Wiretap: Durant to win ROY

[oakfanintheeast]

what a lame class. One dimensional players are reaping the benefits.

[NetsForce]

He had a fantastic second half of the season. Nearly 22 ppg on 48% shooting, that's solid.

[Baller 24]

It was a given. Although Hoford has helped the Hawks a lot, I think Durant deserved it from the start. Scoring 20 a game is pretty hard for rookies to do, but then again, he is the primary option on offense.

[theTHIEF]

I wanted Horford to get it but I knew it wouldn't happen...Very obvious months ago who was going to get this award...

[Typhoon20]

See, I'd have to disagree with this.

He played on a horrible team where he was given full control and he was hogging the ball as much as any other player, he shot the ball as much as he wanted so naturally his stats would look ''good''.

[Atlanta Hawk Fan]

Horford made a critical contribution to a team that needed him to make the playoffs for the first time in quite a while. He was certainly the most valuable rookie this year given his fantastic rebounding and clutch play in a system where he was given shots only after JJ, Bibby, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams. His scoring will significantly improve in the future which will help his All-Star chances.

The ROY was decided before the season started with the relative hype but at least Durant came on down the stretch hard to pad his numbers. I just can't be blown away with his 20ppg when you know that someone like Ron Mercer averaged 15ppg as a rookie (with a better FG%) when given the chance to shoot at will on a terrible team.

[Joseph17]

Durant deserved it. His potential is unlimited. If he keeps working on his game and adds some muscle, he's capable of becoming a superstar. Horford is capable of becoming an all-star but not a top 5 player imo. Durant did exactly what people expected him to do.

[yearsago]

See, I'd have to disagree with this.

He played on a horrible team where he was given full control and he was hogging the ball as much as any other player, he shot the ball as much as he wanted so naturally his stats would look ''good''.

Sounds like Melo and Lebron! Lets take away their ROY awards as well!

[Skar]

The whole ROY thing is rigged anyways. Horford was robbed.

[CBS7]

Horford would have had a chance if Durant stayed at the 38-39% he was shooting around the middle of the season, but he improved that enough to 43%, with some blazing efficiency down the stretch.

Sure, Horford was very valuable to a playoff team, but that isn't what decides ROY, and never was.

In 04-05 Okafor won it over the playoff bound Bulls' Ben Gordon, who was 2nd in the team in scoring and won several games with his clutch play.
In 03-04 LeBron won it over the playoff bound Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony who led the team in scoring and to the playoffs for the first time in 9 seasons.

There's probably several more. Durant put up impressive scoring stats for a rookie on a team where the next two options were Chris Wilcox and Earl Watson.

Sure he was pretty much given the green light as a rookie but it wasn't like he was shooting 20-25 times a game and shooting 35% to get his 20 points per game. He shot 17 times a game and shot a respectable 43%. Very good for a 19 year old rookie with virtually no offensive help whatsoever. Durant clearly deserved it in my opinion.

[CBS7]

See, I'd have to disagree with this.

He played on a horrible team where he was given full control and he was hogging the ball as much as any other player, he shot the ball as much as he wanted so naturally his stats would look ''good''.

You're making it sound like he shot every time he touched the ball and shot more then any other player in the NBA. He shot 17 times a game, not 25. Thats 15th in the NBA.

[Manhattan Project]

I had these two being co-rookies it seemed like the only way to be fair. Horford was rock solid the entire year and show no signs of slowing down. He helped his team reach the playoffs for the first time in a long time. Durant on the other hand played amazing down the stretch, had game winners and was extremely efficient. Though he struggled with the transition at first, you cant overlook what he did throughout the entire year either.

[King Roosk]

See, I think a lot of people get it confused. Whereas the modern MVP award factors in how the individual's team performs, I don't think the ROY is the same way.

CP3 and Kobe deserve the MVP over Lebron because both the Hornets and Lakers had MUCH better seasons than the Cavs did, and this is regardless of the fact that Lebron had better statistical season averages. That's because MVPs are (usually) seasoned veterans, and we know what they can individually do, but what makes them a legitimate MVP candidate is how well their individual production has enhanced the overall gameplay of their team. The ROY doesn't really factor in the team's production. The ROY is pretty much an award that rewards individual performance. Therefore, 20 ppg on 43% shooting with some very clutch shots/performances thrown in the mix will prevail over 10/10. Horford's been a very impressive rookie, but he doesn't have the weight of an entire franchise on his shoulders like Durant does. Durant is the main focus for the opposing defense every single game, and he defends the opposition's best player. Horford's been very impressive, but he's the 5th option on a pretty young and talented team. You can make an argument for either player I suppose, but in my personal opinion I think Durant has a stronger case.

[Typhoon20]

-= original quote snipped =-



Sounds like Melo and Lebron! Lets take away their ROY awards as well!

Only difference is Lebron made his team better, averaged 6 APG and led them to 35 wins (before Lebron joined they finished the previous season with 17 wins, that's 18+ more wins for the Cavs), 15 more than Durants Seattle. Durants Celtics did worse.

And since when did Melo get the ROY award ?




Lets look at their rookie numbers.


Durant : 20 PPG - 4 RPG - 2 APG

Seattle 20 wins 62 losses.



Lebron: 21 PPG - 6RPG - 6APG

Cleveland 35 wins 47 losses.



Carmelo (who didn't get it): 21 PPG - 6 RPG - 3 APG.

Denver 43 wins 39 losses.

[JoshB914]

This is simply an injustice. Anyone who's been watching the playoffs can see what Al has been doing all year. Too bad he's not on ESPN every 20 seconds. Durant won this award on hype and hype alone.

[Atlanta Hawk Fan]

Al was clearly the better rebounder, defender and more efficient scorer. Durant was clearly the better volume scorer. Which season do you think team's would add if they could just add one of those two to their roster for this year alone (i.e., which had the better rookie season)? IMO, it is Horford.

His rebound rate was really impressive this year. To see the impact of his rebounding, bear in mind that the last ROY to match or better his per36 rebounding was Shaq. Among the people who didn't: ROY Emeka Okafor; ROY Amare Stoudamire; ROY Pau Gasol; ROY Tim Duncan; and ROY Chris Webber. (Duncan and Okafor were very close but just short of his per36 rebound numbers).

[kandiking]

good for him. he deserved it.

[streetp0et]

on ESPN.com it said he's the first rookie to lead a team in scoring since Josh Childress and Emeka Okafor. Childress had a 10.1 ppg his rookie season, did he really lead Atlanta in scoring that year?

[richboy]

Horford rookie season is the most overrated season in the history of pro-basketball. He not even the best big man rookie candidate. He 10 and 10. He not 15 and 10. This has seriously been a joke. Horford per minute plays at the same rate as Shelden Williams. His only above average stat and his only above average aspect of his game right now is his rebounding. He is having a season compariable to some good role players. He pretty much on par with Nick Collison, Andris Biedrins, Udonis Haslem, Samuel Dalembert.

Durant is having a season compariable to all-star players. You can put Durant's numbers against Joe Johnson, Caron Butler, Michael Redd. He is better than Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen right now.

This is taking Durant's entire season. You take just the second half he playing like one of the top perimeter players in the league. 23 on near 50% shooting.

Now how can one guy be playing near the Hawks best player Joe Johnson but not be ROY over the Hawks 4th best player.

[Young_Star11]

Fair enough.

His post-ASG numbers were great, he was shooting much better, shot less three-pointers and improved his accuracy.

Expecting more of the same from him; a 26/5/3 season from him next season