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"The regular season is ending and the playoffs start this weekend. Sports Director Bryan Keating and Sports reporter Carson Cunningham have named their regular season award winners.NBA MVPBryan:1. Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) \u2013 The national media tried to convince you that the MVP has been a tight race until the end, but this thing has been over for months. KD has been the best player this season by a land-slide. Durant individually tallied 30 points in more games this season (45) than any other NBA team\u2019s complete roster (Miami recorded 34) \u2013 never mind the 41 straight games he scored 25-points or more, and 12-straight he had 30-plus . All the while, his floor-game flourished in the process, setting a career high with 5.5 assists while leading the Thunder to the second-best record in the NBA.2. LeBron James (Miami Heat) \u2013 The 4 Time MVP award winner has been MVP worthy again, but not as consistently-spectacular as Durant. His 27.1 points, 6.4 assists, and 6.9 rebounds are all below his career-averages, which speaks to the greatness of LeBron, but also to the fact that this wasn\u2019t his best season. And the Heat are only 13-10 since the beginning of March.3. Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers) \u2013 Griffin has expanded his game tremendously in the 4-years since leaving Oklahoma, and he\u2019s been the best player on a team featuring Chris Paul with the third-best record in the NBA. His biggest improvement has been at the foul-line where he\u2019s knocking-down 71% of his attempts and getting to the line fourth-most in the league.Carson:1. Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) - The most impressive thing is there's no debate. Not even LeBron James has an argument. KD will win his fourth scoring title in five years, but his passing &amp; overall play-making is what makes him the 1B to LeBron's 1A. For instance, look at Carmelo Anthony. He has yet to improve his all-around game like KD, and Melo's team stinks. If KD wins the title, the Best Player Alive-Throne is his.2. LeBron James (Miami Heat) - It's hard to win three-straight MVP's, even for King James. I'll let him say the rest, \"It would be a great thing for . He has played MVP-type basketball.\u201D James went on to say that Durant has been \u201Cthe most consistent basketball player as far as MVP this year. He has put up some great numbers.\u201D3. Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers) - Bad luck, Blake. If he was in a different era, he would likely be the best player in the NBA. He's going up against two all-time greats for this award (maybe Top 10 all-time greats). But that shouldn't diminish the season he's had. He's put up career numbers &amp; carried the Clips without Chris Paul (12-6 record minus CP3). It's a career-year, just when people were starting to doubt him.Coach Of The YearBryan:1. Jeff Hornacek (Phoenix Suns) \u2013 I was under the impression the Suns threw in the towel before their season started - in the race for Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker - yet there they were with a chance to win 50 games in the final weekend. Hornacek guided a roster loaded with castaways (Gerald Green, PJ Tucker, Marcus &amp; Markieff Morris) and chased-down a playoff-spot in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.2. Rick Carlisle (Dallas Mavericks) \u2013 Dirk Nowitzki can make a lot of coaches looks pretty smart, but when your Big 3 features Monte Ellis &amp; Jose Calderon you need a big league coach \u2013 and Carlisle is a big league coach. Dallas could still finish with a better record than the pre-season darling Warriors, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, and every team in the East not wearing Pacers or Heat gear.3. Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs) \u2013 What do you want me to type? The Spurs have the best record in the NBA and don\u2019t have atop 39 scorer in the league (Tony Parker is 40th, 16.8 ppg). Pop is a magician.Carson:1. Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs) - He could (should?) win this award every year, but it's definitely his this season. Here's what he's accomplished with a team that's \"too old\".-Only team to win 60 games.-Only team top five in offensive and defensive efficiency.-Only team without a player playing more than 30 minutes per game.-League's best bench (45.4 points per game)-First in assists per game, assists rate.Oh, and by the way, they're coming off the most disappointing Finals loss of all-time. The court was taped off by security! The trophy was being carried to center court! To get over that, and do this? This is Popovich's Mona Lisa.2. Jeff Hornacek (Phoenix Suns) - Everyone assumed this team would be the worst team in the West. Turns out, they're the most exciting. It's vintage Suns: Run &amp; Gun. And they did it all without their big money free agent Eric Bledsoe. They've improved their win total more than any team in the league, mainly with a band of cast-offs. Remarkable job by anyone, let alone a first-year head coach.3. Rick Carlisle (Dallas Mavericks) - As impressive as Tom Thibodeau is, he coaches in the cream puff Eastern Conference. I'm rewarding Carlisle for molding yet another makeshift roster, courtesy Mark Cuban, into a playoff team. Sure Dirk helps, but he found a way to guide Monta Ellis to one of his most efficient seasons of his career. That is a high degree of difficulty, especially in the Wild West.Sixth Man Of The YearBryan:1. Jamal Crawford (Los Angeles Clippers) \u2013 It\u2019s hard to believe this guy is 34 years-old and playing his 14th NBA season. His 18.5 points are the most he\u2019s scored since 2009-10, while playing third-fiddle to CP3 and Blake Griffin. And listen to this: Crawford is third in the NBA in fourth-quarter scoring behind Kevin Durant and James Harden.2. Taj Gibson (Chicago Bulls) \u2013 Gibson\u2019s offensive numbers won\u2019t blow you away (13.2 pts, 6.8 reb) but the Bulls are a defensive team, and Gibson is a blue-collar tough guy.3. Vince Carter (Dallas Mavericks) \u2013 Long gone are the days of Vinsanity lighting-up the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, but