NBA at the All-star Break

The annual NBA all-star game is upon us once again and what better time to look back at the season's it's been than at the league created halfway point. Tomorrow, you'll find out what I believe will happen from now until the playoffs, but today I give you my award picks at the break.

League MVP
Preseason pick: LeBron James
Current Pick: Kobe Bryant

Kobe finally has the talented supporting cast he wanted and he said he needed to succeed and he is making good on every chance. Kobe is leading a successful team for the first time as the main guy (without Shaq) and he is for once actually passing, especially since Gasol arrived. Since Gasol's arrival Kobe is only scoring about 22 a game, but getting 7 dishes per game his Los Angeles Lakers' are undefeated. Add in Andrew Bynum, set to be back by March, and you've got one dangerous team and a dangerous leader. He has proven he can be just as happy with the 10 assists win where he takes just 10 shot attempts as he is with the 50 point outbursts. He will end up as the best player on the best team at season's end and I think he will be the biggest part of any team because of his constant ability to draw doubles and triples with penetration and constant ability to get to the line. Chances are, he'll also hit a few game winners before the season is over too.

Sorry to: Chris Paul, LeBron James, Steve Nash, and Kevin Garnett

Rookie of the year
Preseason pick: Kevin Durant
Current pick: Kevin Durant

When Greg Oden went down with injuries in September, Durant became the instant favorite for rookie of the year. He has remained as the favorite, but the surprising thing is how close it is ending up. Both because of Durant having trouble with his shooting percentage from time to time, and the emergence of top ten picks such as Al Horford and Yi Jianlian along with former unknowns in Juan Carlos Navarro and Jamario Moon. Nonetheless, I would still give KD the award. He has become an instant star in Seattle; he leads his team in scoring; and he has preformed in the clutch more than any other rookie.

Sorry to: Al Horford, Juan Carlos Navarro, Jamario Moon, and Yi Jianlian
Most improved player
Preseason pick: LaMarcus Aldridge
Current pick: Chris Kaman

Plenty of players have stepped up their games in great ways this year, from Jose Calderon to Rudy Gay to Marvin Williams, but Chris Kaman has not only proved that last season was just a fluke, but he has far surpassed even his 2005-2006 numbers and has finally started earning that giant extension the Clippers gave him in 2006. He was nearly an all-star in the toughest Western Conference maybe ever and he has kept the Clippers somewhat alive in the West despite the fact that Elton Brand went down with injury before the season. If the Clippers can't resign Elton Brand after the season, they should be happy that the future of their frontcourt is in good hands should they use the cap space to go after a guard like Ben Gordon.

Sorry to: Jose Calderon, Rudy Gay, Andrew Bynum, Marvin Williams,

Coach of the year
Preseason pick: Mike D'Antioni
Current pick: Doc Rivers

Rivers has somehow been able to keep this group of superstars, the Big Three, out of conflict with each other despite the fact that most have played in virtual solitary for years. I am eating my own words when I say this because before the season I didn't think that an unproven coach like Doc could keep this team together to start the season and they would struggle out of the gate, but exactly the opposite happened. The Celtics remain the league's only team with single digit losses, and (this is amazing) they haven't lost a single game against any team from the Western Conference all year. Considering how good the West has been, that is truly amazing. It hasn't just been about the big three. The other two guys in the starting lineup have beyond succeeded expectations and they have gotten big games from bench players when starters have gone down. James Posey, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen Davis, all of whom have had coach problems and motivation issues, have been some of the league's most motivated players this season. Can you honestly tell me that that happened by accident? Rivers has had so much of an impact on this team, from the tough style they player to all of the stars coexisting, so much so that I think he should win coach of the year over Nate McMillan who has turned the young Blazers into a West power and Phil Jackson who has worked his magic again in LA with Kobe Bryant.

Sorry to: Nate McMillan, Phil Jackson, Byron Scott, and Sam Mitchell

Defensive player of the year
Preseason pick: Dwight Howard
Current pick: Marcus Camby

Camby has been a dominant shot blocker once again, leading the league once again in that category. He has also stayed healthy for really the first time in his career, allowing him to spend all of his time in the middle of Denver denying shots, grabbing rebounds, and starting this deadly fast break. He has been such a big part of the good defense turning to good offense style of the Nuggets which has won them so many games. As long as he keeps doing what he has been doing, he should hold off Dwight Howard for defensive player of the year for the second straight year.

Sorry to: Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Kevin Garnett, and Bruce Bowen

6th man of the year
Preseason pick: Leandro Barbosa
Current pick: Manu Ginobili

Manu edges out Ben Gordon and Leandro Barbosa, two of the best bench scorers in history, for two reasons. One is that, even though Manu is scoring about the same amount of Barbosa and Gordon, he has been the better energizer battery meaning that when he comes into the game, it automatically energizes the entire team. He is averaging 20 points per game in 29 minutes, meaning that he is scoring a lot in a little amount of time. Barbosa is actually scoring more in starts, meaning that he is more of a well rounded scorer like a Caron Butler or even Dwyane Wade, than an energizer scorer as is Manu. Gordon is also doing better off the bench, but you have to remember how many minutes he is getting per game. Gordon is playing starter minutes just doing so off the bench. Manu is the only true energizer this year. The second reason is that he is the only one who loves his job. Both Gordon and Barbosa don't mind their bench roles, but Ginobili takes it a step further. He loves his role, more than he did being a starter and would love to be a sixth man for the rest of his career. Aren't those the two things we should be looking for in a 6th man?

Sorry to: Ben Gordon, Leandro Barbosa

After the sophomores beat the rookies last night in the Rookie challenge, it is now day two of the three day all-star break, meaning three things: skills challenge, three point shootout, and the dunk contest.

Skills challenge
My pick: Chris Paul

This kid has been oozing skills since he came into the league, now in his 3rd league already an MVP candidate. There isn't one thing in the contest that he can't do. He has quickness, speed, shooting touch, and passing. That's all it takes to win and he has them all.

Three point shootout
My pick: Peja Stojakovic

Peja has won this contest 2 of the three years he has entered. Now that he is once again healthy, he is now the best catch and shoot player in the league and he should prove that again tonight in front of his home crowd.

Dunk contest
My pick: Dwight Howard

Howard combines height, athletism, and hops with mad creativity. Look for him to do something we've never seen before, maybe something where he shows how can can reach up 14.5 feet, and win the contest.

Mike Bibby is finally leaving the team with which he made his name after being trade to the Hawks for 4 players, all of whom have expiring contracts.

From the Hawks point of view: This team finally put some of their power forward prospects to use and grabbed a point guard with it. I didn't think he has it in him, but Billy Knight finally made a deadline move and filled his huge void at point guard.

From the Kings point of view: There may have been better deals out there, but I can see where they're going with this. They wanted to be competitive in free agency this season and with the amount of cap space they will have, especially if they move Artest, they can nab a big free agent or two and rebuild faster than anyone thought possible.

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