Awards time in the NBA approaches, and major news sites are taking their polls. They don't mean anything, but they're interesting — and a good insight into what will happen.
To the surprise of nobody, ESPN's panel of experts picked LeBron James as the league's MVP.
SI.com polled scouts and executives and James was the unanimous choice.
"When I look at everything he's done, offensively and defensively, there's no doubt he's the MVP," explained one voter who for years has rated (Kobe) Bryant as the best player in basketball. "He is the dominant player in the league right now."
I think Mike Brown also deserves Coach of the Year, and he was the winner in the SI poll.
"Brown finished first or second on every ballot. The voters named all of the obvious reasons, namely notching the best record in the league and improving over last season, adhering to defense and developing a system that brings out the best in LeBron and his teammates."
And in the Trifecta, GM Danny Ferry won the Executive of the Year honor in the poll. Deservedly so – and not just for the heist that brought Mo Williams.
"The Mo Williams deal was huge," a voter said. "He traded away Joe Smith [in the Williams deal] and then gets him back [in a midseason buyout]. Under a lot of pressure, he's done what he can to make LeBron question whether he's going to leave or not. It's no longer a foregone conclusion like everybody thought at the beginning of the year."
Re-acquiring Joe Smith has been huge. The Cavs hated to trade him, but managing to re-sign him midway through the season gave the Cavs exactly what they needed — another big guy for depth. Smith, incidentally, played excellent on Sunday against the Celtics. So did Daniel Gibson, who seems to have re-discovered his shot.
The very real possibility that the Cavs might sweep these three awards speaks, again, to how special this season has been.
Without a doubt, these three awards should belong to the Cavs this season!
Brown had better hope he doesn't win Coach of the Year, because that's usually the foreboding sign that your coaching career for that team doesn't have much gas left in the tank. Look at this list. Not promising.
2007-08 Byron Scott New Orleans
2006-07 Sam Mitchell Toronto
2005-06 Avery Johnson Dallas
2004-05 Mike D'Antoni Phoenix
2003-04 Hubie Brown Memphis
2002-03 Gregg Popovich San Antonio
2001-02 Rick Carlisle Detroit
2000-01 Larry Brown Philadelphia
1999-00 Doc Rivers Orlando
1998-99 Mike Dunleavy Portland
1997-98 Larry Bird Indiana
1996-97 Pat Riley Miami
1995-96 Phil Jackson Chicago
1994-95 Del Harris Los Angeles Lakers
1993-94 Lenny Wilkens Atlanta
1992-93 Pat Riley New York
1991-92 Don Nelson Golden State
1990-91 Don Chaney Houston
1989-90 Pat Riley Los Angeles Lakers
1988-89 Cotton Fitzsimmons Phoenix
1987-88 Doug Moe Denver
1986-87 Mike Schuler Portland
1985-86 Mike Fratello Atlanta
1984-85 Don Nelson Milwaukee
1983-84 Frank Layden Utah
1982-83 Don Nelson Milwaukee
1981-82 Gene Shue Washington
1980-81 Jack McKinney Indiana
1979-80 Bill Fitch Boston
1978-79 Cotton Fitzsimmons Kansas City
1977-78 Hubie Brown Atlanta
1976-77 Tom Nissalke Houston
1975-76 Bill Fitch Cleveland
1974-75 Phil Johnson Kansas City-Omaha
1973-74 Ray Scott Detroit
1972-73 Tom Heinsohn Boston
1971-72 Bill Sharman Los Angeles
1970-71 Dick Motta Chicago
1969-70 Red Holzman New York
1968-69 Gene Shue Baltimore
1967-68 Richie Guerin St. Louis
1966-67 Johnny Kerr Chicago
1965-66 Dolph Schayes Philadelphia
1964-65 Red Auerbach Boston
1963-64 Alex Hannum San Francisco
1962-63 Harry Gallatin St. Louis