NBA award ballots 2021: Several Sixers make the cut

2021 NBA awards ballot: Lucas Johnson

Most Valuable Player

1. Nikola Jokic
2. Joel Embiid
3. Stephen Curry
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo
5. Julius Randle

Defensive Player of the Year

1. Ben Simmons
2. Rudy Gobert
3. Nerlens Noel

Sixth Man of the Year

1. Jordan Clarkson
2. Derrick Rose
3. Carmelo Anthony

Most Improved Player

1. Julius Randle
2. Jerami Grant
3. Jaylen Brown

Rookie of the Year

1. LaMelo Ball
2. Anthony Edwards
3. Tyrese Haliburton

Coach of the Year

1. Tom Thibodeau
2. Monty Williams
3. Doc Rivers

All-NBA First Team

• Stephen Curry
• Damian Lillard
• Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Joel Embiid
• Nikola Jokic

All-NBA Second Team

• Chris Paul
• Luka Doncic
• Kawhi Leonard
• Zion Williamson
• Julius Randle

All-NBA Third Team

• Russell Westbrook
• Bradley Beal
• Jaylen Brown
• Jayson Tatum
• Rudy Gobert

All-Defensive First Team

• Ben Simmons
• Jrue Holiday
• Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Draymond Green
• Rudy Gobert

All-Defensive Second Team

• Chris Paul
• Matisse Thybulle
• Jimmy Butler
• Kawhi Leonard
• Nerlens Noel

All-Rookie First Team

• LaMelo Ball
• Cole Anthony
• Tyrese Haliburton
• Anthony Edwards
• Saddiq Bey

All-Rookie Second Team

• Tyrese Maxey
• Immanuel Quickley
• Theo Maledon
• Jae’Sean Tate
• Isaiah Stewart

Let me start with my All-NBA selections. It’s unusual to have two centers on an All-NBA team, but both Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic deserve to be in the first team. Zion Williams, Julius Randle, Bradley Beal, and Jaylen Brown also make their first All-NBA teams.

Outside of Rudy Gobert, the All-Defensive first team is full of versatile defenders. Three of the players can defend all five positions and Jrue Holiday can guard three to four positions. Nerlens Noel and Matisse Thybulle are unsung heroes on their teams who have earned their first All-Defensive team selections.

No centers in my All-Rookie first team. In fact, there is only one forward in Saddiq Bey on that team. This is a strong guard class as there are three guards on the second team as well. I have Tyrese Maxey making this team for his elite flashes this year.

As much as I believe that Joel Embiid has been the best overall player in 2021, the time he’s missed this season can’t be ignored and by default, Nikola Jokic is my MVP. Stephen Curry made a strong case for the award at the end of the year.

To see this level of improvement from Julius Randle and it resulting in his team winning, make him the obvious choice for the Most Improved Player award. Jerami Grant made a legit push for the award, but he was on a losing team. While growth from Jaylen Brown was somewhat expected, this level of growth wasn’t, so that’s why he’s on my ballot.

Ben Simmons is clearly my Defensive Player of the Year. He’s the most versatile defender and has rarely lost individual matchups. Rudy Gobert is still an elite defender at the center position, but is limited. The same could be said about Nerlens Noel, but what he has done in Mitchell Robinson’s absence can’t be ignored.

Deciding who was the Rookie of the Year was tough for me due to the injury to LaMelo Ball and the resurgence of production from Anthony Edwards. However, Ball impacted winning on a higher level so ended up getting my vote for the award.

Stats don’t lie, so my choice for Sixth Man of the Year has to be Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz. Though I will say that if Derrick Rose had been with the New York Knicks from the beginning of the year he’d have a really strong case for the award. What Carmelo Anthony has done with the Portland Trail Blazers should get him some recognition, too.

Tom Thibodeau is my clear winner for Coach of the Year. The New York Knicks didn’t add a star this offseason, yet he turned that team around. Monty Williams has done something similar with the Phoenix Suns but he’s had some help from Chris Paul. Doc Rivers should get some love too for what he’s done with the Sixers.