Kobe Bryant went on to win the NBA MVP Award in 2008, but it was Kevin Durant’s rookie season that captured the hearts of basketball fans. Watch as these two future Hall-of-Famers battle for top honors and hear about what made Kobe so dominant playing against “The Big Three.”
The “who was the 2009 nba mvp” is a question that has been asked since 2008. Kobe Bryant won his only MVP award, Kevin Durant was rookie of the year and LeBron James won the finals MVP.
We’ve created a list of all the award winners from the 2008 season, which was marked by a lot of player movement and controversy. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen teamed up with Paul Pierce in Boston for this season, and the Celtics went on to win the NBA championship by beating Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in the NBA Finals. It’s time to look back on the 2007-2008 season by collecting the winners and runner-ups for all major awards.
The bulk of the award races were competitive throughout the most of the season, although others (including Rookie of the Year) were not. Some individuals were predicted to win a specific award based on their NBA track record, while others may have slipped under the radar. The list of these award winners will highlight the playing prowess of numerous All-Stars during one of the finest seasons in NBA history.
Kobe Bryant was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.
Chris Paul is in second position, while Kevin Garnett is in third.
This was the season in which the legendary Kobe Bryant finally received his long-awaited MVP Award. Many fans and commentators believe Steve Nash stole the MVP award from Kobe Bryant because the shooting guard was the game’s most unstoppable player at the time. On the offensive end, we hadn’t seen a guy as talented as Bryant since Michael Jordan retired. However, losing games and not having a winning team worked against Kobe since he had to deal with a bad squad for years after the transfer of Shaquille O’Neal.
Everything changed when the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol. The Lakers got some assistance for Kobe, Phil Jackson constructed the squad by bringing in some veterans and hustling players, and the club ended with the best record in the Western Conference. Kobe was outstanding, scoring 28.3 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, and 5.4 assists per game. He was dead set on capturing his fourth title, but falling short against a Boston Celtics superteam headed by Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Garnett. Because Kobe finally received assistance and had a winning record (57-25, which was the #1 seed in the Western Conference), he was awarded the long-awaited MVP Award ahead of Chris Paul and Kevin Garnett.
Kevin Garnett was named Defensive Player of the Year.
Marcus Camby came in second, while Shane Battier came in third.
The Defensive Player of the Year award was fiercely contested, owing to the importance of blocks leader Marcus Camby and lockdown perimeter defender Shane Battier to their respective teams. Camby averaged 3.6 BPG, which was an exceptional total for a great Denver Nuggets team that ended 50-32. Battier averaged 1.0 SPG and 1.1 BPG, but his biggest contribution was exceptional defense of three positions. Kevin Garnett, on the other hand, had unquestionably the greatest defensive influence.
The Celtics made significant moves to get Garnett and Ray Allen to pair with Paul Pierce, but throughout the regular season, the big man was simply the best player. He averaged 1.4 points per possession and 1.3 rebounds per possession, and his sheer defensive zeal made the Celtics a nightmare to defend. Garnett’s presence in the paint pushed several players to change their shots and even force perimeter attempts since colliding with The Big Ticket almost always resulted in a strong contest or a blocked shot. Garnett, who had already been named to All-Defensive Teams during his career, cemented his reputation as one of the best defenders of all time by winning the coveted DPOY Award.
Kevin Durant is the Rookie of the Year.
Al Horford came in second, while Luis Scola came in third.
Kevin Durant easily won Rookie of the Year in the most lopsided award race ever. It was unsurprising considering the forward was outstanding as a 19-year-old offensive wonder with a frightening skill set. Durant was a star from the moment he walked on a professional basketball floor, even though he didn’t make an All-Star team until his third season. On 43.0 percent field goal shooting, the forward averaged 20.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Even though Durant was frail and lacked physical strength, he shown outward athleticism and scoring ability throughout the season. Of course, this was the Seattle SuperSonics’ last season before becoming the Oklahoma City Thunder the following year.
Al Horford had a strong rookie season with the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 10.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, earning him a spot on the All-Rookie Team. The big man shot 49.9% from the floor and demonstrated his defensive abilities as a rim protector and competent help defender (0.7 SPG and 0.9 BPG). Luis Scola, a 27-year-old big man, was also in the running for Rookie of the Year because of his experience as a professional basketball player in Spain. Scola was named to the All-Rookie Team after averaging 10.3 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game with the Houston Rockets. While Horford and Scola were excellent, Durant was outstanding and won the Rookie of the Year title.
Manu Ginobili is the sixth man of the year.
Leandro Barbosa came in second, while Jason Terry came in third.
For the most of the season, the Sixth Man of the Year award was intriguing, due to the emergence of Leandro Barbosa and Jason Terry as competent scorers off the bench. Manu Ginobili, a future Hall of Famer, was spectacular in 2008, scoring a career-high 19.5 points per game on 46.0 percent shooting while only starting 23 games. Despite his All-Star potential, he took a bench position to assist the Spurs in blitzing opponents when he entered the game. Ginobili gained Gregg Popovich’s esteem by earning 6th Man of the Year with his full trust.
Leandro Barbosa, the reigning 6th Man of the Year from the 2007 season, deserves credit. In 2008, the guard was exceptional, averaging 15.6 points per game off the bench for the Phoenix Suns, a year after averaging 18.1 points per game. The 30-year-old Jason Terry, like the quick guard, was an incredible contributor for a competing Suns squad. Terry averaged 15.5 points per game with the Mavericks, making 37.5 percent of his three-point attempts. Barbosa and Terry were outstanding players, but they couldn’t match Manu’s scoring abilities in a Big Three with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.
