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The Rules of Pacers Digest

Hello everyone,

Whether your are a long standing forum member or whether you have just registered today, it's a good idea to read and review the rules below so that you have a very good idea of what to expect when you come to Pacers Digest.

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Why do we do this? So that it's more difficult for spammers (be they human or robot) to post, and so users who are banned cannot immediately re-register and start dousing people with verbal flames.

Below are the rules of Pacers Digest. After you have read them, you will have a very good sense of where we are coming from, what we expect, what we don't want to see, and how we react to things.

Rule #1

Pacers Digest is intended to be a place to discuss basketball without having to deal with the kinds of behaviors or attitudes that distract people from sticking with the discussion of the topics at hand. These unwanted distractions can come in many forms, and admittedly it can sometimes be tricky to pin down each and every kind that can rear its ugly head, but we feel that the following examples and explanations cover at least a good portion of that ground and should at least give people a pretty good idea of the kinds of things we actively discourage:

"Anyone who __________ is a liar / a fool / an idiot / a blind homer / has their head buried in the sand / a blind hater / doesn't know basketball / doesn't watch the games"

"People with intelligence will agree with me when I say that __________"

"Only stupid people think / believe / do ___________"

"I can't wait to hear something from PosterX when he/she sees that **insert a given incident or current event that will have probably upset or disappointed PosterX here**"

"He/she is just delusional"

"This thread is stupid / worthless / embarrassing"

"I'm going to take a moment to point and / laugh at PosterX / GroupOfPeopleY who thought / believed *insert though/belief here*"

"Remember when PosterX said OldCommentY that no longer looks good? "

In general, if a comment goes from purely on topic to something 'ad hominem' (personal jabs, personal shots, attacks, flames, however you want to call it, towards a person, or a group of people, or a given city/state/country of people), those are most likely going to be found intolerable.

We also dissuade passive aggressive behavior. This can be various things, but common examples include statements that are basically meant to imply someone is either stupid or otherwise incapable of holding a rational conversation. This can include (but is not limited to) laughing at someone's conclusions rather than offering an honest rebuttal, asking people what game they were watching, or another common problem is Poster X will say "that player isn't that bad" and then Poster Y will say something akin to "LOL you think that player is good". We're not going to tolerate those kinds of comments out of respect for the community at large and for the sake of trying to just have an honest conversation.

Now, does the above cover absolutely every single kind of distraction that is unwanted? Probably not, but you should by now have a good idea of the general types of things we will be discouraging. The above examples are meant to give you a good feel for / idea of what we're looking for. If something new or different than the above happens to come along and results in the same problem (that being, any other attitude or behavior that ultimately distracts from actually just discussing the topic at hand, or that is otherwise disrespectful to other posters), we can and we will take action to curb this as well, so please don't take this to mean that if you managed to technically avoid saying something exactly like one of the above examples that you are then somehow off the hook.

That all having been said, our goal is to do so in a generally kind and respectful way, and that doesn't mean the moment we see something we don't like that somebody is going to be suspended or banned, either. It just means that at the very least we will probably say something about it, quite possibly snipping out the distracting parts of the post in question while leaving alone the parts that are actually just discussing the topics, and in the event of a repeating or excessive problem, then we will start issuing infractions to try to further discourage further repeat problems, and if it just never seems to improve, then finally suspensions or bans will come into play. We would prefer it never went that far, and most of the time for most of our posters, it won't ever have to.

A slip up every once and a while is pretty normal, but, again, when it becomes repetitive or excessive, something will be done. Something occasional is probably going to be let go (within reason), but when it starts to become habitual or otherwise a pattern, odds are very good that we will step in.

There's always a small minority that like to push people's buttons and/or test their own boundaries with regards to the administrators, and in the case of someone acting like that, please be aware that this is not a court of law, but a private website run by people who are simply trying to do the right thing as they see it. If we feel that you are a special case that needs to be dealt with in an exceptional way because your behavior isn't explicitly mirroring one of our above examples of what we generally discourage, we can and we will take atypical action to prevent this from continuing if you are not cooperative with us.

Also please be aware that you will not be given a pass simply by claiming that you were 'only joking,' because quite honestly, when someone really is just joking, for one thing most people tend to pick up on the joke, including the person or group that is the target of the joke, and for another thing, in the event where an honest joke gets taken seriously and it upsets or angers someone, the person who is truly 'only joking' will quite commonly go out of his / her way to apologize and will try to mend fences. People who are dishonest about their statements being 'jokes' do not do so, and in turn that becomes a clear sign of what is really going on. It's nothing new.

In any case, quite frankly, the overall quality and health of the entire forum's community is more important than any one troublesome user will ever be, regardless of exactly how a problem is exhibiting itself, and if it comes down to us having to make a choice between you versus the greater health and happiness of the entire community, the community of this forum will win every time.

Lastly, there are also some posters, who are generally great contributors and do not otherwise cause any problems, who sometimes feel it's their place to provoke or to otherwise 'mess with' that small minority of people described in the last paragraph, and while we possibly might understand why you might feel you WANT to do something like that, the truth is we can't actually tolerate that kind of behavior from you any more than we can tolerate the behavior from them. So if we feel that you are trying to provoke those other posters into doing or saying something that will get themselves into trouble, then we will start to view you as a problem as well, because of the same reason as before: The overall health of the forum comes first, and trying to stir the pot with someone like that doesn't help, it just makes it worse. Some will simply disagree with this philosophy, but if so, then so be it because ultimately we have to do what we think is best so long as it's up to us.

If you see a problem that we haven't addressed, the best and most appropriate course for a forum member to take here is to look over to the left of the post in question. See underneath that poster's name, avatar, and other info, down where there's a little triangle with an exclamation point (!) in it? Click that. That allows you to report the post to the admins so we can definitely notice it and give it a look to see what we feel we should do about it. Beyond that, obviously it's human nature sometimes to want to speak up to the poster in question who has bothered you, but we would ask that you try to refrain from doing so because quite often what happens is two or more posters all start going back and forth about the original offending post, and suddenly the entire thread is off topic or otherwise derailed. So while the urge to police it yourself is understandable, it's best to just report it to us and let us handle it. Thank you!

All of the above is going to be subject to a case by case basis, but generally and broadly speaking, this should give everyone a pretty good idea of how things will typically / most often be handled.

Rule #2

If the actions of an administrator inspire you to make a comment, criticism, or express a concern about it, there is a wrong place and a couple of right places to do so.

The wrong place is to do so in the original thread in which the administrator took action. For example, if a post gets an infraction, or a post gets deleted, or a comment within a larger post gets clipped out, in a thread discussing Paul George, the wrong thing to do is to distract from the discussion of Paul George by adding your off topic thoughts on what the administrator did.

The right places to do so are:

A) Start a thread about the specific incident you want to talk about on the Feedback board. This way you are able to express yourself in an area that doesn't throw another thread off topic, and this way others can add their two cents as well if they wish, and additionally if there's something that needs to be said by the administrators, that is where they will respond to it.

B) Send a private message to the administrators, and they can respond to you that way.

If this is done the wrong way, those comments will be deleted, and if it's a repeating problem then it may also receive an infraction as well.

Rule #3

If a poster is bothering you, and an administrator has not or will not deal with that poster to the extent that you would prefer, you have a powerful tool at your disposal, one that has recently been upgraded and is now better than ever: The ability to ignore a user.

When you ignore a user, you will unfortunately still see some hints of their existence (nothing we can do about that), however, it does the following key things:

A) Any post they make will be completely invisible as you scroll through a thread.

B) The new addition to this feature: If someone QUOTES a user you are ignoring, you do not have to read who it was, or what that poster said, unless you go out of your way to click on a link to find out who it is and what they said.

To utilize this feature, from any page on Pacers Digest, scroll to the top of the page, look to the top right where it says 'Settings' and click that. From the settings page, look to the left side of the page where it says 'My Settings', and look down from there until you see 'Edit Ignore List' and click that. From here, it will say 'Add a Member to Your List...' Beneath that, click in the text box to the right of 'User Name', type in or copy & paste the username of the poster you are ignoring, and once their name is in the box, look over to the far right and click the 'Okay' button. All done!

Rule #4

Regarding infractions, currently they carry a value of one point each, and that point will expire in 31 days. If at any point a poster is carrying three points at the same time, that poster will be suspended until the oldest of the three points expires.

Rule #5

When you share or paste content or articles from another website, you must include the URL/link back to where you found it, who wrote it, and what website it's from. Said content will be removed if this doesn't happen.

An example:

If I copy and paste an article from the Indianapolis Star website, I would post something like this:

http://www.linktothearticlegoeshere.com/article
Title of the Article
Author's Name
Indianapolis Star

Rule #6

We cannot tolerate illegal videos on Pacers Digest. This means do not share any links to them, do not mention any websites that host them or link to them, do not describe how to find them in any way, and do not ask about them. Posts doing anything of the sort will be removed, the offenders will be contacted privately, and if the problem becomes habitual, you will be suspended, and if it still persists, you will probably be banned.

The legal means of watching or listening to NBA games are NBA League Pass Broadband (for US, or for International; both cost money) and NBA Audio League Pass (which is free). Look for them on NBA.com.

Rule #7

Provocative statements in a signature, or as an avatar, or as the 'tagline' beneath a poster's username (where it says 'Member' or 'Administrator' by default, if it is not altered) are an unwanted distraction that will more than likely be removed on sight. There can be shades of gray to this, but in general this could be something political or religious that is likely going to provoke or upset people, or otherwise something that is mean-spirited at the expense of a poster, a group of people, or a population.

It may or may not go without saying, but this goes for threads and posts as well, particularly when it's not made on the off-topic board (Market Square).

We do make exceptions if we feel the content is both innocuous and unlikely to cause social problems on the forum (such as wishing someone a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter), and we also also make exceptions if such topics come up with regards to a sports figure (such as the Lance Stephenson situation bringing up discussions of domestic abuse and the law, or when Jason Collins came out as gay and how that lead to some discussion about gay rights).

However, once the discussion seems to be more/mostly about the political issues instead of the sports figure or his specific situation, the thread is usually closed.

Rule #8

We prefer self-restraint and/or modesty when making jokes or off topic comments in a sports discussion thread. They can be fun, but sometimes they derail or distract from a topic, and we don't want to see that happen. If we feel it is a problem, we will either delete or move those posts from the thread.

Rule #9

Generally speaking, we try to be a "PG-13" rated board, and we don't want to see sexual content or similarly suggestive content. Vulgarity is a more muddled issue, though again we prefer things to lean more towards "PG-13" than "R". If we feel things have gone too far, we will step in.

Rule #10

We like small signatures, not big signatures. The bigger the signature, the more likely it is an annoying or distracting signature.

Rule #11

Do not advertise anything without talking about it with the administrators first. This includes advertising with your signature, with your avatar, through private messaging, and/or by making a thread or post.
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Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

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  • Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba...?sct=uk_t11_a0


    With the 2012-13 season at the halfway mark, SI.com's NBA writers make their picks for the league's top performers. The MVP and Coach of the Year races have produced the most disagreement at the top, while clear favorites have emerged for Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man Award, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player. Read on for all of the selections. (All stats and records are through Jan. 22.)

    NBA Midseason Awards
    MVP


    Paul Top 5
    Chris Paul
    Kevin Durant
    LeBron James
    Tim Duncan
    Carmelo Anthony
    Ian Thomsen
    No leaders have squeezed more out of their teams than Paul and Durant. Paul has transformed the Clippers, while Durant has kept the Thunder focused on winning the championship despite the stunning trade of James Harden. I still think James is going to win this award for the fourth time in five years, based on the likelihood that Miami will peak over the second half. Duncan, at age 36, has been the most effective and important big man in the NBA. Next leadership assignment for Anthony: Coax All-Star production from Amar'e Stoudemire.

    Paul Top 5
    Chris Paul
    LeBron James
    Kevin Durant
    Carmelo Anthony
    Tim Duncan
    Lee Jenkins
    Thirty-six players score more points per game than Paul, but none makes a bigger impact on his team. The Clippers have morphed from the laughingstock of the NBA to the envy of the league and their stunning transformation began the moment they acquired Paul. He has remade the entire franchise, at times appearing as a de facto coach and general manager, along with leader and finisher. He is logging the fewest minutes of his career, but making them count, ranking second in assists and first in steals and creating an environment where no fewer than 10 capable teammates sacrifice for the Clips' cause.

    Durant Top 5
    Kevin Durant
    LeBron James
    Chris Paul
    Zach Randolph
    Carmelo Anthony
    Chris Mannix
    Putting aside the numbers -- and they're up in virtually every statistical category -- Durant's biggest achievement this season has been keeping the Thunder at the top of the Western Conference despite Harden's absence. It's no slight on LeBron, who is having another, well, LeBron-like season. But Durant's superior play -- he's on pace for the coveted season of shooting 50 percent from the floor, 40 percent from three-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line -- and that the Thunder are on top of a much tougher conference gives KD the edge.

