NBA Awards At The Half

My, how the time flies. We're just wrapping up the Christmas slate of games and are approaching the halfway point of the season. The motif of time flying by is becoming a little redundant, but it still holds true, especially in the NBA season. Which teams are holding strong, who deserves the MVP award, and who will make the NBA Finals?

• Pleasant Surprise: Denver Nuggets: The fact that the Nuggets are tied atop a deep Western Conference is a testament to how much the team has grown. Led by the big man, Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets are showing tons of depth and a balanced scoring attack.
  
• Pleasant Surprise, Part Two: Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers may have taken a bit of a hit in the past couple weeks. However, seeing the Clippers topple teams such as the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Oklahoma City Thunder is a pleasant sight. The Clippers are fifth in offensive efficiency (1.093) and are getting great mileage from players such as Montrezl Harrell (.634 FG %, 6.6 RPG, 15.3 PPG). Just think of how dangerous this team could be if they got Kawhi Leonard next season...
  
• Biggest Disappointment: Golden State Warriors: It seems bizarre that the Warriors, who are tied atop the Western Conference, would be perceived as a disappointment. However, this team has seen a bit of a drop-off this season. From not being able to create turnovers (24th in the NBA with 13.5 opp. turnovers per game) to actually being down on defense (16th in defensive efficiency at 1.062), something isn't sitting right with this Warriors team. With players such as Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant on their way out after next season, will this be the end of Golden State's reign?
• NBA MVP: James Harden (Houston Rockets): Picking up where he left off from last season, Harden is carrying the red-hot Rockets. Averaging 32.3 PPG (!), 8.4 APG, and 2.13 SPG, Harden is a big part of Houston's sudden resurgence this season. You can also make the case for Russell Westbrook since he is having a similar season to Harden. However, Harden's the MVP here for getting the Rockets out of their early rut.
• Coach Of The Year: Michael Malone (Denver Nuggets): Malone has gotten a lot out of a team with only one superstar. Once again, the Nuggets are tied for first in the Western Conference with Golden State and are playing excellent basketball. Utilizing a deep bench along with having seven players scoring in double figures for the season is enough of a reason to give Malone the award.
  
• Sixth Man Of The Year: Derrick Rose (Minnesota Timberwolves): You can make the case for Julius Randle of the New Orleans Pelicans and Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets as the Sixth Man of the Year. However, it isn't often that you see a former MVP also take the Sixth Man of the Year award. Rose looks to be the perfect candidate for this honor, averaging 18.5 PPG and 4.6 APG coming off the bench for Minnesota. His story is even better considering how pundits (myself included) wrote him off for his decorated injury history. Rose will never be the MVP he once was. But he is relishing in his role as a solid bench player.
• Defensive Player Of The Year: Hassan Whiteside (Miami Heat): I thought about pegging Myles Turner for this award since the center has been played a critical role in Indiana's success this season. However, Whiteside's rebounding prowess alone (13.2 per game) will serve as the reason for his pegging as the winner here. Whiteside is also averaging 2.63 blocks a game, good for third in the NBA.
• NBA Finals Matchup: Toronto Raptors vs. Houston Rockets: Even if Golden State would make the NBA Finals, they would have to worry about trying to stop Kawhi Leonard, who has owned the Warriors in the past. Toronto is playing complete basketball while Philadelphia is still adjusting to Jimmy Butler and Boston is dealing with injuries and is taking some time to gel. The Bucks may be a challenge to Toronto since they have the Greek Freak and have players like Ersan Ilysova that can spread the floor. However, Toronto looks like the better team. As for Houston, they will get to the NBA Finals IF they can get more scoring from their bench. Keep an eye out for the Warriors, even if they're in a bit of a slump at the moment, the Denver Nuggets for aforementioned reasons, and LeBron and the Lakers.