Hedo Turkoglu, Most Improved Player
SB Nation is responsible for this image.
Rudy Gay came in second, while LaMarcus Aldridge came in third.
Because three players genuinely earned it, the contest for Most Improved Player of the Year was incredibly tight. Hedo Turkoglu had never averaged more than 15 points per game in his career until the 2008 season, when he led the Orlando Magic with 19.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. The Turkish big was a fantastic all-around player who helped the Magic improve around Dwight Howard before their run to the Finals a year later. Turkoglu, on the other hand, faced heavy competition from an agile swingman and a potential All-Star big man.
Rudy Gay improved from 10.8 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game in his rookie season to 20.1 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game the following season, while his minutes increased from 27 to 37 minutes per game. Analysts noted that Gay’s numbers increased because he began playing in the starting lineup and attempted roughly 17 shots per game. Memphis suffocated Gay at times, but the young guy never failed to produce. LaMarcus Aldridge improved dramatically as well, scoring 17.8 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game after averaging 9.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in his first season. Despite the fact that both players’ stats improved, Turkoglu’s contribution to a competitive team won him the Most Improved Player title.
Byron Scott was named Coach of the Year.
Image courtesy of Getty Images
Chris Paul led the NBA in assists per game as a member of the New Orleans Hornets in his first All-Star season. After an incredible run with the Hornets as a youth, the point guard averaged 11.6 APG and would go on to lead the league in APG three more times. As a 22-year-old point guard, the 6’0″ point player topped the league in assists and steals in 2008. In addition, CP3 guided the Hornets to a 56-26 record, good for second place in the Western Conference. Chris Paul was a powerful force on the floor with All-Star David West because the team moved with him, and the point guard’s playmaking talents made him one of the finest players in the NBA during the 2007-2008 NBA season.
But this prize was given to Byron Scott, the offensive coordinator who put together a fantastic attack with Paul at the helm. Scott was the clear captain of a team that ended in second place in the Western Conference, only one game behind the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite the presence of Doc Rivers and even Phil Jackson, Scott won Coach of the Year because no one anticipated an undersized point guard to lead a team to such success throughout the season.
Boston Celtics are the current NBA champions.
Los Angeles Lakers were the runner-up.
The Celtics were clearly a superior team than the Lakers with their Big Three (Big Four adding Rajon Rondo) leading the way. It was finally their turn to win a title, and each of their players had a spectacular Finals series. Paul Pierce was named Finals MVP, Kevin Garnett was a defensive force, and Ray Allen’s range placed a lot of pressure on the Lakers’ defense. In Game 1, the Celtics stamped their authority on the series with a 10-point win powered by Garnett’s 24 points. Game 2 was much of the same, despite having to withstand Kobe’s 30 points. Los Angeles won Game 3 because to Kobe’s 36 points, but Pierce’s strong game in Game 4 essentially ended the series. With the Lakers still alive in Game 5, the Celtics blasted away the Lakers in Game 6 to win the title and send Kobe and his teammates home.
Paul Pierce is the Finals MVP.
Paul Pierce was the Celtics’ most important player in the Finals, averaging 21.8 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, and 6.3 assists per game on 39.3 percent three-point shooting. During the Finals, the clutch small forward had the most legendary incident involving a wheelchair, dramatically changing the tide in his team’s favor. Pierce had strong performances throughout the series to match Kobe’s averages of 25.7 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game, 5.0 assists per game, and 2.7 steals per game. For the Celtics, Garnett (18.2 PPG and 13.0 RPG) and Allen (20.3 PPG) were crucial, but Pierce was the uncontested Finals MVP as the go-to scorer in a series against a rampaging Lakers team.
All-Star MVP, All-NBA Teams, All-Rookie Teams, and All-Defensive Teams for the 2008 NBA season
LeBron James is the All-Star MVP.
Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, and Dwight Howard were named to the NBA First Team.
Steve Nash, Deron Williams, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, and Amar’e Stoudemire were named to the NBA Second Team.
Manu Ginobili, Tracy McGrady, Paul Pierce, Carlos Boozer, and Yao Ming were named to the NBA Third Team.
Kevin Durant, Al Thornton, Jeff Green, Luis Scola, and Al Horford were named to the All-Rookie First Team.
Juan Carlos Navarro, Rodney Stuckey, Jamario Moon, Thaddeus Young, and Carl Landry were named to the All-Rookie Second Team.
Kobe Bryant, Bruce Bowen, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and Marcus Camby were named to the All-Defensive First Team.
Chris Paul, Raja Bell, Shane Battier, Tayshaun Prince, and Dwight Howard were named to the All-Defensive Second Team.
Next
The All-Time Best NBA Player From Every State: The GOAT Is From New York
Michael Jordan Gets Full Revenge Against The Bad Boys With His All-Time Bulls Team vs. All-Time Pistons Team
The Starting Lineup for the Eastern Conference All-Star Game in 1990 was stacked.
1997-98 Leading NBA Stats: Michael Jordan Won His Last Scoring Title, Dennis Rodman Was The League’s Best Rebounder
Steve Nash upset LeBron James and Kobe Bryant in the 2005-06 MVP race, stunned the world, and won the award.
Watch This Video-
In 2008, Kobe Bryant won his only MVP award. Kevin Durant was rookie of the year that season. Reference: mvp 2009.
Related Tags
- 2008 nba finals mvp
- mvp 2007
- 2006 nba mvp
- kevin durant hometown
- where is kevin durant from
