LAKE BUENA VISTA. – The race for the MVP NBA is over. As well as the battle for any other individual trophy of the 2019-2020 Regular Season.
The League told teams on Friday that none of the Orlando games will be considered for an award and that voting for honors such as All-NBA, Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, to be completed before the season restart on July 30 at Walt disney.
Those votes are generally cast near the end of the regular season. Therefore, postseason races still continue in many cases, but the individual prize chases are now complete.
“The decision to exclude seed games from award voting guarantees a fair process in which players and coaches from all 30 teams will have an equal opportunity to be honored as the best players in the regular season,” the NBA wrote in a memo sent to teams on Friday.
The League’s decision was not unexpected and means that the campaign of Giannis Antetokounmpo for a MVP Consecutive ended technically more than four months ago, when the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. And it also means that Zion Williamson The New Orleans Pelicans, who has appeared in just 19 games this season, won’t be able to make a belated effort to try to catch the alleged rookie leader. Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies.
It is unclear if Williamson will even be with the Pelicans for reopening night on July 30 when they face the Utah Jazz in the first game on the campus of Disney. He left the NBA bubble on Thursday to deal with an urgent family medical matter and the Pelicans said there is no specific date for his return.
Statistical championships, such as scoring titles, rebounds, assist and steals, are technically available until the end of the qualifying games in mid-August. The League announced that part of the plan when the schedules for the eight qualifying games were released last month.
Most of those statistical trophy races are mathematically decided. James Harden, of Houston RocketsHe has a dominating scoring run advantage to approach his third consecutive title in that category and becomes the seventh player in NBA history to win the points crown in at least three consecutive seasons.
Andre Drummond Cleveland Cavaliers have a considerable advantage in the rebounding title race. LeBron James, from the Los Angeles Lakers, would remain ahead of second place, Bring young, by the Atlanta Hawks in the assists per game race, even if James plays in all eight qualifying games and does not record a single assist.
If James, 35, wins the assists title, and it would take a mathematical oddity to prevent that from happening, he will be the second oldest player to win that award. Steve Nash He was 37 years old when he won his last crown of assists.
The robbery career is still undefined; Ben Simmons Philadelphia 76ers leads with 2.13 per game, while Kris Dunn Chicago Bulls, currently in second place, finished his season with 1.98 per game.
–
