With the regular season over and NBA awards being announced, it’s time to give Knicks players the respect they deserve by giving them their own team awards. These include the Knicks’ MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, and Most Improved Player of the Year.
Each of these awards was very tough to pick and had multiple players in the running for each. However, we’re confident that fans will agree with our selections, or at the very least, understand our reasoning for picking them.
These players have been incredibly important to the Knicks’ success this season and we are grateful for their services.
Giving each of the major NBA awards to the Knicks who deserve it
Most Improved Player of the Year: Jalen Brunson
This was one of the easiest decisions to be made regarding who was most deserving, as there is a very real chance that Jalen Brunson wins the actual award after being named a finalist. Regardless of whether or not he actually wins it, it’s very clear that he is the choice for the Knicks.
In 68 regular season games, Brunson averaged 24.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists while shooting 49.1% from the field and 41.6% from three on 4.7 attempts. Once you compare this to his season averages from 2021 of 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists, it makes it even more apparent as to why he was the clear choice.
Brunson’s importance to this Knicks team cannot be understated. The consistency he brings to the offensive side of the ball is something New York has needed for years now and it has been one of the biggest reasons for the team’s success.
The Knicks have not had a point guard of Brunson’s caliber for decades now and considering the flack they got for signing him, it’s easy to say that New York and its fans couldn’t be happier about their point guard of the future.