NBA Awards 2020: Los Angeles Clippers Edition – CrownHoops
The Los Angeles Clippers came into the season projected as a favorite to win the NBA Finals. After acquiring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the offseason, it is no wonder many expected them to give the Los Angeles Lakers a run for their money. Not only did the Clippers have a new star duo, but they also possessed a deep team and solid bench led by Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell. While the season is still suspended, it is time to assign awards to the Los Angeles Clippers for the 2020 campaign. Without further adieu, let’s delve into which Clippers players had great seasons.
MVP and Offensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard
Say what you will about the Klaw and his load management, it has gotten results again this season. For the year, he averaged 26.9 points, 1.8 steals, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game in 51 games played. On top of this, he also won the All-Star Game MVP, the first of his career. The two-time Finals MVP’s advanced stats have also been off the charts. He has tallied a true shooting percentage of 58.5 percent. He also averaged a win share of 7.6 and a career-best assists percentage of 27.0 percent. Kawhi truly has had another great season and with that, he is the Clippers’ MVP of the 2020 season.
Sixth Man of the Year: Montrezl Harrell
Montrezl Harrell has had a season worthy of Sixth Man of the Year consideration. A tall order considering he is playing with the two-time reigning Sixth Man of the Year. This offseason, Harrell is going to be one of the most sought after free agents and for good reason. He has tallied 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and an effective field goal percentage of 58.0 percent. He also posted an offensive rating of 119 and a career-best defensive rating of 107. While Williams has had another solid year, the best Sixth Man of the Year on the Clippers bench has been Montrezl Harrell for this season.
Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Beverley
Patrick Beverley is a dog on the court. Love him or hate him, his tenacity is welcomed on any team. While the Clippers have two elite wing players in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, it’s been Beverley who has taken on the challenge of guarding the team’s best player many times this season.
Whether it is harassing LeBron James into a poor decision in the last seconds of a close game or chasing around elite point guards such as Damian Lillard and Kyrie Irving, he has not backed down from a challenge. This season, he averaged 1.1 steals, a defensive rating of 106, and a defensive rebounding percentage of 15.7 percent. To top it off, he also possessed a defensive win share of 2.0. Beverley gets the nod here due in large part to what he has brought that can’t be shown on the stat sheet.
Most Improved Player: Motrezl Harrell
Harrell notches another award for the 2020 campaign. Not only did he show his value as a bench player, but he also showed his value as a quality NBA player in general. He showed improvement in many facets. Harrell increased his scoring average from 16.6 points to 18.6 points per game. He also upped his rebounding totals to 7.1 rebounds to go along with an offensive rebounding percentage of 9.9 percent. The poster boys for the Clippers may have been Leonard, George, and Williams coming into the season, but Harrell has had a huge impact on Los Angeles’ success all season long.
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