    Durant Top 5
    Kevin Durant
    LeBron James
    Chris Paul
    Carmelo Anthony
    Tim Duncan
    Ben Golliver
    Durant and James have turned in A-plus seasons, but the separating factor in this neck-and-neck race has been the Thunder's league-best start. Oklahoma City is in the middle of one of the most statistically dominant seasons of the last decade, thanks to the No. 1 offense in the league and a much-improved defense that has joined the league's elite. Durant's stats (29.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.2 blocks) are pure silliness, and his shooting numbers are borderline incomprehensible. He's a threat to join the rare 50/40/90 club even though he's on pace to take more than 1,600 shots, and he's already challenging Kobe Bryant for the "best scorer since Jordan" title. This isn't the same man who lost to the Heat last June.

    James Top 5
    LeBron James
    Kevin Durant
    Chris Paul
    Carmelo Anthony
    Kobe Bryant
    Rob Mahoney
    It's to the tremendous credit of the field that this is even a conversation, but let's not kid ourselves: LeBron James is still the best basketball player on the planet, and he's in the midst of another do-no-wrong regular season. He leads the league in Player Efficiency Rating while keeping the best team in the East (and a presumptive title favorite, warts and all) on course. His effective field-goal percentage (58.6) is a career best, thanks largely to significant improvements in his perimeter shooting. He's an all-world defender, one of the best playmakers in the league and a score-at-will threat. One could cobble together a case for another candidate, but James' comprehensive résumé speaks rather decisively for itself.



    Rookie of the Year


    Lillard Top 3
    Damian Lillard
    Anthony Davis
    Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
    Ian Thomsen
    Lillard has been a revelation while driving the surprising Trail Blazers into playoff contention. All of a sudden LaMarcus Aldridge has a fellow star to help him lead the Blazers into post-Greg Oden/Brandon Roy contention. Lillard and New Orleans' Davis are the two instant stars of this class, and they may yet engage in a terrific ROY race as long as Davis stays healthy. Charlotte's Kidd-Gilchrist has been the steadiest (and hardest-working player) of the other rookies, with a ready-made talent for producing across the board.

    Lillard Top 3
    Damian Lillard
    Anthony Davis
    Andre Drummond
    Lee Jenkins
    This race will get closer, as Davis distances himself from the ankle injury that hampered his first half, but it will be hard to catch Lillard. Most rookie point guards are tantalizing in some areas, terrible in others, but after four years at Weber State, Lillard has few holes in his offensive game. He is rejuvenating the Blazers by scoring like a lead guard, setting up Aldridge on pick-and-rolls and sinking the late-game shots that so many rookies are reluctant to take.

    Lillard Top 3
    Damian Lillard
    Bradley Beal
    Dion Waiters
    Chris Mannix
    How many writers desperately wanted to put Lillard -- a monster scorer in college who was already adept at the pick-and-roll -- at the top of their preseason Rookie of the Year ballot, only to be scared off by the looming presence of Davis? I did. Lillard is a dynamic scoring point guard with the savvy under pressure that belies his experience. The Wizards have a very good player in Beal, but this award is Lillard's to lose.

    Lillard Top 3
    Damian Lillard
    Anthony Davis
    Andre Drummond
    Ben Golliver
    Lillard hasn't been perfect, but he's been very productive and, most important, he's played a lot more than his top competition. He is averaging 38.5 minutes and has started all 41 of Portland's games; Davis has missed 13 games because of injury and Drummond inexplicably has played fewer than 20 minutes a night. Lillard has made the most of his giant opportunity, keeping Portland near .500 while asserting himself late in games and running an offense that ranks in the league's top half. His defense leaves much to be desired, and he'll need to get to the free-throw line more often, but he's exceeded all reasonable expectations this season.

    Lillard Top 3
    Damian Lillard
    Anthony Davis
    Andre Drummond
    Rob Mahoney
    An open-and-shut case in a year of close calls. Lillard's emergence is the biggest reason why the Blazers' record is dramatically better than expected, and his offensive game is every bit as good as advertised. What's most striking about Lillard is how comfortable he is in almost any given situation; he thrives against double teams, against the clock, going left, going right, at the rim and from the perimeter. His scoring instincts are incredibly sophisticated for a rookie guard, and though his defense can be disastrous at times, that's to be expected from a first-year player adapting to the NBA game.



