The Chonies - NBA Midseason Edition

In a sports world flooded by the propaganda of Skip Bayless and Mel Kiper Jr., I believe it is only fair to hop on the bandwagon of the overzealous and under respected blogger that will never shut up and ride that one prediction to the grave (aka my 9-7 NY Giants beating the 15-1 Pack and then going on to win SB XLVI). Like any avid sports fan, I believe my thoughts trump whatever anyone else thinks and that my team is always better than yours (Go Green) - that is why I have came up with my very own awards, "The Chonies," that I will give to those throughout the sports world that I believe most deserving.  The awards will range from your typical MVP and ROY to the more entertaining professional sport superlatives like "Most Likely to Receive another DUI" (S/O to Ndamukong Suh) or "Most Likely to Get Creeped on by Brent Musburger."

With the NBA All-Star Break painfully approaching, I will take my first post in The Sports Mitten to award this years Mid-Season Chonies for the 2012-2013 NBA Season.

Most Improved Player of the Year : James Harden , Houston Rockets

I decided to start with what I believe to be the most obvious of the awards, James Harden as the Most Improved player in the NBA.  Many were skeptical of OKC shipping their bearded sixth man to a Dwight-less Houston during the off-season but it has surprisingly worked out very well for both teams.  The Thunder are still battling for that #1 spot in the West and the Rockets acquired a go-to scoring option that has them in the playoff hunt; somewhere they haven't been since T-Mac had his own shoes and Yao had knees.  Harden is the 5th highest scorer in the NBA averaging 25.9 PPG with only playing seven more minutes per contest than last season, proving that all he needed was the right situation to really bloom into the threat he as become.  In his fourth season and only 23 years old, please do not assume he's reached his ceiling because this kid is no where close to his prime.  Even though it's not going to be this year due to the Clippers western-dominance, I will not be surprised to see an eventual OKC-Houston match-up in the Western Conference Finals.

Rookie of the Year : Damian Lillard , Portland Trail Blazers

Almost as obvious as Harden as the Most Improved is Rip City's rookie sensation out of Weber State, Damian Lillard.  In a generation of one-and-done 19 year old college drop outs, it is easy to overlook the upperclassmen from small Mid-Major conference schools and when I saw Portland selected this nationally unknown Junior sixth overall before the likes of Austin Rivers and Andre Drummond, I knew something had to be special about him.  This two time Big Sky Conference Player of the Year averaged 24.5 PPG in his final season at Weber State and was regarded as a two-star recruit by Rivals.com coming out of high school.  For the Blazers, Lillard is averaging 18.3 PPG shooting 42% from the field with 6.6 assists per contest.  Not only does Lillard lead all rookies in minutes per game so far this season, he also leads all point guards in the NBA as well: if that doesn't prove how much the Blazers depend on their rookie sensation and why he deserves ROY then I'm not sure what does (not unibrows).

Most Likely to Get Traded : Tayshaun Prince , Detroit Pistons

In the midst of the trade rumors surrounding Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, and Rudy Gay, I believe the most realistic trade will happen with my home state Pistons.  Tayshaun Prince is not the athletic small forward  from Detroit's sold out stadium days in the early 2000's, but he is still getting paid like one.  He is in the second year of a 4 year - $28 million contract, making $6.7 million this season, which is way too much for a player well past his prime on a team that is young and blossoming.  If Pistons GM Joe Dumars is serious about taking this team back to where they were prior to that Allen Iverson for Chauncy Billups trade, dumping this contract will be the first step.  With Corey Maggette in the final year of a $11 million contract and Charlie Villanueva in the final year of a $8 million contract (as long as he doesn't accept his player option), that would open up almost $25 million this off-season to resign Jason Maxiell and make a free agency push for Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks.

