The NBA award ceremony was held last night in New York City. With the NBA MVP, Rookie of the Year, and more on the line, here is a look at which players won the big awards and which ones left the ceremony short-handed.
A well-deserved prize for Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is the only player since Oscar Robertson that finished the regular NBA season by averaging a triple-double. Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game. He also set the new record for the number of triple-doubles in one season and he had the best PER (Player Efficiency Rating) in the league.
So, winning the MVP award was not surprising at all. Westbrook won the award behind the 69 votes, 47 more than James Harden, who finished in second place.
The final results of the MVP Race:
1. Russell Westbrook: 888 (69 first place votes)
2. James Harden: 753 (22 first place votes)
3. Kawhi Leonard: 500 (9 first place votes)
4. LeBron James: 333 (1 first place vote)
5. Isaiah Thomas: 81
6. Stephen Curry: 52
7. John Wall: 7
8. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 7
9. Anthony Davis: 2
10. Kevin Durant: 2
Brogdon wins "Rookie Of The Year" award
Malcolm Brogdon, the Milwaukee Bucks' point guard, won the "Rookie Of The Year" award. He finished in first place ahead of Philadephia's duo of Joel Embiid and Dario Saric. Brogdon averaged 10.2 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.8 rebounds on the season, as he helped his team advance to the playoffs.
He is now the lowest draft pick in the history of the league who won this award. Brogdon was the No.36 pick in the last year's NBA Draft.
The other NBA awards
Draymond Green, from the Golden State Warriors, won the "Defensive Player Of The Year" award. Green finally won this award after finishing in second place the past two seasons.
Eric Gordon, a shooting guard from the Houston Rockets, got the "Sixth Man Of The Year" award, after finishing the season with an average of 16.2 points per game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, a new Milwaukee star, won the "Most Improved Player Of The Year." He earned the award with an average of 23 points-per-game this season, five points more than he averaged last season.
Mike D'Antoni, the Houston Rockets' head coach, won the "Coach Of The Year" award, after leading his team to a 55-27 record in his first season with the team.
Victor Oladipo won the "Dunk Of The Year" while Kawhli Leonard got the "Block Of The Year" award. "Assist Of The Year" went to the Golden State Warriors trio of Draymond Green, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant. The "Performance Of The Year" award also went to the hands of a Golden State Warriors player. Klay Thompson earned it with a 60-point performance in just 29 minutes.