    Sixth Man Award


    Crawford Top 3
    Jamal Crawford
    J.R. Smith
    Manu Ginobili
    Ian Thomsen
    The Clippers' Crawford and the Knicks' Smith are engaged in a strong two-man race, as each has been crucial to his team's rise in the conference standings. Crawford gets the edge because he is the better playmaker and provides more reliable leadership, even though Smith has been producing his steadiest season to date. Ginobili's recent hamstring injury threatens to drop him out of contention, which would enable Jarrett Jack (Warriors), Kevin Martin (Thunder), Andre Miller (Nuggets) and Ray Allen (Heat) to move up the ranks.

    Crawford Top 3
    Jamal Crawford
    J.R. Smith
    Kevin Martin
    Lee Jenkins
    Last year, Paul and Blake Griffin were worn down by the Western Conference semifinals, giving the Clippers the impetus to build their bench. They courted Crawford, who was coming off his worst season in almost a decade, and he has been on a hot streak ever since. Among the best one-on-one players in the NBA, Crawford provides instant offense, and he makes the Clippers' second unit as prolific as some starting fives. It's not uncommon to see the Clips' reserves close games while the starters stand and cheer.

    Crawford Top 3
    Jamal Crawford
    Kevin Martin
    J.R. Smith
    Chris Mannix
    If Crawford had been a sixth man his whole career, we might be talking about one of the best ever. He's uniquely suited for the role, with the size, scoring and ball-handling skills, along with an ability to play two positions, and he is now the leader of the NBA's best bench. Martin has eased concerns about the loss of Harden, while a more mature Smith has become a go-to guy in New York.

    Martin Top 3
    Kevin Martin
    Jarrett Jack
    J.R. Smith
    Ben Golliver
    How do you prefer your bench production? Flashy like Crawford? Up and down (with some huge ups) like Smith? Steady and heady like Jack? I'll go with the (relatively) vanilla and uber-efficient Martin, who is averaging 15 points in his first season with the Thunder. Martin uses just 10 shots a game to get his points and he's shooting 43.5 percent from deep, an essential task given the Thunder's need to keep the floor spaced for Durant and Russell Westbrook. Oklahoma City undoubtedly puts its players in a position to succeed better than just about any other franchise, but Martin's smooth transition after an unexpected trade by the Rockets is worthy of individual recognition.

    Jack Top 3
    Jarrett Jack
    Jamal Crawford
    J.R. Smith
    Rob Mahoney
    Any of the top candidates would make for a worthy winner. Jack is my preference, largely because he brings impressive production to a role of high importance. He anchors the second unit, sure, but the Warriors trust Jack to initiate the offense at the most vital moments, even, at times, moving Stephen Curry off the ball alongside Jack. The 29-year-old Jack comes off the bench, but he's far more than a sub or a spot scorer; he's the player the Warriors turn to when they're in need of stability, and Jack's incredible success in that capacity should more than validate his placement at the top of these rankings.



    Coach of the Year


    Thibodeau Top 3
    Tom Thibodeau
    Mark Jackson
    Frank Vogel

    Ian Thomsen
    Despite a weakened bench, Thibodeau has kept Chicago in contention while waiting for the return of Derrick Rose. Jackson has positioned the surprising Warriors (minus Andrew Bogut) to earn a playoff spot for just the second time in 19 years. When Vogel's Pacers struggled to score in the absence of Danny Granger, he turned them into the league's best defensive team while liberating Paul George to become a star. I could name at least 10 other coaches who deserve consideration, but the ballot limits me to just these three.

    Brooks Top 3
    Scott Brooks
    Frank Vogel
    Vinny Del Negro

    Lee Jenkins
    There's no way a team can benefit from trading James Harden, but the Thunder have arguably been better without their third star. First, Brooks guided a young locker room past the disappointment of losing part of its core. Then, he successfully ingratiated Kevin Martin into the bench role previously occupied by Harden. And now, the Thunder looks as potent as ever, with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook growing into better all-around players and Serge Ibaka emerging as a more effective scorer.

