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Dwight Howard named Defensive Player of Year

Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic is the recipient of the 2008-09 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, the NBA announced today.

The 6-11 center led the NBA in rebounds and blocks, averaging 13.8 boards and 2.92 blocks. He also averaged 20.6 points on .572 shooting from the floor. Howard recorded nine 20-point/20-rebound games while leading the team in scoring 39 times and in rebounds on 69 occasions.

Howard, a three-time NBA All-Star, helped the Magic to its second consecutive Southeast Division title (59-23), including a 32-9 record at home. The Magic held opponents under 100 points 54 times this season — compiling a 43-11 record — including a season-low 68 points allowed by New Orleans on Dec. 25. Orlando allowed 94.4 ppg (7,737 points), which ranked sixth in the NBA, and overall the team was in the NBA’s top 10 in seven defensive categories.

Howard became the fifth player in NBA history to finish the season leading the league in rebounding and blocks (1973-74 was the first season blocks were kept as an official statistic). The select group includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (L.A. Lakers, 1975-76), Bill Walton (Portland Trail Blazers, 1976-77), Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston, 1989-90) and Ben Wallace (Detroit, 2001-02).

Howard received 542 points, including 105 first-place votes, from a panel of 119 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Cleveland’s LeBron James finished second with 148 points and Miami’s Dwyane Wade finished third with 90 points. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote received.

Finishing fourth was Shane Battier, fifth was Ron Artest, sixth was Chris Paul, seventh was Kobe Bryant, eighth was Kevin Garnett, ninth was Chris Andersen and 10th was Rajon Rondo.

Mike Brown named Coach of Year

Cleveland’s Mike Brown is the recipient of the Red Auerbach Trophy as the 2008-09 NBA Coach of the Year, the NBA announced today.

Brown totaled 355 points, including 55 first-place votes, from a panel of 122 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Coaches were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.

In his fourth season at the helm in Cleveland, Brown guided the Cavaliers to a franchise- and NBA-best 66-16 (.805) season, marking only the 12th time an NBA team has won at least 66 games. Cleveland started the season with a franchise-best 23-straight wins at Quicken Loans Arena and finished with the best home record in the league at 39-2. Cleveland is the sixth team in NBA history to record 39 home wins and the first to do so since the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls. The Cavaliers’ 21-game improvement over last year’s 45-37 record tied the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers for the second biggest improvement all-time among teams with at least 45 wins in the previous season.

Brown was named NBA Coach of the Month for December, February and March. At the All-Star break, Cleveland owned the highest winning percentage in the Eastern Conference (36-9, .800), earning Brown the spot as head coach for the East in Phoenix. It was Brown’s first appearance as an All-Star head coach and the second in franchise history (Lenny Wilkens, 1989).

Brown led the Cavaliers to at least 45 wins in each of his first three campaigns, marking only the second time Cleveland won that many games in three consecutive seasons (1991-92 to 1993-94). With a combined regular season record of 211-117 (.643) in four seasons, Brown has the highest winning percentage of any head coach in franchise history. In each of his first three seasons in Cleveland, Brown has led the Cavaliers to the playoffs, amassing a franchise-best 26-20 (.565) postseason record. In 2007, he led Cleveland to its first trip to The Finals.

Brown joined the Cavaliers after two seasons as associate head coach for the Indiana Pacers. Prior to that, Brown served as assistant coach for three seasons in San Antonio, helping guide the Spurs to the 2003 NBA championship. Brown began his coaching career with the Washington Wizards, where he spent two seasons as an assistant coach under Bernie Bickerstaff.

The Coach of the Year Award is named after legendary coach and Hall of Famer Red Auerbach who guided the Celtics to nine NBA Championships. In 1996, Auerbach was honored as one of the Top 10 Coaches in NBA History as the NBA celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Houston coach Rick Adelman finished second in the voting with 13 first-place votes and 151 total points.

Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy finished third with 13 first-place votes and 150 total points.

Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan finished fourth with 15 first-place votes and 127 total points.

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl finished fifth with 11 first-place votes and 117 total points.

The next five coaches to receive some votes were Jerry Sloan, Erik Spoelstra, Mike Woodson, Phil Jackson and Doc Rivers.

Fans predict first round playoff results

InsideHoops.com posted a poll two days ago asking fans to predict the results of the 2009 NBA playoffs first round.

In the East:

325 fans picked the Cavaliers to beat the Pistons. Just 29 picked Detroit.
321 fans picked the Magic to beat the 76ers. Just 20 picked Philadelphia.
258 fans picked the Celtics to beat the Bulls. 87 picked Chicago.
And in the East’s only fairly close result, 183 fans picked the Heat while 155 picked the Hawks.

As expected, other than the Lakers-Jazz series, the voting was pretty close in the West:

336 fans picked the Lakers to beat the Jazz. Just 17 picked Utah.
241 fans picked the Nuggets to beat the Hornets. 113 picked New Orleans.
224 fans picked the Spurs to beat the Mavericks. 122 picked Dallas.
198 fans picked the Trail Blazers to beat the Rockets. 152 picked Houston.

