March 20, 2008

Throughout the 2007-08 regular season, Hornets.com will provide a roundtable look around the league in a weekly NBA Notebook feature. Each week, we’ll discuss topics that are making news. This week, we chatted with writers from five Eastern Conference official websites, to get their opinions on the races for 2007-08 NBA season-ending awards. Thanks go out to writers from Pacers.com, Hawks.com, Pistons.com and NJNets.com, as well as longtime Bucks TV play-by-play broadcaster Jim Paschke, for accepting invitations to appear on our site.

To provide your opinion on any subject addressed in the NBA Notebook, send an e-mail to Hornets.com’s Jim Eichenhofer at jime@hornets.com.

EASTERN CONFERENCE WRITERS’ ROUNDTABLE

Two of our five guests this week say Chris Paul is their pick for MVP.

If the season ended today, who’s your pick for MVP?

Conrad Brunner, Pacers.com: There really are no bad choices from among the usual suspects. LeBron James has the best numbers but probably the weakest case because the Cavs just aren’t at the level of elite contenders and to me, the MVP shouldn’t come from a second-tier team unless he exhibits a clear superiority over the other candidates. That’s not the case here, because the competition comes from Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady – who has to be considered given his role in Houston’s surge – Kevin Garnett and Chris Paul. If I was starting a franchise and had to draft from that group, I’d take Paul. I think that qualifies him as my MVP vote.
Micah Hart, Hawks.com: I don’t know if he will win it because his team’s performance hasn’t matched some of the other candidates, but I think it’s hard to give the award to anyone other than LeBron James. Cleveland has better weaponry since the trade deadline, but LBJ carried that squad the entire season (and will do so come playoff time). Despite the season Chris Paul is having, James is the most deserving choice.
Keith Langlois, Pistons.com: LeBron James would get my vote, but I wouldn’t quibble with Kobe Bryant. I think Kevin Garnett missed too much time and the Celtics did pretty well while he was out, yet I think his impact on the culture of that team has been enormous. But James doesn’t have many working parts around him and nobody’s better in the fourth quarter.
Matt McQueeny, NJNets.com: Chris Paul. Following the Steve Nash MVP train of thought, what has Paul done or not done that is any different than Nash in his MVP campaigns? Paul is raising a team – a talented one yes, but so was Nash’s crew – almost on his own and they are right at the top of the Western Conference heap. Who would have thought that?
Jim Paschke, Bucks.com: It looks I’m alone here. I have considered Kevin Garnett and Chris Paul as the top candidates as they have both made their teams appreciably better this season, acknowledging that Garnett has more help than Paul. LeBron and Kobe are the best players in the league and their teams would suffer greatly without them. Chris Paul has been exceptional in the tough Western Conference, but Garnett’s impact in Boston and his all-around game give him the edge for me at this point. Chris Paul is definitely a future MVP.

Coach of the Year?

Conrad Brunner, Pacers.com: As with MVP, there are many candidates and just as many good arguments in their favor. Rick Adelman, Stan Van Gundy, Mo Cheeks and Don Nelson (who has done a superb job managing a volatile and temperamental team) all deserve votes. But nobody deserves it more than Byron Scott.
Micah Hart, Hawks.com: I like to think the Coach of the Year is the guy who did the most with the least, or the coach who guided a team to the most surprising (in a good way) record. That being the case, I have to give the nod to Hornets coach Byron Scott. Most people thought New Orleans might fight for one of the bottom playoff spots at best, but Scott has them in serious contention for the No. 1 overall seed in the West. Rick Adelman may gain some steam if the Rockets can keep it up, but for now it is Scott’s to lose.
Keith Langlois, Pistons.com: There are a handful of really worthy candidates this year, but I like what Stan Van Gundy has done in Orlando most. That team has some severe backcourt deficiencies, yet Van Gundy’s masked them nicely. They should be thrilled in Orlando that Billy Donovan had second thoughts.
Matt McQueeny, NJNets.com: Rick Adelman. Twenty-two wins in a row. In a year where so many teams – and coaches – are making legitimate cases, the streak separates Adelman. Again, picking right now. Especially since they did it without Yao down the stretch of that streak.
Jim Paschke, Bucks.com: I am in the Byron Scott camp on this one. New Orleans has been a surprise team in the NBA, particularly in the West. Rick Adelman and Stan Van Gundy are two and three on my current ballot.

