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NBA: 2018-19 mid-season leaders for each of the major awards

By Jacob Doole

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 05: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets shoots the ball against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on November 5, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 05: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets shoots the ball against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on November 5, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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NBA Toronto Raptors
NBA Toronto Raptors Pascal Siakam (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

The NBA season is more than halfway gone, so who is leading the race for the league’s major awards? We make our picks for each, from Most Improved to MVP

The NBA has raced right past its midway point, and with the All-Star break just around the corner it’s the perfect time to hand out some mid-season awards.

While all of the major end-of-season awards are featured, these aren’t predictions for who will win at the NBA’s June ceremony. Rather, these are the players that deserve each award as of right now. Some players will drop off in the second half, while others will build into the playoffs, but these impressive first-half performances deserve to be recognized regardless.

Most Improved Player: Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors

15.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.7 blocks

Too often, this award goes to a player that is just getting more shots or more minutes. They shoot the same percentages, have the same impact on their teams and play with the same efficiency, but have “improved” because their raw numbers have gone up.

That could not be less true of Pascal Siakam’s season to date. While his minutes and shot attempts have increased drastically from last season, so too has his efficiency across the board.

Despite the extra offensive load, his true shooting percentage has risen from 54.9 to 63.2, which places him in the top 15 in the league. His impact on the team’s offense is profound, too – the Raptors are scoring 119.5 points per 100 possessions with Siakam on the court, compared to 109.9 when he sits.

He’s being given more responsibility to create for himself and others, rather than wait for the offense to come to him. Despite playing alongside Kawhi Leonard, an All-Star and MVP candidate, he’s also getting his share of the spotlight in big moments.

All of this hasn’t come at the expense of his already stellar defense. At that end of the floor, he is able to protect the rim and switch onto the perimeter, and he and Leonard have led Toronto’s top-10 defense.

Siakam has become a key starter on one of the league’s best teams, which would have seemed unlikely at the start of the season. That sure sounds like a fair improvement to me.

Honorable mentions: De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings; Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic; Buddy Hield, Sacramento Kings

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