It’s award season, both in Hollywood and the NBA. And if I know anything about the NBA, it’s a lot like Hollywood – driven by characters, storylines and drama.
So rather than bore you with yet another column about who I would pick for my end-of-season awards (perhaps I’ll bore you with that closer to the end of the season), I decided to reflect on the season with some Hollywood-inspired NBA awards.
Best of the Best
Lead Actor: This is like the MVP, but instead of focusing on the vague idea of “valuable,” this goes to the player who best played his role as a No. 1 option. And it goes to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Not only is he putting together one of the most efficient-scoring seasons we’ve ever seen, but he’s doing it on a team without a true co-star. Jalen Williams has been hurt most of the season, and while we all like Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell, they aren’t true No. 2 options. Shai is carrying this group, so he’s the obvious pick for Lead Actor. (Note: Best Lead Actor won’t always be the same as the MVP favorite, but it is this year.)
Supporting Actor: This award goes to the best player who isn’t the No. 1 option on his team. Preseason favorites like Alperen Sengun, Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler have had forgettable seasons. LeBron is making a late run at this award, settling into his new supporting role next to Luka Doncic. Here’s a look at LeBron’s stat lines since he returned from injury and had a chat with coach JJ Redick about his new job duties.
• 18 points on 13 shots, 7 rebounds, 7 assists
• 17 points on 13 shots, 6 rebounds, 5 assists
• 18 points on 13 shots, 5 rebounds, 5 assists
• 30 points on 13 of 14 shooting
• 19 points on 8 of 12 shooting, 15 rebounds and 10 assists
LeBron is averaging 20 points on 65% shooting and the Lakers won every one of those games. But as much as I want to award LeBron, it’s a little late in the game.
So the award has to go to Jamal Murray, who made his first All-Star appearance in the midst of a career-best year. He’s never averaged more points (25.1) or assists (7.1), and, in some scenes, it’s unclear if he’s the supporting or lead actor.
Breakout Performance: Last year’s [hypothetical] winner, Tyrese Haliburton, provides the instructions for this award. It’s for someone we know is already good but then makes that quantum leap from “pretty good” to “Oh, we can win a title with this guy.” Congrats to Cade Cunningham! We all saw the potential with Cade, but were waiting on him to deliver. Well, he did. His eventual comeback from a collapsed lung sets the stage for a dramatic third act of his season.
Storytelling
Original Script: San Antonio Spurs. Have we ever seen a team built quite like this Spurs ensemble? A 7-foot-4 sea creature in the middle, surrounded by shooting wings and a bullpen of guards that thrive at driving to the basket. The closest comparison is the Dwight Howard-era Orlando Magic. That 2009 Finals team was built around Howard in the middle, long forwards who could stretch the floor and guards who could attack and get Howard the ball. But this Spurs team is something greater than that. Wembanyama stretches the floor in a way Howard never did, and guys like Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper have higher ceilings than Courtney Lee and Jameer Nelson. De’Aaron Fox would have been the best ball handler on those Magic teams (by far). Part of the reason this Spurs season feels so exciting is that it is so original.
Adapted Script: Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets are so much fun, but it does feel like a remake of something we’ve seen before. Hornets coach Charles Lee came from the Celtics coaching staff and is applying the same principles in Charlotte. Win the math game by hailing threes and winning the possession battle. The Hornets lifted the script from the Celtics, but are doing a bang-up job with it.
Most Valuable Narrative: This goes to the player whose case is most driven by story over stats, and it has to go to Jayson Tatum. This isn’t a shot! Tatum’s story is obviously incredible. Coming back 10 months after tearing his Achilles to average 20 points for what could be the best team in the East? That’s cinema. But it almost doesn’t matter what Tatum’s stats are going forward. The fact that he’s even here, doing this, looking the way he has, is enough to make this season a win.
The Franchise Reboot Award: This goes to the team that successfully reset its direction, and the winner is the Phoenix Suns. Somehow, someway, they revamped the roster after trading Kevin Durant and waiving Bradley Beal. They hired a new coach (Jordan Ott) and surrounded Devin Booker with a supporting cast, recasting Booker into the leading man he’s most comfortable being. Watching Booker play with Durant and Beal was like watching Vin Diesel, Jason Statham and The Rock take turns punching each other in a Fast & Furious movie. Now, Booker has top billing again and everyone knows the plot.
Technicals
Special Effects: Victor Wembanyama. Do I really need to explain this one?
Cinematography: This goes to the team that makes everything come together and plays a pleasing style of basketball. And the winner is the Miami Heat, who have somehow synthesized the NBA’s no. 1 team in pace and a top-five defense. The Heat aren’t a pleasing watch, per se, but they may be the most impressive given the style of play on both ends and the personnel.
Important Superlatives
The Timothee Chalamet Award: This goes to the most overconfident young man in the game. Congrats to Matas Buzelis! Here’s what Matas told team media before the season: “I always think like this, if somebody has done it, I can do it, too. If nobody has done it, I’ll be the first to do it.” He also said he wants to win Most Improved and make an All-Defense team and thinks he can emulate Tracy McGrady. Love the confidence.
Most Entertaining Defender: Dillon Brooks. Watching Brooks put his head into Wembanyama’s hip (and it work!) will never not be fun. Brooks also fights over every screen, gets involved in every scrap and might have invented taking a heat-check three after making a big defensive play.
Outstanding Guest Appearance: Bam Adebayo’s 83 point-game, something I’ve called the most improbable game in NBA history.
The Method Actor Award: This goes to the player fully committed to a role, and it’s Giannis. For years, Giannis has embodied the uber-competitive physical phenom combined with humility that echoes a previous generation of NBA star. But this season, he became something different. At 31, he’s trying to take his career into his own hands without seeming like he’s trying to take his career into his own hands. To be clear, it’s not working. Every interview he gives to “clear things up” only muddies the waters further. He’s gone to Jeremy Strong levels of Please Stop Talking. Poor Bucks fans are running out of ways to blame it all on Shams.
Most Likely to Win An Award Next Year: Castle. He could be nominated for Best Supporting, Most Entertaining Defender or even Breakout Performance.