On Monday, the NBA unveiled the finalists for its seven major individual awards, including Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
And after several races came down to the end of the regular season — and after both the ROY and DPOY races were heavily affected by injuries — we’re asking our NBA experts to make their picks among the league’s top three finalists.
Will Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander break through for his first MVP, or could a late surge from the Denver Nuggets‘ Nikola Jokic be enough to give the superstar center his fourth award in five seasons?
And after San Antonio Spurs center and DPOY lock Victor Wembanyama was forced to sit out the rest of the season because of a blood clot in his shoulder, which player — Draymond Green, Evan Mobley, or Dyson Daniels — has the inside track at this season’s award?
Let’s get to our panel’s picks, starting at the top with MVP and finishing with the league’s Clutch Player of the Year.
MVP
Finalists
Chris Herring: Gilgeous-Alexander
Bobby Marks: Gilgeous-Alexander
Dave McMenamin: Gilgeous-Alexander
Ramona Shelburne: Gilgeous-Alexander
André Snellings: Jokic
Kevin Pelton: Gilgeous-Alexander
Jeremy Woo: Jokic
Defensive Player of the Year
Finalists
Chris Herring: Daniels
Bobby Marks: Daniels
Dave McMenamin: Daniels
Ramona Shelburne: Green
André Snellings: Green
Jeremy Woo: Mobley
Rookie of the Year
Finalists
Chris Herring: Castle
Bobby Marks: Risacher
Dave McMenamin: Castle
Ramona Shelburne: Castle
André Snellings: Castle
Kevin Pelton: Wells
Jeremy Woo: Risacher
Most Improved Player
Finalists
Chris Herring: Zubac
Bobby Marks: Daniels
Dave McMenamin: Zubac
Ramona Shelburne: Zubac
André Snellings: Zubac
Kevin Pelton: Cunningham
Jeremy Woo: Zubac
Sixth Man of the Year
Finalists
Chris Herring: Pritchard
Bobby Marks: Pritchard
Dave McMenamin: Pritchard
Ramona Shelburne: Beasley
André Snellings: Beasley
Kevin Pelton: Pritchard
Jeremy Woo: Pritchard
Coach of the Year
Finalists
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Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland Cavaliers
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J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit Pistons
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Ime Udoka, Houston Rockets
Chris Herring: Atkinson
Bobby Marks: Bickerstaff
Dave McMenamin: Atkinson
Ramona Shelburne: Bickerstaff
André Snellings: Atkinson
Kevin Pelton: Atkinson
Jeremy Woo: Atkinson
Clutch Player of the Year
Finalists
Chris Herring: Brunson
Bobby Marks: Brunson
Dave McMenamin: Jokic
Ramona Shelburne: Edwards
André Snellings: Jokic
Kevin Pelton: Brunson
Jeremy Woo: Brunson