Seattle’s Kevin Durant is the consensus pick for Rookie of the Year, though some believe Atlanta’s Al Horford merits consideration.

Rookie of the Year?

Conrad Brunner, Pacers.com: Turn off your computer and answer this question: who’s the No. 2 rookie scorer in the NBA? Odds are, you didn’t guess Al Thornton. There’s only one guy on this ballot, and he’s the one whose name you can remember.
Micah Hart, Hawks.com: I’m glad you asked! The Hawks’ Al Horford should win the award, and it shouldn’t even be close. His stats are nice (averaging nearly a double-double) if not spectacular, but because the Hawks are never on TV, few really know the impact he has had on the team. I think the general consensus is that Kevin Durant will win it (he averages 20 ppg!), but Horford has had a much better season and should be rewarded for it.
Keith Langlois, Pistons.com: The rookie class hasn’t had the impact I expected it to have after the hype, so I give a lukewarm vote for Kevin Durant narrowly over Al Horford and Luis Scola. I still believe it’s going down as a great draft, but it’s going to be delayed gratification for many teams.
Matt McQueeny, NJNets.com: Kevin Durant. Could be creative and talk about Horford (who has been tremendous) or Scola (who has filled in admirably, though he is 27) but you have to go with Durant. Wins or losses, the guy is averaging 20 points and taking lumps along the way, having to be “the man” at 19 years old.
Jim Paschke, Bucks.com: I’ve considered Al Horford throughout the season, but can’t move off Kevin Durant as my choice. Luis Scola is having a solid season, but is not a “true” rookie at his age and with his international experience. I too believe that this rookie class will excel with the test of time.

Most Improved Player?

Conrad Brunner, Pacers.com: Mike Dunleavy is what this award is all about. Too often, it goes to a young guy who just continues his natural improvement – which would be the case with Danny Granger. The difference between Dunleavy’s first five years and his sixth is staggering. In his first five years, he scored 30 points once. This season, he’s done it eight times. Be honest with yourself and admit you believed, like most everybody else in the NBA, this guy’s career was dead and he was destined for the bust heap. Now he’s become one of the top 10 scorers in the NBA since the All-Star break (23.5). How much more improvement can a guy show in one year? All due respect to Hedo Turkoglu and Chris Kaman, who also are fine candidates, but they’d already earned respect as solid, respected players, while Dunleavy was nothing but a target for criticism. Dunleavy has earned this.
Micah Hart, Hawks.com: I’m going to go with Hedo Turkoglu. Hedo has always been a talented player, but this has quite clearly been his most impressive season. Averaging 8 ppg over his career average (19.7 to 11.6), Turkoglu has proven to be a consistently tough matchup for opponents with his size and shooting ability. I know Rashard Lewis was considered to be the guy that would move Orlando up the food chain in the East, but it’s been Turkoglu who has emerged as Orlando’s best perimeter offensive option to complement Dwight Howard.
Keith Langlois, Pistons.com: Another category with underwhelming candidates. I have a hard time voting for guys who were good, went in the tank and rebounded or high draft choices who realize their potential midway through their careers, so I’m discounting a few more obvious choices and going with Jose Calderon, a highly efficient point guard who had Toronto pushing for home-court advantage before Chris Bosh’s recent injury.
Matt McQueeny, NJNets.com: Hedo Turkoglu. There are many candidates out there. From guys like Kaman, to Gay, to Aldridge, to Udrih, but I will go with the thinking of our esteemed PR Director: aren’t second-year guys supposed to improve? So that knocks out a few and leaves Turkoglu, who went from role guy to second fiddle on a top Eastern Conference team. Improvement many times is relative but he is most improved.
Jim Paschke, Bucks.com: I would go with Hedo Turkoglu in the East and Chris Kaman in the West. Of the two, I think Turkoglu has had an incredible season. He blends in effortlessly with Orlando’s offensive weapons. He is effective and productive without separating himself in negative way. Hedo doesn’t seem to mind taking the “big” shots.