Yao has 24 points, Rockets beat Blazers 108-81

The AP reports: The 7-foot-6 Yao Ming scored nine of Houston’s first 11 points and finished with 24 in the Rockets’ 108-81 victory over the Trail Blazers on Saturday night. It was the opener of their first-round playoff series… Yao scored all of his points in the first half, and added nine rebounds. He hit all nine of his attempts from the field and all six of his free throws… Aaron Brooks added 27 points for the Rockets, who haven’t advanced out of the first round of the playoffs since 1997. Brandon Roy had 21 points for the Blazers in their first playoff appearance since the 2002-03 season. Portland embraced the young team this season, and some 10,000 fans showed up at a downtown rally earlier in the week in support of the team… Luis Scola finished with 19 points, and Artest had 17.

Yao, Scola lead Rockets past Hornets 86-66

The AP reports: Yao Ming scored 22 points, Luis Scola grabbed 15 rebounds and the Rockets routed the Hornets 86-66 on Monday night in their regular-season home finale. Houston came in holding the No. 4 seed in the West, but with the same record as San Antonio and Portland, who both won later in the night. If the Rockets win their last game in Dallas on Wednesday, they’ll secure their first division championship since 1993-94. But in the jumbled Western Conference, Houston could also slip to fifth place—and lose home-court advantage in the first round—with a loss to the Mavericks… David West had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Chris Paul had nine points and seven assists for the Hornets, who’ve lost five of their last seven. Scott is worried about his team’s inconsistency heading into its regular-season finale Wednesday in San Antonio.

Mutombo gives Rockets boost in win over Warriors

The AP reports: Dikembe Mutombo had 10 points and 15 rebounds, Luis Scola added a career-high 28 points and the Houston Rockets maintained their slim hold on the third seed in the Western Conference with a 113-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday. Making a rare start after center Yao Ming was scratched from Houston’s lineup during pregame warmups because of lingering soreness in his right foot, the 42-year-old Mutombo blocked four shots and played a season-high 36 minutes while helping the Rockets complete a four-game season sweep of the Warriors. Ron Artest added 19 points and six assists for Houston, which remained a half-game in front of Portland and San Antonio for the third seed in the Western Conference… Kelenna Azubuike had 32 points and C.J. Watson and Ronny Turiaf added 18 apiece for Golden State (28-51), which overcame a 14-point deficit in the second half before falling short.

Artest scores 26, Rockets beat Kings 115-98

The AP reports: Cheered in pre-game warmups for his tenure in Sacramento, Ron Artest responded by scoring 26 points and the Houston Rockets used a big third quarter to pull away for a 115-98 victory over the Kings, Adelman’s first at Arco since being fired by the team after eight seasons… Yao Ming had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Rockets, who trailed by five at halftime but dominated the third quarter, taking an 11-point lead that never dipped back into single digits in the fourth. Luis Scola scored 15 points, Von Wafer had 13 and Shane Battier added 12. Spencer Hawes had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the struggling Kings, while Francisco Garcia and Andres Nocioni scored 17 each and rookie Jason Thompson added 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Yao, Wafer lead Rockets past Magic 93-83

The AP reports: Yao Ming scored 20 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, outplaying Dwight Howard and leading the Houston Rockets to a 93-83 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. The 7-foot-6 Yao went 8-for-13 from the field and also blocked two shots. He played 38 minutes and got some help from 7-2 Dikembe Mutombo in handling Howard, the NBA’s leading rebounder and shot blocker… Ron Artest had 16 points and matched a season high with seven assists, and reserve Von Wafer scored 14 points for the Rockets, who stayed a half-game behind San Antonio in the race for the Southwest Division… Howard had 13 points and 10 rebounds, but went 3-for-9 from the free-throw line for the Magic, who slipped one game behind second-place Boston in the Eastern Conference standings.

Rockets beat Blazers 102-88

The AP reports: Houston beat Portland 102-88 on Sunday night, just hours after the Trail Blazers got their first playoff berth since 2003 when Dallas beat Phoenix 140-116… Yao Ming led the Rockets with 21 points and 12 rebounds in the win which moves Houston ahead of Portland into fourth place in the Western Conference with five games left in the regular season… Luis Scola added 16 points, Ron Artest had 15 and Aaron Brooks added 14 for the Rockets. LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and nine rebounds, but was slowed significantly by the dogged defense of Chuck Hayes. Hayes was his constant pest when he was in the game, helping limit him to 7-of-15 shooting.

Lakers get win no.60, beat Rockets 93-81

The AP reports: With six games left in the season and the Lakers already in the playoffs, Phil Jackson still won’t take his foot off the gas. Pau Gasol had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Kobe Bryant added 20 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers picked up their 60th victory by beating the Houston Rockets 93-81 on Friday night. Gasol and Bryant both played 38-plus minutes for the Lakers, who reached 60 wins for the 11th time in franchise history but the first since they went 67-15 in 1999-2000… Ron Artest had 21 points for the Rockets, who slid into fifth in the Western Conference, a half-game behind Portland… Yao Ming had 16 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks for the Rockets. Luis Scola scored 16 for Houston, which was swept by the Lakers in the season series for the first time in seven years.