Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Joel Embiid are two popular midseason picks for Kia MVP.
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Periodically, NBA.com editors will offer their thoughts on key storylines or hot topics around the league.
With the NBA’s midseason approaching this week, list your regular season award winners so far.
Steve Aschburner
- MVP Kia = Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
- Kia Rookie of the Year = Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Kia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kia sixth man of the year = Tim Hardaway Jr., Dallas Mavericks
- Kia’s Most Improved Player = Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
- Kia Clutch Player of the Year = Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- NBA Coach of the Year = Chris Finch, Minnesota Timberwolves
The best player on the best team, a traditional screener, decides my first half MVP. Holmgren’s perfect fit and OKC’s success gives him an advantage over Victor Wembanyama. Gobert is the pillar of the best defense in the league. The Mavericks are 19-12 when Hardaway (17.0 ppg) comes off the bench, 5-5 otherwise.
Maxey gets a slim advantage in a crowded field (Alpern Sengun, Scottie Barnes, Coby White). Curry took the most clutch hitsmarked the most clutch points, hit half of his 3s in those situations and the Warriors are 15-11 on those nights (3-11 otherwise). Finally, raise your hand if you picked Minnesota to be at the top of the rankings. West Ranking? Me neither. Finch assembled a team that seemed to be unraveling last spring.
Brian Martin
- MVP Kia = Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Kia Rookie of the Year = Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
- Kia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kia sixth man of the year =Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings
- Kia’s Most Improved Player = Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
- Kia Clutch Player of the Year = Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- NBA Coach of the Year = Tyronn Lue, Los Angeles Clippers
Having already missed 10 games, Joel Embiid is unable to live up to expectations. compulsory games played (65 games, so at 33 for the half-season) to be eligible to repeat as MVP despite his appearance on the field.
Nikola Jokic remains the league’s most valuable offensive player, but Gilgeous-Alexander is rewarded for his impact on both ends, leading OKC to a top-five finish in both offenses (31.3ppg on 55.6% shooting) and defense (2.3 spg, a league high)
For Rookie of the Year, Chet Holmgren had a bigger impact on the win, but Wemby’s numbers are undeniable. He’s on pace to become the first player to average 19 points, 10 and three blocks since Shaquille O’Neal in 1999-00. Not the first recruit. The first player.
Shaun Powell
- MVP Kia = Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
- Kia Rookie of the Year = Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Kia Defensive Player of the Year =Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
- Kia sixth man of the year = Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kia’s Most Improved Player = Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
- Kia Clutch Player of the Year = Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
- NBA Coach of the Year = Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder
Is MVP an Embiid-Nikola Jokic coin toss once again? This appears to be the case. Embiid is having a monster year, and Jokic is having one that isn’t as big in terms of stats but again heavy on impact. Will Embiid meet the threshold for games played to be eligible, though?
So far it’s close between AD and Rudy Gobert for DPOY and Chet over Victor Wembanyama for ROY, but the others are pretty easy. I love the seasons enjoyed by Tyrese Maxey and Haliburton as well as Jalen Brunson, but they were pretty good last year, so the choice for a pure MIP goes to Sengun. Haliburton for the clutch.
John Schumann
- MVP Kia = Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Kia Rookie of the Year = Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Kia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kia sixth man of the year = Norman Powell, Los Angeles Clippers
- Kia’s Most Improved Player = Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
- Kia Clutch Player of the Year = Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
- NBA Coach of the Year = Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder
Gobert was the easiest choice because the league’s #1 defense (with a good margin) is built around its presence in the painting and has been much better with him on the ground. Holmgren, scoring much more efficiently and winning many more games than Victor Wembanyama, was also a pretty easy pick.
Nikola Jokic (slightly more important to his team’s success) has the MVP advantage over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with Joel Embiid having played far fewer minutes than both. Powell doesn’t have the scoring of Malik Monk or Bogdan Bogdanovic, but he’s been the most efficient scorer (by far) of the three, and one of the best teams in the league has been better with him on the ground.
Michael C. Wright
- MVP Kia = Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
- Kia Rookie of the Year = Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Kia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kia sixth man of the year = Tim Hardaway Jr., Dallas Mavericks
- Kia’s Most Improved Player = Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
- Kia Clutch Player of the Year = Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- NBA Coach of the Year = Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder
Embiid is the MVP of the first half of the season. But injuries and the league’s new mandatory participation rules could derail Embiid’s candidacy, while Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo continue to make progress. It seems increasingly likely that the reigning MVP will not meet the eligibility requirements.
In the Rookie of the Year competition, Victor Wembanyama is generating a lot of views for his stunning highlights and supernatural skills. But Holmgren’s consistency and OKC’s team success should propel him to the top once all is said and done.
Despite Golden State’s struggles, Stephen Curry continues to perform in tough situations, while Hardaway Jr. has been a pleasant surprise in Dallas as a potential Sixth Man of the Year.
