With the Playoffs kicking off and the conclusion of the season upon us, the NBA awards are soon to be given. 

The coach of the year candidates this season are Grizzlies coach Taylor Williams, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, and Suns coach Monty Williams. While all of these coaches have undoubtedly done great this season, one coach deserves this award more than any. Erik Spoelstra led the Miami Heat to a record of 53-29, winning the Eastern Conference. A sure Hall of Famer, Spoelstra has always been recognized as one of the league’s best. This year, his roster is highlighted by Jimmy Butler. While the team is in no way “flashy” they have everything it takes to win a championship. 

The Defensive Player of the year finalists this year are Mikal Bridges, Rudy Gobert, and Marcus Smart. As the best interior defender in the NBA, Rudy Gobert has been in this conversation every year since he entered the league in 2013. Marcus smart’s defensive abilities have been underrated for many seasons. As the glue of the 2nd seeded Celtics, he has been on showcase this season and has emerged as one of the premier perimeter defenders in the NBA. Mikal Bridges is given the duty of guarding the best player on the opposing team for the suns most of the time. His defense has always been glorified but hasn’t been recognized this highly. This year, I think Rudy Gobert will bring home his 4th DPOY award this season due to his interior impact. 

The sixth man of the year is given to the best player who comes off the bench for a majority of the games during the season. This year’s nominees are Tyler Herro, Cam Johnson, and Kevin Love. Tyler Hero is the clear winner here in my opinion. The award is traditionally given to a scoring machine that is a spark off the bench, such as Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams. Tyler Herro fits this narrative perfectly as he was the second-leading scorer for the heat on the season averaging just over 20 points per game. Additionally, grabbing 5 rebounds and dishing out 4 assists. 

The NBA MVP award is one of the most debated awards in sports over the year, with so many factors contributing to the winning nominee. This year’s nominees are Nikola Jokic, Giannas Antetokonumpo, and Joel Embiid. Jokic, coming off of an MVP just last season, is one of the best players in the world. With arguably the best stat line in the NBA putting up 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists, the Serbian is arguably the best offensive center in NBA history. Giannas’ dominance over the last few seasons is the reason he is on this list. Winning two MVP awards in a row before Jokic won last season, Antetokonumpo averaged 29.9 points per game this season along with 11.6 rebounds. The Euro step Giannas Has perfected is nearly impossible to stop. Fouling him has worked in the past but he has refined his free throw shot, it is no longer a viable option to stop him. Embiid was the league leader in points at 30.6, followed up by boards. The biggest debate about this award is how much the team’s success impacts who wins. While all three of the candidates are in the playoffs, the Bucks and 76ers are tied at 51 wins while the Nuggets only have 48. The other thing to note is the players surrounding the given player. This, in my opinion, is where Jokic edges out the rest. Giannas has Middleton and Jrue Holiday, Embiid has Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris, Jokic has Monte Morris and Will Barton. Leading the nuggets to 48 wins and the 6th seed in the playoffs is something neither of the other candidates could’ve done. While other players you could argue are “better” no one in the NBA is more valuable than Nikola Jokic.