Media Release

Finalists Unveiled for 2018 NBA Awards on TNT presented by Kia

NBA on TNT

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NBA on TNT 2018 NBA Awards on TNT
Monday, June 25, at 9 p.m. ET

Finalists Unveiled for 2018 NBA Awards on TNT presented by Kia



Winners to be Announced Monday, June 25, at 9 p.m. ET



Finalists for the 2018 NBA Awards on TNT presented by Kia were unveiled during tonight's special one-hour pregame show, with winners to be announced live during the NBA Awards on TNT in Los Angeles on Monday, June 25, at 9 p.m. ET. Award finalists:

Kia NBA Most Valuable Player: Anthony Davis (NOP), James Harden (HOU) & LeBron James (CLE)

Kia NBA Rookie of the Year: Donovan Mitchell (UTA), Ben Simmons (PHI) & Jayson Tatum (BOS)

Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis (NOP), Joel Embiid (PHI) & Rudy Gobert (UTA)

Kia NBA Sixth Man Award: Eric Gordon (HOU), Fred VanVleet (TOR) & Lou Williams (LAC)

Kia NBA Most Improved Player: Clint Capela (HOU), Spencer Dinwiddie (BRK) & Victor Oladipo (IND)

NBA Coach of the Year: Dwane Casey (TOR), Quin Snyder (UTA) & Brad Stevens (BOS)
Click on the images to view the below videos
Headline 1
Sixth Man
The Inside the NBA crew discusses whether Lou Williams is truly a "sixth man" with the Clippers
Headline 2
Most Valuable Player
Former NBA MVP Charles Barkley on why it is James Harden's year to win MVP
Headline 3
Coach of the Year
Ernie Johnson the Coach of the Year field
Analysis from the Inside the NBA studio team

"I actually think there’s a huge advantage when you redshirt. It gave Ben Simmons a huge leg up physically to grow into the league. The best pure rookie was Donovan Mitchell." - Charles Barkley on why Utah's breakout star is in line for Rookie of the Year
"I had a chance to talk to [Victor Oladipo] a lot before the trade [from Oklahoma City]. I asked him if he was going to be ready to take on the burden of not just being one of the guys, but being the guy. He proved that he was ready this season." - Kenny Smith on why Victor Oladipo's meteoric rise to superstar status puts him in position to win Most Improved Player Social Image

"I’m going with Brad Stevens, because he took a bunch of young guys and got them to believe in a system, so that they said, ‘I don’t care who we are playing, we’re going to go out there and play hard.’" - Shaquille O'Neal on his pick for Coach of the Year

"What I do like about the Heat, they have good veterans, they have good new players, but the nucleus and building chemistry, it takes time." - Lisa Leslie on the Miami Heat roster
 
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