It's not who's going to win at the end of the season, but who deserves recognition.

If the award was given out right now, it's the most rewards.

Reform I'm.

That's the only thing I have to do.

This is all I got.

We begin with, of course, most valuable Player.

According to Caesar's William Hill, LeBron James is now the current favorite, with Joel Embiid Nikolay Yokich rounding out the top three.

Well, at the beginning of the season, it was It was Luca again.

I always want to say about betting houses.

Their favorite is who they think they can take the most money on.

It's not a basketball analysis by Lucas Card went for $4 million.

There you go.

So, Paul, you tweeted out your M V P Rankings earlier this week.

Who is your mid season MVP right now?

It's gonna be okay.

I mean, has the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

He's been dominant the way he's transformed his game, his body, his mental.

He's averaged.

He's giving you 30 and 11 and yeah, people are gonna say, Well, jokers doing this Lucas doing that LeBron's doing this.

This guy has been flat out dominant because before the season, I didn't see the 76 was being in this spot.

Yeah, I had them in the top four season in the Eastern Conference.

I thought they really lost a couple of years when they lost Jimmy Butler.

JJ Reddick?

Yeah, they got Seth Curry.

You know, they got some shooting over there, but I just didn't see this team to be in the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

And it's all because of this guy being as dominant that he's as he has.

He's been consistent, he's been reliable and he has them right where they need to be in the Eastern Conference, and that's right on the top.

So I got Joel and beat second.

I I really do.

Joel Embiid is like when you watch the Lakers go through that little four game stretch, you're like, Oh, this is A and B and B had a 50 ball and and Ben Simmons, who was out a little bit, is back, So I I just for me right now, watching what LeBron James has done early on again.

Prior to that four game stretch.

They were the number one team.

Now they want to to start.

But that's what MVPs typically step up in those moments, right?

And so you know, they struggled as soon as they got shooter back.

They go and blow out the Warriors to go blow out Portland.

So I still think it's LeBron do last night.

Well, look, they lost the Phoenix Suns, but I'm going to say it is a very.

It's a very, very, very close race.

It is close, It is very close.

LeBron, he's the best player.

Listen, LeBron is the best player in the game.

He's the best player in the game right there.

And if we're going to say that even though you lose a d, you lose Schroeder, you find a way to keep your teams afloat.

Now he's a little older.

He hasn't done that, you know, I think their record is more like six and four or seven and five since 80 has been out.

And so he took a step back for the last couple of weeks.

So when a B comes back, they start winning.

He'll be back there, but Joel Embiid is there for me and even harder.

I have to put Harden in there.

I mean, no, Katie Kyra's been You don't know when he's gonna show up.

You know what type of movie is going to be in that day?

He's played very well.

No, he's played very well.

Nothing against his game.

But you just know you don't know what he's gonna be in and out the lineup.

And like I said, they've been seven games together and Harden is reliable.

You know what other abilities available and the things that the thing that you have to put them in there to.

Things that James Harden has done since the moment he showed up with the Nets have been historic right?

It was like it's been over the top.

He's already second all time in triple doubles.

I think it's really, really good close.

It's very, very No one knows.

It's gonna change weekend and week out.

Just so you guys know next week it could be LeBron hard and be, but right now it's gonna be well, let's move on to defensive player of the year.

Rudy Gobert has won the award twice before.

Ben Simmons has called himself the best defensive player in the league LeBron James, only seconds ago.

Bearing defensive wind chairs.

Which Richard I know as a stat.

You follow religion really closely.

You got D p o.

I mean, I think Rudy Gobert I think the Utah Jazz, having gone through the toughest part of their schedule, having dominated the league, dominated the league and we're not gonna throw out excuses or anything.

They have, like rebounding like you go through down the stats and they are top two or three in offense and defense and three point shot, their crushing.

And so, I think, the anchor of their defensive, Rudy Gobert.

He's been that guy.

I think you know the first team.

I think you would go.

Ben Simmons is close.

I think Joel and be get some votes.

But like, this is my thing.

Like we judge the defensive wind shares like to me, the defensive player of the year.

I got to You got to pass the eye test with me, You know what I'm saying?

Like Ben Simmons.

Uh, I haven't watched him enough to say he's a great defender, but like when I see the eye test, I'm not seeing those guys.

He's great.

He's a great defender.

But defenders in my area, when you see the grease paint picking up full court, you know, like like up in you, like like I'm on you, I'm like like Tony Allen.

When we see guys like that, just all no breathing room.

I don't see that from the perimeter guys this these days.

And so when I say defensive player of the year from a perimeter guy, I like to see those type of intangibles, the steals, they're not giving any guy in the room.

So for me, it's Rudy Gobert because he clogs up the lane and it's tough to score over him for Perimeter Guy.

I just don't see that today like a Pat Beverley.

He's not giving, you know space.

I'll say this and we'll move on.

And the stats may say otherwise.

Simmons is very past.

Simmons is very, very close to that, because when we talk about position was basketball, he gets into players one through five because he's 6 ft 10.

That's all I'm gonna say, Let's go to rookie of the year and again this is what are we talking about?

Rookie of the year we know who it is.

Well, that's what I think.

Cesar's William Hill List Lamelo Ball is the overwhelming favorite.

Our producers agree he's the overwhelming favorite, and apparently you guys agree he's the favorite.

Congratulations, lamelo.

On your rookie of the year.

Whoever Stephen A.

Said, you are everything that your brother was promised to be.

Come on, he said.

I didn't see his dad said it was gonna be the best.

Yeah, I agree.

He is.

He is next level.

He's box office, he's box office.

There's only probably about 10 to 12 people that you would pay to go see that you would tune in to watch and take hype away.

Lamelo ball is that guy, In my opinion, I agree.

I mean, look at the path he took those, you know, leaving high school.

So do more.

Youngest take this path.

That is certainly that is certainly true.

Went outside the traditional not just college, but outside the traditional high school playing pro ball since if you've got a brother that's got millions of dollars to make sure everything is catered and okay for you and all the trainers and all that other stuff.

But if I'm GM.

And if I'm a high school guy or or culture or father, I'm looking at the routing because look at Luca.

He's been pro since 14 or you look at the mellow.

He went pro out of high school, went overseas and played a couple of years.

And so is this the new path that we're gonna see younger time?

Kid is five years old, and I've already thought about putting them in the AMG Academy.

The AMG Academy.

If they only take players at seven like this, is like Juilliard.

If you can play the piano at seven, you're off.

And so I'm still waiting on the application to come back to see if my five year old can go.

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