Coach of the Year : Vinny Del Negro , Los Angelos Clippers

This is my All-Time Least favorite award in professional sports, and especially in the NBA.  In a league heavily weighted on how many superstars make up your "Big Whatever," the head coach is rarely a factor.  Eric Spoelstra not only looks like a child but the Heat probably could of won the title with an infant as head coach last year.  Yet whether it is due to the surprising flat tire that is the Lakers or to his success in utilizing all of his players' skills to their maximum ability, Vinny Del Negro is the head coach of the best team in Los Angeles and quite arguably the NBA.  In his third season as the Clips' head coach and his second since the addition of superstar Chris Paul, Vinny has been able to create an offensive juggernaut known as "Lob City" that has opposing fast break defenses moving aside and witnessing half of Sport Center's "Top Plays" in action.  What's even scarier about this group of high flying, athletic freaks of nature is that Vinny's even got them playing defense (4th in NBA for Points Allowed).  Even though he was given every piece to make up a winning team (Floor General in Paul, Dunking/Rebounding Machine in Blake Griffin, a Dominant Post Presence in Deandre Jordan, and a bench full of prolific shooters and defenders) Del Negro was able to take those pieces and fit them perfectly together, something that is not as easy as it sounds (for example Brown with the Lakers and Johnson with the Nets).  As a player for the legendary Jim Valvano at NC State he was the '87 ACC Tournament MVP and won the Italian Basketball championship for Benetton Treviso in '92; meaning that Del Negro is a winner, he knows how to win, and I can see this team going far in the Playoffs with an incredible chance to hoist the NBA Championship trophy come summer.

Most Likely to Get Metta World Peace'd : Johnny Manziel , Texas A&M

After being seen court-side at a LA Clippers win against the Rockets with his arm candy (saying so as long as she's of age), Johnny "Football" is the latest on the watch to catch an elbow from rap sensation Metta World Peace.  With their current struggles, the Lakers are looking for anything to push themselves in the right direction and the only thing that hasn't worked thus far is an infamous bow from their repeat offending Small Forward.  The redshirt Frosh winner of the Heisman Trophy would be newsworthy enough to distract ESPN and their ranks of washed up, ex-Pro Athlete reporters from the Lakers' losing woes and onto another story giving the other significant players (Kobe, Dwight, and Nash) enough of a mindset to actually get a winning streak going.  Not only will it make for an incredible beginning to a "Battle of the Staples Center" soap opera, but it may be what the "Hollywood" Lakers need to actually play to their potential.

MVP : Kevin Durant , Oklahoma City Thunder

Not only is he the leader of the best team in the NBA (in my opinion), Kevin Durant is also my MVP thus far through the season.  The past few years have destined his career comparable to the likes of Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, and Clyde Drexler; amazing players - but always second best to the more dominant Michael Jordan (and in this generation's case, LeBron James).  Yet, as the Thunder have been playing through the first half of the full 82 game season, Durant is the shoo-in MVP without much dispute.  "Durantula" is averaging 29.5 PPG, a career best 4.2 assists per contest, and an astounding 7.5 RPG as well.  Did I also mention that he is the leader of team with the best record in the NBA thus far as well? I believe Durant WILL win his 2nd, consecutive scoring title (Sorry Kobe) as well as take his team to the NBA Finals.  At 24 years old, this is just of the peak of the iceberg when it comes to Durant and I believe if he continues to play as he has after the first half of the season, we may see multiple MVP awards coming his way for years to come.

Yet this is only a little bit over half way through the season and a lot more basketball has yet to be played.  Even though his team is barely a top the Eastern Conference, I believe "the King," LeBron James, will ultimately walk away with the crown as the best player of the 2012-2013 NBA season.  Not only is he a triple double threat every time he touches the floor, I don't think anyone will ever be as much of an overall dominant basketball player as he since the greatest of all-time, Michael Jordan, graced our presence.  Even though these "Chonies" are only supposed to be given based on performance into the midseason, I will "Guarun-Sheed" King James will win his 4th MVP award at seasons end, as well as his second NBA title.