The NBA regular season has reached the halfway point with the All-Star Game on Valentine’s Day. So it’s time for our midseason awards:
Most Valuable Player » LeBron James
The King has improved in points, assists, minutes and field goal percentage from last year’s MVP season. No one fills the stat sheet like LeBron: 29.6 points, 7.7 assists, 7.2 rebounds and a 51.1 field-goal percentage. And he’s playing for a Cavaliers team that is leading the Eastern Conference.
Honorable Mention » Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony
Defensive Player of the Year » Gerald Wallace
At 6-7, Wallace is fourth in the NBA, averaging 11.5 rebounds per game. The forward gets steals and blocks and is the best man-to-man defender on the best defensive team in the league — the Bobcats hold opponents to an NBA-low 92.7 points per game.
Honorable Mention » Dwight Howard, Marcus Camby
Rookie of the Year » Tyreke Evans
The Kings’ 6-6 point guard leads all rookies in points (20.4 per game) and also is in the top five in rebounds, assists and steals. Evans doesn’t have a 55-point game like the Bucks’ Brandon Jennings, but he has been much more consistent.
Honorable Mention » Jennings, Stephen Curry
Sixth Man of the Year » Jamal Crawford
The Hawks have found a perfect spark off the bench in Crawford. He averages 17.2 points per game and it appears he’s on his way to his first playoff game in nine seasons in the league — the longest active streak without a postseason appearance.
Honorable Mention » Carl Landry, Jason Terry
Most Improved Player » Kevin Durant
This award isn’t usually reserved for one of the game’s elite players, but Durant has Oklahoma City fighting for a playoff spot way ahead of schedule. He’s really improved his rebounding this season (7.2 per game) and his scoring has jumped from 25.3 points last year to 29.1 points this season — third in the NBA.
Honorable Mention » Aaron Brooks, Monta Ellis
