The 3rd Annual Chocolate Puma Awards (NBA Edition)

My goodness what a load of craziness this past NBA season has been. Now as it winds down it is time for your favorite basketball fiend to give out his awards. So without further ado I present to you, the 3^rd annual Chocolate Puma Awards (NBA edition).

The 6^th Man of the Year aka The Ernie Isley Award:

James Harden, G : Oklahoma City Thunder- Before he was the victim of a Metta World Peace elbow he was the top scoring option off the bench for one of the league’s elite young teams. Averaging a shade under 17 points a game to go along with over 3.7 assists per game and 4 rebounds per game the bearded one would be a starter on most squads.

Rookie of the Year aka The Thomas Ian Nicholas Award (Google him)

Kyrie Irving, G: Cleveland Cavaliers- Did the electrifying guard from Duke make Cavs fans forget about Lebron? No. But he did give them reason to not abandon all hope for the future. I was wrong in my assessment he was going to be awful this season, although a lot of my initial observations were clouded by my hatred of Duke.

Most Improved Player of the Year aka The Leonardo Dicaprio Award

Much better representation of Bynum.

Andrew Bynum, C: LA Lakers- Yes like Dicaprio in ‘The Beach’ Bynum wasn’t awful but he certainly wasn’t anything to write home about. But like Dicaprio in ‘Inception’ he took his game to new heights improving his scoring by 7 points per game, rebounding by 3 per game and making the All-Star team. And to those screaming Jeremy Lin, shut up. Lin never got a chance to play before so he had nothing to improve upon.

Coach of the Year aka The Steven Soderberg Award

Greg Popovich: San Antonio Spurs- Who had the Spurs as the number one seed before the season began, raise your hand. I’ll wait. Nobody? Wow. He has taken a team with a few old guys, a bunch of young guys and masterfully balanced the hectic schedule resting the older players and getting the younger guys needed experience.

All Puma Squad: 1^st Team                                             All Puma 2^nd Team

PG: Chris Paul                                                              Tony Parker

SG: Kobe Bryant                                                          Dwayne Wade

SF: Lebron James                                                         Kevin Durant

PF: Kevin Love                                                             Blake Griffin

C: Dwight Howard                                                        Andrew Bynum

And now gang the moment you have all been waiting for. 

The Most Valuable Player also known as THE 3^RD ANNUAL CHOCOLATE PUMA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN THE FIELD OF EXCELLENCE.

Lebron James, SF: Miami Heat- This one pains me. I dislike the Miami Heat like no team in recent history and Lebron? Ugh. But damn it I gotta give props where it’s due. People can knock this guy for not taking over in the last minute but what they fail to bring up is that he has been giving it to his opponent for about 37-40 min at that point. A dominant scorer, pretty good on the glass and can guard anyone from a point guard to a power forward. A douche, but the most valuable player of the 2011-12 NBA season he most definitely is.

Ugh.