Chris Webber Hands Out His Mid-Season NBA Awards

The NBA TV analyst and former baller gives us his picks for the halfway mark of the NBA season.

The NBA TV analyst and former baller gives us his picks for the halfway mark of the NBA season.

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Mid-Season Eastern and Western MVP

For Mid-Season MVP on the East Coast, I would definitely have to say LeBron James. On the West, I would probably say Kevin Durant. I just think those two are the two best players at their position and their teams have two of the best records. I still think those two are the best guys on the planet and they just happen to be on different coasts.

Mid-Season Rookie of the Year

I think Damian Lillard from Portland is rookie of the year. He’s played so well. He’s the best player on their team. I thought he should have been an All-Star candidate this year – he’s just smooth. He has the savvy of a veteran and he just seems to be calm all the time. I love his game and I love his demeanor.

All-Star Snubs

Along with everyone else I’m thinking [Stephen] Curry just got robbed. I mean, it’s a travesty what happened to him and Golden State. I also think Josh Smith could have been an All-Star for Atlanta and J.R. Smith for New York, so those were my biggest three snubs.

Mid-Season Sixth Man

That’s tough. I would have to say J.R. Smith. I really like [Jamal] Crawford; I think he’s the second best after Chris Paul on their team, but I would have to say J.R. does a lot more than Crawford does offensively and defensively. He had a couple of game-winning shots when Carmelo was out, so he’s my sixth man of the year this year.

Mid-Season Defensive Player of the Year

I have a good one for that one. [Larry] Sanders from Milwaukee. He’s leading the league in blocked shots. He’s all over the place. He’s definitely my defensive player. Tyson Chandler is my favorite defensive player overall, but I would have to say Sanders is the best defensive player in the league right now. I believe his was leading the league in blocked shots – I don’t know if he still is. He’s my favorite defensive player right now. The good thing about his game is that he’s energetic, long, and lanky.

Comeback Player of the Year

I would say my comeback and most improved would be Hasheem Thabeet, because he was drafted number two, or something crazy high, so his value wasn’t put in the right constraints. I think people were expecting too much because he was the number two pick, so the last three years it seems as if he was just fizzling out and now it seems that he can come off the bench for OKC and fulfill the potential of just who he is and not of a number that he was picked. He’s my comeback or most improved this year.

Coach of the Year

I think I’m going to have to say Mark Jackson, just because nobody expected Golden State to be this good. I mean, they’ve beaten some really good teams and I still don’t know if they can keep it up, but I’m going to have to go with Golden State.

Team of the First Half

I still would have to say OKC. I think OKC had the best start of the season, and, even though they’ve had some ups and downs, I think they’ve been the most consistent of the good teams out there.

Who Turns it Around?

Well, I’ll tell you who won’t – The Boston Celtics, they’re done. I think they’re in a freefall like the X-Games right now. They don’t know what’s going on, and they’re going to have to figure it out in midair. When you lose your best player and your leader at the same time and you have an old team – I just don’t see how they’re going to bounce out of it. They play tough and they play hard and they’re defensive but I don’t see how they can come out of this one. I’ll say Chicago. If Derek Rose comes back and they’re great like they are, they could turn it around the most, and I also think you always have to watch out for George Karl’s team. These guys are just getting to know each other and play together so I wouldn’t be surprised if they made a run towards the playoffs.

Finals Prediction

I think it’s going to be OKC and Miami again. I’m going to go with OKC to win. I think that OKC really can win this year.

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