NBA Predictions 2020: MVP, Rookie Of The Year, Sixth Man, More Award Picks At 2020 All-Star Break

About one-third of the 2019-2020 NBA season is left after this weekend’s All-Star break. The major individual awards will be determined by what happens over the next two months, though a few players have already built massive leads.

Here are predictions for the top 2020 NBA awards.

MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo

The reigning MVP is starting to look like a lock to win the award. Antetokounmpo is the best player on the best team, one that could set records for regular-season dominance. He’s second in scoring (30.0 ppg) and fifth in rebounds (13.5 rpg), doing so in just 30.9 minutes per game. Antetokounmpo is also averaging 5.8 assists and shooting 54.9% from the field.

Defensive Player of the Year: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Antetokounmpo was second in the voting last year, receiving 26 of the possible 100 first-place votes. The Milwaukee Bucks are first in defensive efficiency, allowing 101.7 points per 100 possessions. Milwaukee gives up 105.4 points per 100 possessions when Antetokounmpo is on the bench, and that number improves to 100.0 points when the MVP favorite is on the court. Antetokounmpo is holding opponents to 42.4% shooting within six feet from the hoop, putting him first in the entire league.

Rookie of the Year: Ja Morant

Morant built such a lead during Zion Williamson’s injury that it’s going to be hard for him not to win the award. The point guard has played 38 more games than the No.1 overall pick. He leads all first-year players with 7.1 assists per game and only trails Williamson with 17.6 points per game. Morant has the Memphis Grizzlies in the playoffs at the All-Star break. Memphis has a four-game lead as the West’s No.8 seed.

Sixth Man of the Year: Dennis Schroder

Lou Williams is favored to win the award for a third straight year, but Shroder might end up getting more votes. Shroder barely trails Williams in scoring (19.3 ppg) and assists (4.8 apg) off the bench. Williams’ chances could be hurt but voter fatigue and that fact that his teammate, Montrezl Harrell, is also a leading Sixth Man candidate. Shroder has helped lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to the West’s No.6 seed, trailing the Los Angeles Clippers by only four games. He ranks seventh overall in real plus-minus.

Most Improved Player: Luka Doncic

Doncic wasn’t even an All-Star last season, and now he’s one of the top MVP candidates. The second-year player is sixth in scoring (28.9 ppg), 17th in rebounding (9.5) and third in assists (8.7 apg), flirting with a triple-double almost on a nightly basis. The Dallas Mavericks are going to make the playoffs, on pace to win 16 more games than they did when Doncic was a rookie.