MVP

Dont get the love for Kobe here. These have all been more important to their team and arguably just as good individually

1. Lebron - Easy choice for obvious reasons
2. Dwyane Wade - Makes a close run with Kobe and Lebron for Best player in the NBA
3. Chris Paul - Miraculously still underrated. Replace him with an average PG and the Hornets win 25 games with their injuries this season

ROY

D Rose - For obvious reasons. The clear leader on a playoff team, clutch performer, great stats. He's going to be a superstar.
Brook Lopez - What a great pick by the Nets. Its not often you draft a franchise Center and they grabbed him at 10. Outplayed Dwight Howard a couple weeks ago and has shown to be easily the steal of the draft.
Kevin Love - Great rebounding as well as all around play from the few games Ive been able to watch as well as the many Ive read about. Hes going to be a good player for awhile. A few NBA scouts are on record as saying they'd rather have him then Blake Griffin as of right now.

MIP

Devin Harris/Danny Granger - Its clearly between these two. Ill give the edge to Harris because PG is the hardest position to play. I dont consider these guys "good stats on bad teams" guys at all. They'll have their respective teams competing in the playoffs by next season IMO.

COY

Doc Rivers - Theres no chance he'll win it, but I love how the C's played down the stretch without KG. Their overall commitment to defense has continued in his absence and he has developed their younger players. From the games Ive seen he has also significantly improved his in-game coaching. I think he should win it.

SVG/McMillan/Mike Brown - One of these will probably win it and I dont think they should based on my criteria above.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Mike Brown is one of the worst coaches to ever win that many games.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

A few years ago I woulda agreed. Since he hired essentially an offensive coordinator he's been pretty competent in his management of games. Hes done a great job this year IMO

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

FF, what has he done that has been "great" other than get LeBron the ball and tell everyone to get the hell out of his way?

IMO Mo Williams is a bigger reason why they had such a great year, not Brown.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

The ball movement has been much better. Moreso than that the defense has been great. We're talking Boston last year type great. They also arguably have the best team chemistry in the league. They are very united and clearly play for eachother similar t last years Boston's team, who they seem to have emulated alot. I credit this alot to their new offensive assistant(I forgot his name), but you cant argue that Mike Brown has made fantastic adjustments in the last two years, relinquising control in areas he's weak in while maximizing the potential of his team. 39-1 at home is a fantastic achievement, even with one of the best players in the game.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Even before a record-tying 36 point, 11 assist performance in the Bulls' overtime Game 1 win today in Boston, Derrick Rose is the UNDISPUTED NBA Rookie of the Year. Anybody who doesn't think #1 in white, red & black isn't the ROY hasn't watched NBA Basketball. He was awesome today before fouling out late in the extra session this afternoon. As for NBA MVP, LeBron James has been fantastic all season for the Cavaliers, and "the King" would get my vote ahead of the Lakers' Kobe Bryant by a very, very slight margin. My Coach of the Year goes to a rookie head coach who has done quite a turnaround with the Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra. The Heat won only 15 games last year, won 43 this year, a 28-game turnaround and the #5 seed in the Eastern Conference. Remarkable!