Who deserves some more love this NBA season? Our writers answer below! Jac Manuell/@TheJManJBT Aaron Gordon has improved every facet of his game. Here’s a list of all the areas where his game has improved, via Basketball Reference: -Points per game -Blocks per game -Steals per game -Assists per game -Total rebounds per game -Free throw rate and percentage -Field goal percentage from two and three -Effective field goal percentage As I argued on the NBA Outlet, he is a legitima

Who has IMPRESSED? Matthew Golda/@mgolda1216 For me, Kristaps Porzingis has had the most impressive start. He has started the year with five 30+ point performances of the six games to date and is third in the league in scoring per game at 29.3 points per game. He dropped a career high 38 points at home against the Nuggets on Monday night and has shown great versatility in his scoring in this early part of the season. Shooting threes, long twos, and even demonstrated the abili

Four of OTG 's greatest give you their pick for MVP!!! Jac Manuell/@TheJManJBT The 2017-18 season is going to be the year of the ‘Klaw’. No that isn’t a Chinese New Year Symbol (happy year of the Rooster everyone), instead a very cool and apt nickname for the defensive magician, Kawhi Leonard. Some will be skeptical of this pick due to his lack of preseason with a quad injury; an injury which was troubled him in the past, however, it is on the lighter side in terms of serious

Five of OTG 's brightest give you their pick for Coach of the Year Evan Dyal/@EvanDyal Now this is tough, but give me Mike Malone of the Denver Nuggets. I think Denver will finish in the sixth seed in the west and win 48 games. That would be an impressive finish in a brutal western conference. If he gets the Nugs to fifty wins, he has a real shot. I think Malone helps the Nuggets maintain a top five offense, revolving around Nikola Jokic, while improving a dismal defense. Las

Nine members of the OTG staff give you their pick for Sixth Man of the Year Jac Manuell/@TheJManJBT We only need to turn to famed Canadian rap superstar, Drake to know who this year’s Sixth Man of the Year will be: “Boomin' out in South Gwinnett like Lou Will 6 Man like Lou Will, 2 girls and they get along like I'm (Lou Will) Like I'm Lou Will.” Lou Williams isn’t just going to win the award because Drizzy said so but because he’s the league’s prototypical sixth man. He has

Nine of OTG's greatest give you their pick for 2017-2018's Most Improved Player. Théo Salaun/@TheoSalaun The Milwaukee Bucks are primed to make a jump in the Eastern Conference standings after finishing 6th last season. If fully healthy, a Bucks team could snag the #3 spot behind Cleveland and Boston while gobbling up regular season opponents, putting Giannis Antetokounmpo in MVP consideration, and Most Improved Player sleeper — Khris Middleton — in heavy consideration for th

Eight of OTG's defensive gurus give you their pick for Defensive Player of the Year Théo Salaun/@TheoSalaun Barring a Kawhi Leonard or Draymond Green repeat, Defensive Player of the Year will go to Rudy Gobert. Defense is determined by impact and the award is determined by the story of a player’s season as much as their individual impact on D. John Wall and Patrick Beverley lock the perimeter, Kawhi and Draymond can switch everywhere, but Rudy Gobert controls the paint. Perim

Eight of OTG's finest give you their pick for Rookie of the Year Matt Chin/@MattChinNBA Dennis Smith Jr. Even if he hadn’t been truly magnificent in summer league, I simply love his fit and opportunity in Dallas. He’s an attacking downhill guard who can finish near the rim and distribute from the paint. Nerlens Noel is an elite rim runner and lob finisher, and he and Smith will offer a nuclear athletic pick and roll pairing. Noel ranked in the 83rd percentile in roll man offe