NBA midseason awards: LeBron James' MVP-caliber play is unmatched

With the NBA All-Star Game marking the league’s de facto halfway point, Sporting News presents our midseason awards. Part II features Blake Griffin's dunk and the worst personnel moves of the year.

MVP: LeBron James, Miami Heat
Runner-up: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder


This looks like a runaway for James, even as teammate Dwyane Wade has returned to health and has increased his contributions. Durant is a solid candidate—as is Lakers guard Kobe Bryant—but there’s no matching what James does on a nightly basis: 27.6 points, 6.8 assists, 8.1 rebounds, 55.0 percent shooting.

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Rookie: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
Runner-up: Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves
The operative word when it comes to Irving is “presence.” The No. 1 pick has come into the NBA with a heap of pressure on his shoulders, but he has handled it so well that he even has his still-thin roster in the playoff hunt. Rubio has lived up to his billing as a playmaker and a defender, but he’s also struggled, as expected, with his shooting.

Coach: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs
Runner-up: Doug Collins, Philadelphia 76ers
Collins has a strong case, given what he is doing with his team-first lineup. But Popovich’s Spurs have been one of the most impressive stories of the first half, overcoming injuries to Manu Ginobili by milking contributions from guys like Gary Neal and Danny Green. Additionally, Popovich's handling of rookie Kawhi Leonard and second-year forward Tiago Splitter has them producing, too.

Most improved: Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks
Runner-up: Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic
This is always an odd award to give, because it very often goes to a guy who improves just because he has more experience or more playing time. But why not give it to the league’s most remarkable phenom? Lin went from being cut by Golden State and Houston to resurrecting the Knicks and becoming an international star. Now that's improvement.

Sixth man: Lou Williams, Philadelphia 76ers
Runner-up: James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder
This race is neck-and-neck between Williams and Harden, but Williams gets the nod because, even as a reserve, he is the team’s top offensive threat at 15.6 points per game. While Harden does a great job filling the gaps between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Williams is his team’s go-to guy in the clutch.

Defensive player: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
Runner-up: Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks
Hats off to Chandler, who has helped redefine what was a terrible Knicks defense last season. But as long as Howard is healthy and in the league, it will be tough to unseat him from this spot