    Woodson Top 3
    Mike Woodson
    Mark Jackson
    Scott Brooks

    Chris Mannix
    Woodson has tailored an effective offense around Anthony and a bunch of three-point shooters, developed J.R. Smith like no other coach has and instilled a defensive mindset into a group of largely weak defenders. Credit Jackson for turning the Andrew Bogut-less Warriors into a solid defensive team, too, while the even-keeled Brooks survived a seismic roster-altering trade without missing a beat.

    Woodson Top 3
    Mike Woodson
    Gregg Popovich
    Frank Vogel

    Ben Golliver
    Here's a partial list of Woodson's qualifications: 1. The 25-14 Knicks are leading their division and have dramatically exceeded preseason expectations. 2. He's gotten the most out of his best player, Carmelo Anthony, and constructed an offense around him that currently ranks No. 3 in the NBA. 3. He's flawlessly navigated a touchy situation by shifting Anthony's position and moving Stoudemire to the bench. 4. He's tapped into the good side of J.R. Smith and maximized his potential. 5. He's created a culture of unselfishness, with help from Jason Kidd, that has produced some of the best ball movement in the league. What more do you want?

    Jackson Top 3
    Mark Jackson
    Frank Vogel
    Terry Stotts

    Rob Mahoney
    There wasn't anything special or unique about Jackon's first year at the helm in Golden State, but since then, with the time to hone his strategy and the training camp and practices necessary to get his team on message, he's pulled off one of the more surprising feats in the NBA. The Warriors were pegged for defensive improvement once Andrew Bogut returned to the court, but Jackson's team didn't bother waiting -- they currently rank 12th in the league in points allowed per possession, up from 27th last year without any noteworthy defensive additions. I credit Jackson and his staff, who have been clever and adaptable in making the most out of limited defensive resources.

    Defensive Player of the Year


    Ibaka Top 3
    Serge Ibaka
    Joakim Noah
    Tony Allen

    Ian Thomsen
    Ibaka blocks shots and rotates to cover all types of threats for one of the league's top defensive units -- and he does so at a level that has helped lead the Thunder to one NBA Finals and positioned them to reach another this June. Noah has anchored the Bulls' defense in the absence of Rose and other important pieces. Allen is the league's best perimeter defender and, considering that the league's best players operate closer to the three-point line than the paint, he could win the award if he played more minutes.

    Noah Top 3
    Joakim Noah
    Tony Allen
    Andre Iguodala

    Lee Jenkins
    The Bulls perennially rank in the top three in opposing field goal percentage and it can't just be because Tom Thibodeau is smarter than everybody else. Thibodeau has the luxury of a few defenders who are above average and one who is exceptional. Noah is the prototypical big man for the pick-and-roll era, long and active, quick enough to harass guards and scramble back to recover against centers. Even without Derrick Rose, the Bulls are within striking distance in the East, thanks to all of Noah's dirty work.

    Noah Top 3
    Joakim Noah
    Larry Sanders
    Chris Paul

    Chris Mannix
    Tom Thibodeau deserves credit for his defensive system but it's Noah, like Kevin Garnett in Boston, that is the lynchpin of the defense. This season, Noah is averaging a career-best in blocks (2.1) while contesting countless other shots on Chicago's No. 3 ranked defense. Sanders has kept Milwaukee in the middle of the pack defensively despite a pair of average defending guards, while Paul has emerged as a physical defender at the point guard spot.

    Noah Top 3
    Joakim Noah
    Paul George
    Serge Ibaka

    Ben Golliver
    The NBA's three best defenses -- Indiana, Memphis and Chicago -- boast a number of excellent individual defenders, making this a very difficult choice. Noah seems to combine the best of his fellow defensive difference-makers. He plays huge minutes like Paul George and Luol Deng, he protects the paint like Marc Gasol and Roy Hibbert and he plays with endless energy like Tony Allen. The departure of Omer Asik has pushed Noah's playing time up to more than 38 minutes per game, and he's responded by averaging 12.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.3 steals. That the Bulls have remained near the top of the Central after losing several rotation pieces and playing the entire first half of the season without Derrick Rose only underscores Noah's impact.

