Spencer Dinwiddie finds himself among the Associations elite!
The second annual NBA Awards show will occur on Monday, June 25th. The NBA revealed the finalists for each award to garner excitement. As the names were uncloaked to the masses, consider everyone’s excitement duly garnered. Six of these larger awards will be distributed with three nominees per award. Finalists for each award is detailed below including one category with Brooklyn Nets own Spencer Dinwiddie in the mix.
Most Valuable:
NBA Most Valuable Player finalists are a trio of expected nominees. Leader of the winningest team of the 2017-18 NBA season James Harden (Houston Rockets). Late season surger Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans. And, consensus best player in the world LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Rookies:
The NBA Rookie of the Year finalists could each make an argument to win. Ultra-versatile passing wizard Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers. Leading scorer of a 48 win Western Conference Semifinalist team Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz. And, sweet-shooting starter on an Eastern Conference Finalist team Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.
Defenders:
NBA Defensive Player of the Year finalists are perhaps the first player to win MVP an DPOY in the same season since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1993-94 Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans, sophomore star swatter Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, and last year’s Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz.
6th Man:
The Sixth Man finalists are two perennial favorites and past winners Lou Williams of the LA Clippers and Eric Gordon for the Houston Rockets. Joining them is a first time candidate and only one of the trio who subbed into games as a reserve in 100 percent of his games. Fred VanVleet of the Toronto Raptors captained arguably the best NBA reserve unit and gets the nod for his actions.
Coaches:
Coach of the Year finalists may have taken a while to decide in a year of stand out bench masters. Recently fired Dwane Casey of the Toronto Raptors is the front runner. Injury-ignoring Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics would likely be the favorite if voting occurred today. And, Quin Snyder, director of the perimeter-revamped Utah Jazz and navigator of future All-Star Donovan Mitchell.
Spencer Dinwiddie has arrived!
Most Improved:
The NBA Most Improved Player finalists are All-Star Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers, rangy defensive anchor Clint Capela of the Houston Rockets, and some no-name with a 70s blaxploitation aesthetic in Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets.
Jokes aside, Spencer Dinwiddie wholly deserves the recognition for his breakout season on such a national platform. For those still in the dark on Dinwiddie’s progress, the four-year veteran from the University of Colorado took the reins of the Nets offense in the wake of severe injuries to the projected backcourt starters Jeremy Lin and D’Angelo Russell. Dinwiddie sparkled with a 22 point performance in a October 25th victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers and never looked back.
Spencer Dinwiddie ended the season with per game averages of 12.6 points and 6.6 assists. Additionally, Dinwiddie upped his minutes load to 28.8 per game. Even more impressive, Dinwiddie ended the season with an assist to turnover ratio over 4 to 1. Spencer showed more quickness off the dribble than in his Pistons stint. Dinwiddie combined that quickness with supreme patience for a deadly combination.
The Nets offense scored almost five points per 100 possessions better with Dinwiddie on the floor than with him warming the pine in 2017-18. As a player who faced a career-threatening ACL injury as a junior at Colorado and a player who had been traded and waived multiple times in his brief NBA career before sticking in Brooklyn, Spencer Dinwiddie has certainly earned the spotlight.