talk about a fall from grace. The early in this lockout season the Blazers looked posed to make a lot of noise once the playoffs rolled around. Then the calender turned to March.

Team That Started Bad Then Went Good: Utah Jazz

The Jazz looked lost and unorganized on both ends of the court to start this season. I was really shocked at how soft they looked on the defense end. It was not the usual mental and physical Jazz team we had seen in years past. It took awhile but Ty Corbin was able to get this team to gel and are now in the playoffs because of it.

Best Quotable Player: Delonte West

Between using twitter to update everyone on what jobs he was applying for in the off-season to this gem about being the leader of the pack. I mean LITERALLY, leader of the pack.