Most Improved Player

Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)

Pre-season prediction: Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)

BAM!, and the shot is erased. BAM!, and the needle is threaded. BAM!, and the ball is dunked. BAM!, and the dirt is gone.

Bam Adebayo is, in another close race, the NBA's Most Improved player through the season's mid point. The 3rd year big is posting 15.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks. He's become the defensive fulcrum of the Heat, as expected. What wasn't anticipated, is Bam's offensive game, in particular his play making. His ability to handle the ball capably opens up his wonderful passing game. Adebayo leads the heat in WORP, and trails only resident top dog Jimmy Butler in Win Shares and PER.

Adebayo's versatility at both ends of the floor open up so much for Coach Erik Spoelstra. Bam is legitimate the 2nd best player on a team that could reach 60 wins.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Devonte' Graham and especially Brandon Ingram and Luka Doncic are all worthy contenders in this race.

6th Man of the Year

Dennis Schroder (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Pre-season prediction: Lou Williams (LA Clippers)

I'll be honest; at the start of the season, Dennis Schroder was not a name that crossed my mind for the 6th man award for even a second. Yet, here we are.

After a patchy start, the Thunder's 3 point guard line up – Schroder with Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – alongside Danilo Gallinari and Steven Adams has been fantastic. Of all lineups that have appeared in 20 or more games together, that lineup has by far the best net rating in the league at 31.4 – their offensive and defensive ratings are better than the best teams in the NBA.

Personally, the German is producing 18.2 points a game on a career high 36% shooting from beyond the arc.

The Thunder are a frighteningly thin team. They really only have 4 starters and Schroder that are above average NBA players. Oklahoma City's resurgence to playoff relevancy has a lot to do with Chris Paul's wizardry, SGA's ascendance and Billy Donovan's understated but brilliant coaching. You can't, however, ignore the much maligned Schroder and his contribution to this oddly constructed, yet highly effective team.

Coach of the Year

Frank Vogel (Los Angeles Lakers)

Pre-season prediction: Michael Malone (Denver Nuggets)

Who would have predicted that 5th Choice Frank would be our mid season Coach of the Year.

After a thoroughly underwhelming pair of seasons in Orlando led to Vogel spending the 2019 season out of work, Vogel wasn't really on the radar for a major NBA coaching gig.

After the Lakers ham-fisted negotiations with Monty Williams and Ty Lue, they basically settled for Vogel out of desperation. Then, rather than letting him choose his own assistants, he was given a staff without much consultation. This included the famously, uh, ambitious Jason Kidd. Given LeBron James' hold over the organisation, it appeared Vogel was brought in as nothing more than a puppet – a scapegoat in case things went pear shaped.

Instead, Vogel has led the Lakers to relevancy for the first time since the 2012 season. He's inspired career best defense out of Anthony Davis, has LeBron playing hard, after last seasons inconsistent efforts, and also has him totally invested in the team ethos, as evidenced by his gaudy assist numbers.

Vogel has also been able to mould his Island of Misfit Toys of a supporting cast into legitimate NBA depth. He has Dwight Howard playing the most mature basketball of his career!

On his podcast, the great Zach Lowe provided an insight into Vogel's mindset, in saying that Vogel saw the lay of the land and thought 'screw it'. If he was going to be a sacrificial lamb, he was doing it on his terms. He's coaching as though he has nothing to lose, and that abandonment of fear is reflected in his team.

 

At the beginning of the season, I also list my playoff teams in each conference. In the East, I went with:

Predictions                                                          Current standings

  1. Philadelphia 76ers                                         1. Milwaukee Bucks

  2. Milwaukee Bucks                                           2. Miami Heat

  3. Boston Celtics                                                3. Toronto Raptors

  4. Toronto Raptors                                             4. Boston Celtics

  5. Indiana Pacers                                               5. Indiana Pacers

  6. Orlando Magic                                               6. Philadelphia 76ers

  7. Brooklyn Nets                                                7. Orlando Magic

  8. Miami Heat                                                     8. Brooklyn Nets

 

I've managed to nail the 8 correctly (yay!), although the order could do with some work.

I clearly didn't see Miami being elite, nor expect the Sixers to struggle the way they have so far.

 

In the West:

Predictions                                                            Current table

  1. Denver Nuggets                                              1. LA Lakers

  2. Utah Jazz                                                        2. Denver Nuggets

  3. Houston Rockets                                             3. LA Clippers

  4. LA Clippers                                                      4. Utah Jazz

  5. Los Angeles Lakers                                         5. Dallas Mavericks

  6. Portland Trailblazers                                        6. Houston Rockets

  7. Golden State Warriors                                     7. Oklahoma City Thunder

  8. Dallas Mavericks                                             8. Memphis Grizzlies

 

This didn't go as well as in the East, did it.

Golden State are the obvious outlier. Their disastrous season has them at the foot of the NBA, rather than the foot of the playoff picture. Portland's injury crisis has seen them drop out of the 8, as well. The Lakers prediction was based on a healthy dose of load management for LeBron and a weak centre rotation, neither of which has come to pass. The Thunder's spot in the playoffs could be reasonably expected, given they've kept their veteran core together. However Memphis' rapid rise is something that I did not see coming. And as for Dallas, that Luka bloke is quite good, isn't he??