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Sean Deveney's midseason awards

Sporting News, The, Feb 11, 2005

Most Valuable Player

Steve Nash, PG, Suns. By season's end, Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan will make serious runs at the award (as will Dirk Nowitzki and LeBron James), but the impact Nash has had on the players around him is immeasurable. Or, maybe it can be measured: When Nash sat out for four games with a thigh injury, the Suns scored just 86.3 points per game and were 0-4. With him, they've averaged 112.2 points and are 35-6.

Rookie of the Year

Emeka Okafor, PF, Bobcats. Charlotte has had difficulty scraping up wins, but this expansion team is no pushover. Okafor is the reason. He needs more polish offensively, but he is a fierce rebounder and an intelligent defender. In the forward-starved East, he figures to become a force.

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Coach of the Year

Nate McMillan, Sonics. Scott Skiles, Mike D'Antoni and Eddie Jordan have led surprising teams. Gregg Popovich and Rick Adelman continue to be impressive with their consistency. But McMillan has taken a team that was 37-45 last season and pushed it into the league's elite. Buoyed by a back-against-the-wall situation (McMillan is in the last year of his contract), Mr. Sonic has imposed tougher defense and a more aggressive, attacking offense-a style he had long wanted to employ and the results have shown why.

Sixth Man Award

Danny Fortson, PF, Sonics. There are bench players who have put up better stats, but none has had a bigger impact on his team than Fortson (though Bulls rookie Ben Gordon is catching up). Fortson is physical and has given the Sonics the toughness and rebounding they've lacked. He also gets to the free throw line 4.9 times per game, impressive considering he is averaging just 18.4 minutes.

Most Improved Player

Bobby Simmons, G/F, Clippers, This will come clown to Simmons, the Pacers' Jamaal Tinsley and the Wizards' Larry Hughes. Simmons has the edge. Hughes and Tinsley are better players, but Simmons' improvement has been more dramatic. He won a spot on the Clippers because of his hustle and defense, but he has taken an extraordinary leap offensively this season, averaging 15.9 points on 47,1 percent shooting. His career averages beginning the season were 5.5 points on 40.3 percent shooting.

Defensive Player of the Year

Tern Duncan, PIF, Spurs Duncan should get more attention for this, but the award rarely goes to players who are offensive stars, too. San Antonio is holding opponents to a league-best 86.0 points per game, and though some credit goes to Bruce Bowen and Popovich's system, it's Duncan's presence that fuels this team's defense.

Sean Deveney's midseason awards

Sporting News, The, Feb 11, 2005

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