Quick Observations: Halfway Home

I have some obsessive-compulsive tendencies. The way my brain works, I like things to be very exact. For as long as I can remember, I’ve found comfort in measurement. As a child, I used to use measuring cups for everything my mom would let me get my hands on in the kitchen. A pinch of this and a smidgen of that didn’t sit well with me then. Now, in my later and more lazy years, I’ve taken a very lax approach towards the pursuit of exactness — “close enough” is just fine in some cases. Do I always work my 40-hour work week? Well, sometimes, but “close enough” enters my mind quite a bit when it comes to quittin’ time. With the spirit of  “close enough” in mind, it’s just past the halfway point of the 2009-2010 NBA season, so let’s look back and hand out some NBA half-season awards.

Sixth Man of the Year (so far) – Jamal Crawford

With Leandro Barbosa, Manu Ginobili and Jason Terry not playing their best ball at the moment, there’s room for a few new bench players to flex their muscle. With apologies to Carl Landry, Jamal Crawford is proving his worth to the Atlanta Hawks. He seemed like a bit of a redundant addition, but redundancy can be a good thing when it comes to explosive scoring and solid play. Jamal is one of my favorite players to watch, mostly because he does things like this:

Plus, I think he looks a little like Esther Rolle, but only when they’re both smiling. Is it just me?

Most Dissapointing Player (so far) – Blake Griffin

Now, it’s not the youngster’s fault — I already knew his career was in jeopardy when he was drafted by the Clippers. I’m personally disappointed that I didn’t get to see him on the court at all this season. However, one could argue that since he hasn’t played yet, that he’s not a player. I’ll cop out and just say Gilbert Arenas then. He did catch a felony, and that’s always a disappointment. Shawne Williams caught a felony as well, but he’s not a basketball player. Let me clarify: he was a basketball player by definition, until the Nets waived him. That does not necessarily mean he was any good. This is probably the last time I will refer to him in this blog, because he is sorry.

Play of the Year (so far) – Kobe over Wade for the Win

This was a great game-winning jumper, but it was so much more. When watching this play last month, my girlfriend said, “I hate Kobe Bryant” in a way that lets you know he’s one of the best. My reply? “Did you see that guy thumbing his nuts?!” I’m not sure if he was happy about the shot or if it was just a good itch to scratch — as a guy, I can relate. You be the judge — the YouTubers have pointed it out for me.

Rookie of the Year (so far) – Tyreke Evans

This one isn’t really that close. While I admit I was an early adopter of Milwaukee’s Brandon Jennings at the ROY, Evans has outplayed him. Jennings had a nice stretch, but cooled off considerably after that. In Sacramento, Tyreke Evans has taken ownership of the Sacramento Kings as his team. Kevin Martin’s return from injury could cloud Evans’ value for the rest of the season, but all he has to do is play solid basketball to hold on to the honor. Evans is good enough to allow the Kings to consider moving Kevin Martin, another of my favorite players. Tyreke Evans is a man.

Most Improved Player (so far) – Joakim Noah

This one is a difficult call, but I’ll give it to Noah because he’s becoming one of the best rebounders in the NBA. Danilo Gallinari and Yi Jianlian are making serious strides, but Noah, who actually plays like a big man is supposed to, is second in the league in rebounding (12.3/game) and boasts a hefty +20 efficiency rating. He showed some of this last season, but now he’s doing it with consistency. Derrick Rose is key to the Bulls’ potential success, but Noah is every bit as important.

Coach of the Year (so far) – Lionel Hollins

Don’t feel bad if he sounds unfamiliar– he’s the coach of the Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis is usually a forgotten team in the Western Conference, but after tonight’s win over the Orlando Magic paired with a Rockets loss, the Grizzlies slide into the top-8 in the West. That’s right, the Grizzlies are playing well, and not just in comparison to their past failures. Hollins has his team competing every night and playing together. OJ Mayo is more efficient, Zach Randolph is showing people that he deserves an All-Star spot, and Marc Gasol is showing that he can have staying power in this league. Just imagine how good they’d be if they hadn’t wasted their draft pick on Hasheem Thabeet.

MVP (so far) – LeBron James

LeBron is the best player on the team with the league’s best record. Kobe is in the conversation, but LeBron and his Cavs have swept the Lakers in the regular season. I really don’t feel that I have to justify this pick with a response.

Most Deserving Fine (so far) – Glen Davis

Ignore the Chucky Atkins visual, and you can hear Glen Davis tell a Pistons fan to give him some lip service. What did the fan say? He just told Glen to lose some weight. The fan was probably just reminding you that you have a weight clause in your contract, or else he’ll have to pay a fat fine (my personal term), as in a fine for being too portly. Yelling at a fan and telling him to suck your dick is pretty classy. Next time, think about how much food or how many blowjobs you can buy with $25,000.