Trending Topics: Midseason award picks for Kia MVP, ROY and more

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Joel Embiid are 2 popular midseason choices for Kia MVP.

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Periodically, NBA.com’s writers will weigh in on key storylines or trending topics around the league.

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With the NBA’s midseason point approaching this week, list your regular season award winners so far.

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Steve Aschburner

Kia MVP = Jayson Tatum, Boston CelticsKia Rookie of the Year = Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City ThunderKia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota TimberwolvesKia Sixth Man of the Year = Tim Hardaway Jr., Dallas MavericksKia Most Improved Player = Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ersKia Clutch Player of the Year = Stephen Curry, Golden State WarriorsNBA Coach of the Year = Chris Finch, Minnesota Timberwolves

Best player on the best team, a traditional filter, decides my first-half MVP. Holmgren’s seamless fit and OKC’s success with it give him an edge over Victor Wembanyama. Gobert is the tent pole for the league’s top defense. The Mavericks are 19-12 when Hardaway (17.0 ppg) comes off the bench, 5-5 when he does not.

Maxey gets a slim edge in a crowded field (Alpern Sengun, Scottie Barnes, Coby White). Curry has taken the most clutch shots, scored the most clutch points, hit half of his 3s in those situations and the Warriors are 15-11 on those nights (3-11 otherwise). Finally, raise your hand if you picked Minnesota to be atop the West standings? Me neither. Finch has knitted together a team that seemed last spring to be fraying.

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Brian Martin

Kia MVP = Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City ThunderKia Rookie of the Year = Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio SpursKia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota TimberwolvesKia Sixth Man of the Year = Malik Monk, Sacramento KingsKia Most Improved Player = Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana PacersKia Clutch Player of the Year = Stephen Curry, Golden State WarriorsNBA Coach of the Year = Tyronn Lue, LA Clippers

Having already missed 10 games, Joel Embiid is not on pace to meet the required games played (65 games, so to 33 for half season) to be eligible to repeat as MVP despite looking the part while on the court.

Nikola Jokic remains the league’s most valuable offensive player, but Gilgeous-Alexander gets the nod for his impact on both ends, leading OKC to a top-five ranking in both offense (31.3 ppg on 55.6% shooting) and defense (league-high 2.3 spg)

For Rookie of the Year, Chet Holmgren has had a larger impact on winning, but Wemby’s numbers are undeniable. He’s on pace to be the first player to average 19 points, 10 and three blocks since Shaquille O’Neal in 1999-00. Not the first rookie. The first player.

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Shaun Powell

Kia MVP = Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ersKia Rookie of the Year = Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City ThunderKia Defensive Player of the Year = Anthony Davis, Los Angeles LakersKia Sixth Man of the Year = Naz Reid, Minnesota TimberwolvesKia Most Improved Player = Alperen Sengun, Houston RocketsKia Clutch Player of the Year = Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana PacersNBA Coach of the Year = Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder

Is the MVP once again an Embiid-Nikola Jokic coin toss? Appears so. Embiid is having a monster year, and Jokic is having one that isn’t as big on stats but once again heavy on impact. Will Embiid reach the threshold for games played to be eligible, though?

Close call so far between AD and Rudy Gobert for DPOY and Chet over Victor Wembanyama for ROY, but the others are pretty easy. I love the seasons enjoyed by Tyrese Maxey and Haliburton and also Jalen Brunson, but they were pretty good last year, so the pick for a pure MIP goes to Sengun. Haliburton for clutch.

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John Schuhmann

Kia MVP = Nikola Jokic, Denver NuggetsKia Rookie of the Year = Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City ThunderKia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota TimberwolvesKia Sixth Man of the Year = Norman Powell, LA ClippersKia Most Improved Player = Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ersKia Clutch Player of the Year = Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana PacersNBA Coach of the Year = Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder

Gobert was the easiest pick because the league’s No. 1 defense (by a healthy margin) is built around his presence in the paint and has been much better with him on the floor. Holmgren, scoring much more efficiently and winning a lot more games than Victor Wembanyama, was also a pretty easy pick.

Nikola Jokic (a tad more important to his team’s success) has the edge for MVP over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with Joel Embiid having played far fewer minutes than both of them. Powell doesn’t have the box score numbers of Malik Monk or Bogdan Bogdanovic, but he’s been the most efficient scorer (by a wide margin) of the three, and one of the league’s best teams has been better with him on the floor.

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Michael C. Wright

Kia MVP = Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ersKia Rookie of the Year = Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City ThunderKia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota TimberwolvesKia Sixth Man of the Year = Tim Hardaway Jr., Dallas MavericksKia Most Improved Player = Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ersKia Clutch Player of the Year = Stephen Curry, Golden State WarriorsNBA Coach of the Year = Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder

Embiid is the MVP for the first half of the season. But injuries and the league’s new rules for mandatory participation could derail Embiid’s candidacy, while Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo continue to rise. It appears more likely every day the reigning MVP won’t meet the requirements for eligibility.

In the Rookie of the Year sweepstakes, Victor Wembanyama generates bountiful views for his eye-popping highlights and otherworldly skillset. But Holmgren’s consistency and OKC’s team success should propel him to the top when it’s all said and done.

Despite Golden State’s struggles, Stephen Curry continues to perform in clutch situations, while Hardaway Jr. has been a pleasant surprise in Dallas as the potential Sixth Man of the Year.