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With the NBA Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year awards all but guaranteed to be awarded to Miami’s LeBron James and Portland’s Damian Lillard respectively, there will be little interest in the NBAs major awards this season.
Rather that detail why James is again the best candidate for MVP, it may be more interesting to discuss who should be rewarded with an All-NBA First Team selection this season.
The All-NBA selections always provide an interesting discussion because, while some positions are clear cut, there are always a couple that can create disagreement among fans.
As I made my choices I was surprised by the high quality of players who missed out; the 2012/2013 season has really been an exceptional one for a range of players.
All-NBA First Team:
Centre:
For the last five seasons, Dwight Howard has held the centre position in the All-NBA First Team and he has been the dominant big man in the league for much of his career – particularly on the defensive end.
However, his streak should end following a season that could best be described as average but can most appropriately be described as terribly disappointing.
There are a number of candidates who have valid claims for selection. Brook Lopez had a terrific year for Brooklyn following an injury-riddled season last year, Marc Gasol became the best Gasol, while Joakim Noah is the biggest reason that Chicago did not slide further following Derrick Rose’s knee injury.
However, San Antonio’s Tim Duncan has been the most outstanding centre in the league this season. Although often regarded as a power forward, Duncan does everything one expects of a great centre: he controls the paints, blocks shots (and changes countless others) and he dominates in the low post.
Duncan has turned back the clock this season, on a pair of knees that would have grounded a lesser player years ago. As injuries took their toll on Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, Duncan rose to the challenge both offensively and defensively to guide the Spurs towards the post-season. This would be Duncan’s 14th selection in an All-NBA team.
Forwards:
These two positions are the easiest to select. Miami’s LeBron James and Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant have been the dominant players in the league this season and they will be rewarded with their ninth selection and fourth selection in an All-NBA team, respectively.
James had another remarkable season in 2012/2013 averaging 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game, while leading the league in Win Shares for the fifth consecutive season.
With the championship ‘monkey’ off his back, James took his already stellar game to a new level by shooting 56 per cent from the floor, including 40 per cent from long-range where historically he has been a streaky shooter.
At various times this season James played every position from point guard to power forward, and defended those positions as well. He is the best all-round player in the league and allows the Miami Heat to play a unique brand of basketball.
Kevin Durant had another phenomenal year. For the first half of the season he was practically James’ equal, leading the league in scoring while doing so at a remarkably efficient rate. He remains the best pure shooter in the league and in my opinion the best pure scorer since Michael Jordan finished with the Bulls.
Durant took on greater playmaking responsibilities this season after James Harden was traded to Houston. It added another dimension to his already impressive game and ensured that the Thunder did not miss a beat without Harden.
Guards:
The Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul fills one of the guard positions following a sensational season where he led the Clippers to their first divisional title. He should be a unanimous selection for what would be his fifth All-NBA selection.
On court Paul controls everything for the Clippers, from the game’s tempo to who receives the ball and where. He is the best point guard since Magic Johnson and in most other seasons would have been a very worthy winner of the MVP award.
Picking the other guard position was more difficult, with a number of candidates pushing for selection. San Antonio’s Tony Parker was mentioned in MVP discussions earlier in the season before injuries slowed him down.
The evergreen Kobe Bryant had another excellent season in a team that crumbled around him, while the Thunder’s Russell Westbrook confused, amazed and astonished fans night-in and night-out with his athleticism and skill (and occasionally by making us wonder ‘What was he thinking?’).
Despite their strong credentials another player was more deserving of the honour. Remarkably, he was traded on the eve of the season but rose to the challenge of a new team and far greater responsibility.
Houston’s James Harden proved that he was capable of being much more than a sixth man this season by averaging almost 26 points, and around 5 rebounds and 6 assists per game, while also finishing fourth in Win Shares and leading his team to a surprising playoff berth.
Harden proved to be healthier than Parker, his team achieved more with less than Bryant and he was simply a more efficient player than Westbrook.
Harden is one of the game’s best decision makers and is able to score regularly without dominating his team’s offence.
His frequent trips to the foul line may be frustrating for fans but are undeniably smart basketball, as Harden remains one of the most efficient scorers in the game.
>> See Table 1 for a statistical assessment of the five players chosen.
Feel free to provide feedback on my selections and discuss who you think should be in the All-NBA first, second and third teams this season.
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