NBA Awards Watch: Jimmy Butler Grabs Headlines
By Brad Rowland
Most Valuable Player
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors – The gap is smaller this week, but Stephen Curry still takes the top prize. The 26-year-old guard has been out-of-this-world good this season, averaging 23.1 points, 7.6 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game, but his efficiency remains the reason for this selection. Curry’s shooting line of 49% from the field, 39% from three, and 91% from the free throw line is comically insane, and when you add it up, he ranks among the NBA’s top-10 in PER, win shares, VORP, and plus-minus. It doesn’t hurt that Curry is the captain of the league’s best team, but when you combine his defensive improvements with his offensive impact, he is the choice.
- Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans – Davis has been the most dominant singular entity this season. The 21-year-old (!) leads the NBA in PER by a wide margin at 32.56 for the season, and if he could keep that number for the entirety of the campaign, Davis would set the league record for the statistic. The raw numbers are there as well, with 24.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game, and although his defense is probably overrated at this point, there is no question that he is impactful on that end of the floor at times. The Pelicans need to make the playoffs (and they are close at 15-15) for Davis to have a chance, but he’s right there.
- Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls – I’m aware that this seems crazy. As referenced previously, Jimmy Butler was a fringe starter last season, but now, he is the best player on a team that is arguably the favorite in the East. It is fair to say that Butler would not be featured here if the Bulls were not in the midst of a seven-game winning streak, but the numbers are in his favor as well. Butler is averaging 22.2 points and 6.2 rebounds this season with a 49/35/83 shooting line, and in terms of advanced numbers, Chicago’s star swingman ranks third in the NBA in win shares (behind only Davis and James Harden) and among the top-10 in both plus-minus and value over replacement player (VORP). There might be a regression coming that makes his inclusion look silly, but Jimmy Butler looks like a superstar to me.