On an individual level, some players such as Russell Westbrook and James Harden have truly taken the next step, while some of the rookies who were supposed to make a big impact right away have not performed, either because of an injury or of an elongated adjustment period.
The following are my predictions for the playoffs and the end-of-season awards.
Most Valuable Player: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
It is crazy to think that the best player in all of basketball this year will be coming off the bench for the All-Star game, but fans are still not all in on Russell Westbrook for some reason. In the past, he has been criticized for not getting the ball to Kevin Durant enough, but that can no longer be a criticism this year.
Durant has moved on to the Warriors, and Westbrook has been left with very few tools on a barren OKC roster. Even though he does not have much to work with, he is still having a historic season. He has gotten a triple-double in half of his team’s games this year. He has been averaging a triple-double virtually all year, and still leads the NBA in scoring.
Without him, the Thunder would be deep in the cellar of the Western Conference standings, so there is no doubt that he deserves to be the Most Valuable Player.
Rookie of the Year: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
“Trust the process” has become a phrase that has caught fire across the country because of Embiid’s outstanding rookie year. He has averaged 20 points, eight rebounds and nearly three blocks per game, which all lead rookies by large margins.
No other rookie averages even 10 points per game, so Embiid is an easy and obvious choice for rookie of the year. He seems to come up with electrifying highlights every night, so he seems worth the two years the 76ers had to wait for him.
Eastern Conference Champions: Cleveland Cavaliers
This pick is easy, not because of how well the Cavaliers have been playing, but because of how bad the rest of the Eastern Conference is. The Cavaliers have actually been extraordinarily underwhelming since Jan. 10, going 4-6 in those games and at one point losing six out of eight games, but they are still very much in control of the East.
The Cavaliers are the only Eastern Conference team with a top five record in the NBA; The other four teams all come from the Western Conference. During their losing streak, tensions seemed to be high when LeBron James called out the team’s performance and their front office. If the Cavaliers hope to defend their championship, they must play much better than they are currently doing.
Western Conference Champions: Golden State Warriors
Many people see the Golden State Warriors’ season as a failure because they have not matched last year’s historic record, but if you take a step back and look at their season, they are having another amazing year.
At their current pace, they will end the season with a record of 70-12, which would be the third best record in the history of the NBA. This might be just what the Warriors need, as they can focus on remaining healthy and at full strength while heading into the playoffs, without the record looming over their heads.
NBA Champions: Golden State Warriors
It will take a major change from the Cleveland Cavaliers to win this rematch of the NBA Finals from a season ago. The return of J.R. Smith could round the Cavaliers closer to their postseason form from last year, but they will also need Kyle Korver to get accommodated to the team and return to his elite shooter status.
The Warriors will be hungry for redemption, and with the addition of Kevin Durant, they could take control of the series early on. The Durant-James matchup will be the one to watch, as the two are the leaders of their teams this year. While the Warriors are definitely the favorite, you can never count out a LeBron James team.
