NBA: Early season predictions feat. Kevin Love, Roy Hibbert and the Indiana Pacers

So far, 10-12 games (depending on what team) have been played during the 2013-2014 NBA season. We’re an eighth (eighthway?) through and I’m ready to make some predictions based on what I’ve seen around the league so far. Let’s start off with individual awards.

Most Valuable Player- Kevin Love

Kevin Love is the best player in the NBA at the moment

This is indisputable. The fact that any player not named LeBron James can average 26.7 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists a game is crazy, it’s disgusting. When we find out its tall, bearded, skinny-armed Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves? Than it becomes more ridiculous. Love is every fantasy basketball players wet dream. He can do it all and he can do it all well. Three point range? Check. Howard-like rebound numbers? Check. Shooting close to 50% on 18 shots a game? Check. He’s not known for his leaping ability, nor his strength on the block, qualities that big men like DeAndre Jordan and Andrew Bynum may boast about. But he outrebounds them all and he does it with position. Love is proving that you don’t need overwhelming athleticism to excel in this league. You can do it by following basic basketball fundamentals. And being a fucking basketball genius.

The best part about it is that it isn’t an illusion. If Love is healthy, he’s going to do this all year. Unfortunately, staying healthy is something Love isn’t that great at. Love has only played a combined 73 games during his last two seasons, a statistic he’s going to have to change this year if he wishes to lead a talented Timberwolves roster to the height of the Western Conference. He’s a smart passer, a great free-throw shooter (not just for his position, but in terms of the whole league), and doesn’t get in foul trouble. If Kevin Love keeps producing, a Finals ring isn’t the only thing LeBron isn’t getting this year.

Defensive Player of the Year- Roy Hibbert

Roy Hibbert #55 of the Indiana Pacers shoots against Andre Drummond #0 of the Detroit Pistons on November 5, 2013 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan

God I love talking about Hibbert, dubbed as the “Sheriff of the Restricted Area” by Grantland’s Zach Lowe. Mostly because people like Matt Tuckness don’t believe in him at all, and I love proving them wrong. Hibbert should have won the award last year, but he was robbed by one of the Fat Bros. in Memphis. He made everyone realize how stupid they were in last years playoffs when his presence on the court completely changed the way opposing coaches ran their offense. If Hibbert had been on the court in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals last year and had been there to contest LeBron’s driving lay-up as time expired, than there is no way Indiana loses that series. Alas, that didn’t happen and the Heat went on to win it.

So far this season, Hibbert is averaging 4.6 blocks per game. He is one of only two players in the league averaging over three blocks a game, the other being Anthony Davis with 3.6. Hibbert isn’t even playing the whole game. His PER 36 minutes of play stats show that if the big 7’2 center was playing the entire game he would be averaging close to 6 blocks a game. I would be scared shitless to drive to the hoop against a player who has amassed more blocks this season than 15 NBA teams have total. When Hibbert is protecting the paint, opponents only make three out of every ten shots the take inside. My mind is blown. Those stats haven’t been seen in a decade, back when Dikembe Mutombo, a former DPoY receipient played.

Most Improved Player of the Year- Eric Bledsoe/Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis contests an Eric Bledsoe lay-up. Both have improved tremendously this year.

I’ve been really impressed with the play of Eric Bledsoe and “The Big Brow” so far this year, but if I had to choose one, I would go with Davis. Everyone knew that Bledsoe was a phenomenal player, he just had the unfortunate situation of being stuck behind the leagues best point guard in Chris Paul last season. When he did get a chance to play, Bledsoe dazzled fans and players alike with his inhuman athletic prowress. Since being traded to the Phoenix Suns this offseason, Bledsoe is well on his way to meeting his true potential, averaging 20 points and close to 7 assists on the season; a 12-point, 4-assist increase from last year in only 14 more minutes of play. Granted, he’s on a Suns team that has him as their main offensive threat and he’s shooting poorly from beyond the arc while committing four turnovers a game, but still, a vast improvement from last year.

Meanwhile, down in New Orleans, Davis is doing it all on both ends of the floor. He had injury issues during his rookie season last year and played only 64 games, but he still managed to put up impressive numbers, scoring 13 points on above 50% shooting and grabbing 8 boards a game. His 1.8 blocks per game also showed the elite nature of his defense. Well, I guess things change when your healthy. I don’t know if Davis is scaring opponents away with the agressive nature of his unibrow, but whatever he’s doing is working wonders for him. Davis is playing 35 minutes a game and averaging 21 points, leading the Pelicans on an efficient 48% shooting. Davis worked hard on a mid-range jumper this off-season, probably why he didn’t have time to trim the ‘brow, and it’s really shown at the beginning of the season as defenders have to respect his shot, playing closer defense and affording him the opportunity to drive past them to the hoop. He’s been able to finish well in transition and take care of the ball (averaging 1.3 turnovers in 35 minutes is no easy feat). While his offense has improved, his defense is off the charts. Known in college for his defensive prowress, Davis is letting the entire league know how good he is this year. Davis is second in the league in blocks (3.6) and seventh in the league in steals (2.1). His foul rate is 3 per game, a remarkable feat considering he goes for the block and steal so often.

Here are my postseason predictions: