Who Will Win

Most Valuable Player Finalists

Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

MVP: Shai Gilgeous Alexander

Defensive Player of the Year Finalists

Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors

Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers

Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks

DPOY: Draymond Green

Rookie of the Year Finalists

Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs

Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks

Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies

ROTY: Stephon Castle

Sixth Man of the Year Finalists

Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics

Malik Beasley, Detroit Pistons

Russell Westbrook, Denver Nuggets

6MOY: Payton Pritchard

Most Improved Player Finalists

Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks

Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons

Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers

MIP: Dyson Daniels

Coach of the Year Finalists

Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland Cavaliers

JB Bickerstaff, Detroit Pistons

JJ Reddick, Los Angeles Lakers

COTY: Kenny Atkinson

Clutch Player of the Year Finalists

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

CPOY: Nikola Jokic

Who Should Win

Condav’s MVP: Nikola Jokic

Wow, this is close. Shai is the best player on the best team, so I completely understand his case for MVP. However, if you replaced Nikola Jokic with any other superstar, this Nuggets team would be substantially worse. He is the most valuable player to his team. In the 12 games without him, the Nuggets have the 25th best rating. With him, the 5th. When he’s off the floor, the Nuggets aren’t a playoff team. With him, they’re a top 4 seed in a stacked Western conference.

Condav’s DPOY: Evan Mobley

We all know who would be winning this award if it wasn’t for injuries. However, health problems happen, and that at least makes this year’s DPOY race close. Mobley’s offensive game has improved greatly, and his defensive game has taken small strides forward. He was already an amazing defender, but he has transformed into an elite defender this season.

Condav’s ROTY: Stephon Castle

This one seems like a pretty easy case. I’d be shocked if Castle didn’t get the very large majority of the votes, and it’s deserved. Averaging 15, 4 and 4 aren’t exactly eye popping numbers, but in a weak class, Castle has been performing pretty well.

Condav’s 6MOY: Malik Beasley

Pretty much everyone is going to be picking Payton Pritchard. However, Beasley was one of the players that came in and revitalized the Pistons. He’s averaging 16 points per game and shooting 41.3% from 3. Pritchard’s an incredible player, and I wouldn’t object if he won this award. But, it should certainly be closer than it’s likely going to be, and Beasley has been incredible this whole year for a Pistons team that shocked everyone.

Condav’s MIP: Dyson Daniels

If you think this award should go to Cade… I don’t know what to tell you. Cade has certainly progressed. But, he’s supposed to be doing that. He was the first overall pick in a great draft class. He’s gone from great to amazing. Daniels has gone from mid (at best) to good. I strongly prefer that.

Condav’s COTY: JB Bickerstaff

I promise I’m not just trying to be different. Kenny Atkinson seems the favorite to win this award, which is understandable, considering what he’s done to the Cavs. But, Bickerstaff nearly tripled the Pistons wins from the previous season. I completely understand if you have Atkinson winning this award, but Bickerstaff (imo) deserves it more.

Condav’s CPOY: Nikola Jokic

I want to pick Brunson here. But, in the clutch, Brunson is shooting 29% from 3, and barely has more points than Jokic. Jokic in the clutch is shooting 56% from the field and 43% from 3. On top of that, in the Heclutch, he has a plus minus of 61! He’s an incredible player, and this award must to go to him if he doesn’t win MVP.2

New NBA Awards I Took it Upon Myself to Make

Condav’s Shooter of the Year: Stephen Curry

I didn’t really think this one through. Curry would pretty much win this award every year for the last 10 years.

Condav’s Washed Player of the Year: Paul George

I don’t even care if this is the right person to choose. Paul George, famous podcaster, has seriously fallen off, and has really struggled this year (podcast’s doing pretty well though). He always seems injured, and when he plays, George is always, at best a non-factor.

Condav’s Defensive Liability of the Year: Keyonte George

George is dead last in CraftedNBA’s Plus Minus and boards the highest defensive rating in the NBA (which isn’t a good thing). He has the 10th lowest defensive box plus minus in the league. 2nd worst in Defensive Player Impact Plus Minus. 2nd worst in Defensive Darko. All these advanced defensive stats, credit to CraftedNBA, prove how terrible defensive George is.

Condav’s Referee of the Year: Ray Acosta

As you can guess, I quickly ran out of ideas for this segment of these new, stupid NBA awards. But, Acosta wins this award. This would also be a fun award to appreciate the good refs in the NBA. Acosta officiated 67 games this year, the most of any ref. He calls a fair amount of fouls, 0.9 personal fouls per game lower than league average. Home teams win a fair 53.7% of games officiated by Acosta. Jacyn Goble is the runner-up if anyone cares.

Condav’s Award Race of the Year: Clutch of the Year

This award goes to the most entertaining/closest award race of the year. Honestly I’m completely out of ideas, and I figured this could be a stupid, fun way to end this article. I guess the Clutch Player of the Year race would win. The odds are extremely close, and there are multiple players I could see winning this award.