    Noah Top 3
    Joakim Noah
    Kevin Garnett
    Marc Gasol

    Rob Mahoney
    This be the most difficult award race of all, with defensive impact almost impossible to divorce from team imperatives and teammate performance. Noah seems a fitting choice, though, as the agent of action in Tom Thibodeau's vaunted schemes. Maybe Noah wouldn't be quite as formidable without the benefit of this system, but the same could be said of Thibodeau's clever defensive framework. Noah is the kind of piece that makes the entire defense work, and that has smoothed the learning curve for the Bulls' new arrivals to the point that Chicago has maintained its standing as one of the top defenses in the league.

    Most Improved Player


    Paul George
    Serge Ibaka
    Greivis Vasquez
    Ian Thomsen

    George has emerged as a star at both ends of the floor -- and the transformation has happened throughout this season, driven by the Pacers need to replace the production of Danny Granger. After a 10-11 start, they're back in contention because of their 22-year-old wing man. The Thunder have overcome the loss of Harden because Ibaka has turned into a knockdown midrange shooter while continuing to build on his strengths defensively. Vasquez has almost doubled his assists to 9.2 per game (third-best in the NBA) while extending his three-point range and producing huge gains in points and rebounds.

    Paul George
    Jrue Holiday
    J.J. Hickson

    Lee Jenkins
    Holiday has taken the bigger leap statistically, with massive improvement in almost every major category, inching him toward the point guard elite. But George has kept the Pacers near the top of the Eastern Conference despite a horrendous start and an injury to Danny Granger that threatened to derail them. Not only has George become a more consistent scorer and rebounder, he sets the tone for the Pacers top-ranked defense, smothering many of the league's transcendent wings.

    Paul George
    J.J. Hickson
    Omer Asik

    Indiana was in trouble when Danny Granger went down. That is until George, 22, morphed into a go-to scorer. There were flashes of this emergence last season but George -- an improved defender to boot -- has exceeded expectations. Hickson has been a surprise double-double machine in Portland, while Asik has added a little offense to his already strong defense and rebounding.

    Blatche Top 3
    Andray Blatche
    Jrue Holiday
    Larry Sanders

    Ben Golliver
    Last season, Blatche was sent home by the Wizards, one of the worst teams in the NBA, because he was out of shape. Over the summer, he was released by those same Wizards using the amnesty clause because he was, presumably, not worth working back into shape. He then waited, and waited, for the phone to ring, before working out with John Lucas to rehabilitate his body, his game and -- most importantly -- his image. The Nets finally threw him a lifeline. How did he respond? By averaging 11 points and 5.9 rebounds in 20.3 minutes and posting a 23.44 PER that currently ranks No. 8 in the league. Yes, Blatche is an unorthodox candidate because he tanked his own career before resuscitating it, but how can a player possibly improve more than this? Unfortunately, his embarrassing off-court decision-making has not shown similar progress.

    Kevin Durant
    Greivis Vasquez
    Andray Blatche
    Hear me out. Improvement in the NBA is often assumed to be a linear progression, but it's really almost logarithmic. Once the production starts to pile up, it gets harder and harder for good players to become great, and great players to become legendary. Yet Durant has managed to climb that slope with an incredible ease, and is shockingly close to LeBron James at the NBA's summit. James Harden's departure has been a complete non-issue for Oklahoma City, in part because Durant has become so much more comfortable as a ball-handler. His court awareness has dramatically improved, and he's begun to make the kinds of next-level passes reserved only for elite playmakers. His individual and team defense are both better than ever, and his specific chemistry with his teammates on that end has also improved. All of this on top of a famed 50-40-90 season and a 29.15 PER. Even if we expected Durant to be this good eventually, no one could have reasonably expected him to make these kinds of improvements in a single bound.
    Sittin on top of the world!

  • #2
    Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

    Cracked me up: PG's picture on the webpage with "Sixth Man of the Year" award above it... Haha.

    HEY! BIG MEDIA MARKETS:

    HE'S A STARTER!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

      So does Ben Golliver think that "improving" means "getting in shape?" Using the rationale that Blatche deserves it, because he got himself into shape is funny.
      Just because you're offended, doesn't mean you're right.” ― Ricky Gervais.

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      • #4
        Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

        I hope George doesn't win MIP. Whenever a player wins MIP he gets injured, starts sucking or gets traded. I don't want either of that to happen. MIP award is cursed
        Originally posted by Piston Prince
        Bobcat fans telling us to cheer up = epic fail season
        "Josh Smith Re-building the city of Detroit one brick at a time"

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

          Originally posted by Since86 View Post
          So does Ben Golliver think that "improving" means "getting in shape?" Using the rationale that Blatche deserves it, because he got himself into shape is funny.
          Blatche as a most improved is ridiculous. How is Jrue Holiday not on everyone's list? Give me a break.
          First time in a long time, I've been happy with the team that was constructed, and now they struggle. I blame the coach.

