Mid-Season League Standings
1. Heat 34-16
2. Bulls 33-19
3. 76ers 31-20
4. Wizards 31-20
5. Pacers 31-22
6. Nets 31-22
7. Bucks 28-23
8. Raptors 26-27
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9. Knicks 23-27
10. Hawks 23-28
11. Pistons 24-30
12. Magic 23-29
13. Cavaliers 23-30
14. Celtics 19-33
15. Bobcats 16-36
1. Thunder41-12
2. Clippers 35-21
3. Lakers 31-23
4. Nuggets 30-24
5. Jazz 30-24
6. Spurs 29-25
7. Timberwolves 26-24
8. Suns 26-27
- - - - - - - - - -
9. Grizzlies 24-27
10. Kings 24-30
11. Mavericks 21-31
12. Warriors 20-32
13. Rockets 19-36
14. Trailblazers 18-35
15. Hornets 18-35
Updated: February 19, 2013
All-Star MVP Anthony Still Has Work To Do
Carmelo Anthony needs to help the Knicks win before he can stake a MVP claim and Woody Hanne’s first annual midseason NBA awards roundup!
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By Woody Hannes
ESPN.com Writer
Carmelo Anthony was arguably the best player on the court during the NBA All-Star Game. I saw Melo play last Summer at London for Team USA and he was deadly against Nigeria. After the first quarter of the All-Star Game, he had that same look as he effortlessly sunk shot after shot to pile on 15 points. He then had another four treys in the second quarter to finish with 27 points in the half.
Yes – 27 points in the first half of the All-Star Game.
To say he was on fire would be an understatement. Melo missed just 2 shots in the whole first half and forced Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and even his closest competitor on the night, Kevin Durant, to take a backseat.
Melo may have rewritten the record books by finishing the game with 51 points in a decisive Eastern Conference win but he still has a long way to go before he can really back himself up when he says he is one of the best players in the NBA. A great player is a talented individual or a strong teammate. The best players have both of those attributes plus are strong leaders. Melo has not proven to me that he is one of the best in the league. The best way to judge leadership is by how well teammates play when you are around and if you can elevate them.
James, Bryant, Durant, Chris Paul, Derek Rose all have it. Melo doesn’t yet and time is running out for him to show us that he can before his career is all wound up!
If the Knicks can somehow sneak into the playoffs, as Melo has promised, then I may change my mind. But the just out of eighth place Knicks are not in a good position right now.
Woody’s Midseason Awards
Midseason Eastern Conference Most Valuable Player
Lebron James, Miami Heat (23.5 PPG 7.7 RPG 6.4 APG 1.8 SPG)
Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls (23.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.4 SPG)
Firstly, sorry Melo.
Secondly, this one is too close to call. Rose has been brilliant this season for the Bulls but James is undeniably the best player in the league. The Heat and Bulls are 1 and 2 in the East and I expect that to be the same in a few months when the second season starts. If James turns it up and the Heat get a bit more separation from the Bulls, then I will need to go with James. If the team stay even like right now and the two of them don’t drastically move up or down in terms of individual performance, I may have to go with Rose. That’s the beauty of this debate though, James is just cruising right now and if he really wants an MVP award – he just needs to turn it up. Otherwise, it’s going to the guy below.
Midseason Western Conference Most Valuable Player
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder (25.3 PPG 8.0 RPG 3.5 APG)
I propose a nickname for Durant – the ‘Smooth Operator’. Durant makes everything look so effortless. The Thunder look comfortable up on their first placed in the NBA perch. Durant has been my West MVP. Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook (25.2 PPG 4.8 RPG 6.8 APG) has pushed his statistics up a little this season. However, Russ just isn’t the leader and efficient scorer that Smooth Operator is. Oh, let’s not forget that Smooth Operator is the reason why Russ gets so many good looks and gets his dimes up (Russ is probably sending me daggers with his eyes right now). Newly acquired Lakers big man Dwight Howard (24.6 PPG 12.4 RPG 2.2 BPG 1.1 SPG .611 FG%) is having a career year and making Mike Brown look like a Coach of the Year candidate. However, Howard has Steve Nash, Pau Gasol, and some guy named Kobe.
Midseason Rookie of the Year
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards (15.0 PPG 4.5 RPG 2.3 APG 1.1 SPG)
Washington DC sports fans must be loving 2012-13 because they have two great rookies. The alpha rookie is the Redskins’ RGIII. Bradley Beal isn’t too far behind as his sweet stroke has captured the imaginations of Wizards fans and his overall game fit in a few nights ago in the Rising Stars Challenge. Teammate John Wall paid Beal a high compliment by calling him the first good player he has played with on the Wizards. Wow.
This year’s class of rookies is indeed quite strong but Beal wins because he is on a winning team. The other rookies performing strongly this season:Anthony Davis, New Orleans Hornets (14.4 PPG 8.5 RPG 2.2 BPG)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Charlotte Bobcats (16.0 PPG 7.7 RPG 1.7 APG 1.2 SPG 1.0 BPG)
Damian Lillard, Portland Trailblazers (16.1 PPG 3.3 RPG 5.4 APG 1.8 SPG)
Midseason Defensive Player of the Year
Dwight Howard, Los Angeles Lakers (12.4 RPG 2.2 BPG 1.1 SPG)
The Lakers aren’t the best defensive team in the league but Howard has been their defensive anchor and leads the league in rebounding. Howard has rebounded (pardon the pun) from a back injury and is causing trouble for opposing players trying to beat him at the rim. First time All-Star Josh Smith (9.9 RPG 1.8 BPG 1.2 SPG) should get some credit for his dirty work while the Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan (10.0 RPG 2.3 BPG) leads the league in blocks.
Midseason Sixth Man of the Year
Chauncey Billups, Los Angeles Clippers (11.1 PPG 4.0 APG .472 FG% .415 3PT%)
Everyone seems to have forgotten The Butler. Billups had a tough end to last season but has come back even stronger for the Clippers. The one time champion and Finals MVP has given a steady and consistent scoring option from off of the bench. Billips is actually shooting at career high accuracy from the field and behind the three point line. Perhaps a second ring is on the horizon if he can keep this play up!
Midseason Most Improved Player of the Year
Shannon Brown, Phoenix Suns (20.5 PPG 3.9 APG, 1.9 SPG)
The Sixers are third in the East and Jrue Holiday’s 16.7 PPG, 8.3 APG and 2.4 SPG are a big reason for that but don’t forget that the Sixers also added All-Star centre Andrew Bynum over the summer. Brown and the Suns have been much more impressive. The Suns actually lost an All-Star calibre teammate in Nash and Brown has responded in the best way. He has doubled all of his averages from last season (11.0 PPG 1.2 APG in 2011-12) and the Suns are surprisingly in the playoff chase!
Martti. wrote:Monroe, Drummond and Stuckey? Smith is underrated.
Lamrock wrote:Love the Hannes article. Looks like I'm too late for the tipping so hopefully there's one more chance for me to get in as a first-rounder.
Interested to see what ends up happening. I wouldn't trade Monroe but a big trade can get you into the playoffs.
Khanwarrior wrote:This is getting interesting! But I hope that you don't trade Monroe, he can be a Bosh/Jefferson.
mrmoves20 wrote:White was funny, lol.
Martti. wrote:Monroe, Drummond and Stuckey? Smith is overrated.
Dmastawwe wrote:As much as i love me some josh smith your giving way too much up for him, and hes not overrated to me
Martti. wrote:At least get Korver from the Hawks, than I'll be happy.
Martti. wrote:I'll be happy with the value for both teams, the destination sucks.
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