The NBA season is nearly a quarter complete and the contenders for the league s top awards are coming into focus.
Will LeBron James be able to add a fifth MVP award to his trophy room? Or, can a center win the MVP for the first time in over two decades? Does the league s most impressive rookie thus far reside in Sacramento, California? Which coaching performance has stood out this season?
Our experts answer the big questions and make their bold predictions about the NBA awards races.
1. What are you watching most closely in the MVP race?
Bobby Marks: How much separation LeBron James gets from the rest of the pack. James is the early leader for MVP by a wide margin, shooting 50% from the field and a career-high 41% from 3, while averaging 25.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists. The only question is if James can sustain that pace after having two months of rest in the offseason.
The rise of Luka Doncic happened faster than anyone predicted
play
Why Luka Doncic is must-see TV (1:03)
ESPN personalities sound off on Luka Doncic s brilliance through the start of the 2020-21 NBA season. (1:03)
Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks
Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM
THE BALL BOY, too young to tie his sneakers, made quite the impression on Goran Dragic.
The kid was the son of a veteran player on Geoplin Slovan, an Adriatic League first-division club where Dragic began his professional career. The boy, 5 years old when he first met Dragic, always had a basketball in his hands and put up shots any time a basket was open. Occasionally, he entertained the crowd with halftime dribbling exhibitions at midcourt.
2021 Way-Too-Early NBA Awards Predictions krui.fm - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from krui.fm Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.