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          • #6
            Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

            Originally posted by MyFavMartin View Post
            Cracked me up: PG's picture on the webpage with "Sixth Man of the Year" award above it... Haha.

            HEY! BIG MEDIA MARKETS:

            HE'S A STARTER!
            Glad, I wasn't the only one who noticed that. It's since been fixed.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

              I agree with the idea that the MIP is cursed. I really hope he just gets the all star bid and a few looks at DPoY. I don't remember the last time the MIP went on to a good career.

              Edit: I just looked up the recipients of the award and while I was surprised by some of the big names but even them never panned out as they could or did catch a bad case of the injury bug.
              Last edited by Mr.Hinds; 01-23-2013, 01:13 PM.
              "There is a time to play and a time to win. It is what you do during winning time that differentiates the average players from stars."

              ~Ahmad Rashad~

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              • #8
                Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

                Originally posted by Mr.Hinds View Post
                I agree with the idea that the MIP is cursed. I really hope he just gets the all star bid and a few looks at DPoY. I don't remember the last time the MIP went on to a good career.
                Danny Granger, Kevin Love, Zach Randolph.
                Never half-a** two things. Whole-a** one thing.

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                • #9
                  Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

                  Originally posted by CompACE View Post
                  Danny Granger, Kevin Love, Zach Randolph.
                  Don't forget Jermaine O'neal

                  "I've got an idea--an idea so smart that my head would explode if I even began to know what I'm talking about." - Peter Griffin

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                  • #10
                    Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

                    Originally posted by CompACE View Post
                    Danny Granger, Kevin Love, Zach Randolph.
                    Z-Bo Got MIP @ 03-04. During 04-05 he got injured and started in only 37 games. When he was back healthy during 05-06 all his numbers dropped, especially his FG% (from 48.5% to 43.6% - As a power forward..). He also played for 4 different teams since the moment he won MIP till today.

                    Danny Granger: Went from being an extremely efficient volume scorer to a somewhat efficient "should be 2nd option" type of player. The year following the MIP year he also had that plantar fasciitis thing.

                    JO: Struggled with injuries that crippled his career which dropped his numbers & made him play on about 5 different teams

                    Other than Granger, all these guys got traded more than once, suffered injuries and had a drop in their numbers. And these are the GOOD cases of MIP. Most of the other guys aren't even starters in the league anymore. As for Love? He's shooting 35% from the field this season and is injured right now... MIP curse getting to him as well.

                    For me, the MIP will always be the "Player who got really nice numbers but isn't a real star" award.
                    Originally posted by Piston Prince
                    Bobcat fans telling us to cheer up = epic fail season
                    "Josh Smith Re-building the city of Detroit one brick at a time"

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

                      He's my most improved player award winner right now
                      Smothered Chicken!

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                      • #12
                        Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

                        PG is a lock for most improved. For one simple reason: Ryan Anderson as a member of the magic won last year. Oddly enough, every year a player from Orlando wins it, a pacer wins it the next year (cept '91 when Scotty Skiles won it).

                        1999 Darrell Armstrong
                        2000 Jalen Rose
                        2001 Tracy McGrady
                        2002 Jermaine O'Neal
                        2008 Hedo Turkeglu
                        2009 Danny Granger
                        2012 Ryan Anderson
                        2013 Paul George????
                        Last edited by Phree Refill; 01-23-2013, 03:30 PM.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

                          Can't complain with the Noah love for DPOY, as that man is a beast. Not another center I'd rather have in the league than Noah. But if George doesn't make 1st team all defense this year, that'd be an absolute shame.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

                            I don't agree with the idea of PG being most improved. He's seizing his potential and coming into his own. I'd prefer a guy who works his *** off and changes his career for the better in an observable way rather than naming the guy who non-fans have finally heard of or a guy who gets a bunch of new minutes.
                            You Got The Tony!!!!!!

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                            • #15
                              Re: Handing out awards at NBA's midway point- Paul george gettin some love

                              Roy not even considered for DPOY ? Are you kidding me?

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