he\u2019s reinvented himself as a knock-down shooter and one of the best bench-players in the league. Carter recently passed Adrian Dantley for 25TH on the all-time scoring list, and the Mavs wouldn\u2019t be anywhere near the playoffs without him having one of his best seasons in Dallas.Carson:1. Taj Gibson (Chicago Bulls) - He, along with Joakim Noah, has kept the Bulls competitive. He's a crunch-time scorer &amp; an elite defender. He's already a better player than Carlos Boozer and will start next year, but for now the sixth man award is his.2. Jamal Crawford (Los Angeles Clippers) - I really wanted to give it to Jamal. He lights up the Thunder and is the streakiest scorer in the league. But he's a very one-dimensional player...even if that one dimension is elite, all-star caliber.3. Manu Ginobili (San Antonio Spurs) - His number should really be 6. Or change the name of the award to The Ginobili. In all seriousness he looked done in the Finals last year but has rebounded nicely, scoring 12 points per game. He, at times, carried the offensive load for a team with the league's best record.Defensive Player Of The YearBryan:1. Joakim Noah (Chicago Bulls) \u2013 Noah has been the best player in the Eastern Conference not-named LeBron James, and he\u2019s the anchor for the best defensive-team (91.8 ppg) in the NBA.2. Roy Hibbert (Indiana Pacers) \u2013 Hibbert has been the middle-man for the lock-down Pacers defense (92.4 ppg), and was the leader for this award much of the season. It\u2019s no surprise that Hibbert\u2019s swoon coincided with Indy\u2019s slump in March &amp; April, and why he was passed-up by Noah.3. LeBron James (Miami Heat) \u2013 A pretty good case can be made for a number of guys in this spot: Paul George, Serge Ibaka, Dwight Howard, Marc Gasol, Anthony Davis. But when rubber meets the road, there\u2019s nobody better defending the perimeter than King James.Carson:1. Joakim Noah (Chicago Bulls) - \"Oh, you're going to tank &amp; trade Luol Deng? Watch this!\" Noah has an MVP-case, but let's stick with the defense. He does it all: Blocked shots, steals, rebounds, charges, everything. He's the best defensive player on the league's best defense. Noah would have won this award last year, too, if not for a foot injury.2. Serge Ibaka (Oklahoma City Thunder) - Leads the league in blocks. Needs to improve his anticipation of pump-fakes. But he's the most feared defensive player in the league.3. Andre Iguodala (Golden State Warriors) - Perimeter defenders get no respect. Iggy immensely helped one of the league's worst defenses and molded them into a top 5 defensive unit. While his old team, Denver, is among the league's worst. No coincidence.Rookie Of The YearBryan:1. Michael Carter-Williams (Philadelphia 76ers) \u2013 The only people not voting for Carter-Williams are the ones who think they\u2019re too smart to go with the norm. He\u2019s been the best rookie since the day he poured-in 22 points, 7 rebounds &amp; 12 assists against the Heat in the season-opener.2. Victor Oladipo (Orlando Magic) \u2013 I\u2019m a big fan of Oladipo. I love his athleticism and I love his leadership. For him to take the next-step he has to improve his ball-distribution/protection: his 4.1 assists aren\u2019t nearly enough to swallow 3.5 turnovers every night.3. Mason Plumlee (Brooklyn Nets)- Plumlee hasn\u2019t gotten the same number of minutes as many of the top rookies because he plays on a playoff contender, but Plumlee has been a gym for the Nets. It\u2019s no coincidence that Jason Kidd\u2019s belief in the 22nd pick from Duke was the difference in the Nets 16-15 record in November and December, and the 33-18 total since. Plumlee is averaging 7.3 points and 7 rebounds while shooting 66% from the floor (11.6 pts, 5.6 reb, 82% FG in April).Carson:1. Michael Carter-Williams (Philadelphia 76ers) - Tremendous season. If they were re-drafting he would go one or two. Should we penalize his team for losing a record-tying, 26 games in a row?2. Victor Oladipo (Orlando Magic) - I almost put him No. 1, but I've been on his bandwagon since January of last year. I knew he would be great when he was a fringe-lottery pick. The No. 2 selection is still finding his way. He reminds me a LOT of Westbrook early in his career: Freak athlete who will improve by leaps &amp; bounds. Brighter days are ahead.3. Mason Plumlee (Brooklyn Nets) - The surprise of the draft. The 7-foot Tucker Max-look-a-like even did this: http://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/mason-plumlee-fouled-lebron-james-but-it-wasnt-called.gifAll NBA 1st TeamBryan:G \u2013 Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers) \u2013 Played in 61 games compared to Westbrook\u2019s 45 is too big a difference to ignore.G \u2013 James Harden (Houston Rockets) - I would vote him 4th on my MVP ballot.F \u2013 Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) \u2013 Leading the league in scoring by more than 4 points a game is absurd.F \u2013 LeBron James (Miami Heat) \u2013 Run of 4 MVP\u2019s in 5 seasons will end, but right on track for 3 straight Finals MVP awards.C \u2013 Joakim Noah (Chicago Bulls) \u2013 Somehow the Bulls are winning without Derrick Rose and Luol Deng.Carson:G \u2013 Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers) \u2013 Only played in 61 games but still led the league in steals per game &amp; assists per game. Simply the best two-way point guard in the league. He has the belt, come &amp; get it Russell.G \u2013 James Harden (Houston Rockets) - Absurd scorer who would be on KD &amp; LeBron's level if he played a lick of defense.F \u2013 Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) \u2013 Write his name here in pen for the next 10 years.F \u2013 LeBron James (Miami Heat) \u2013 Still King James, still the best two-way player in the league. Vying for his third-straight title, which hasn't been done since Shaq &amp; Kobe.C \u2013 Joakim Noah (Chicago Bulls) \u2013 Best defensive player and he's averaging 5.3 assists per game. As a center! Bill Walton-esque. He's even crazy like Bill. He's doing it all."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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