With many teams in the NBA having reached the midway point of the year, here are my awards for the first half of the season.
 Most Valuable Player: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
The MVP has been a battle of LeBron James and a new rising challenger for the last few seasons, but not this year. James has missed nine of the season’s first 42 games, which is too many to stay in contention, especially when the Cavaliers aren’t playing up to their potential.
So, keeping in line with what seems to be a recent tradition, I’m giving the midseason MVP to the best player on the best team. That’s Stephen Curry.
With Curry as their leader, the Warriors have the NBA’s best record at 33-6 in a strong Western Conference. 
The Davidson product sits at top ten in the league in both points and assists per game and leads the NBA in steals per game. He’s shooting the lowest percentage of his career from behind the arc but still ranks third in the league in 3-pointers made.
The only other contender in the MVP race is the Rockets’ James Harden. It was a tough call, but ultimately, the 33-6 mark was too much to pass up.
Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis, New Orleans
Pelicans
I’m sure many of you are upset Davis isn’t holding down the MVP award. Sorry, but the Pelicans just aren’t good enough for Davis to be considered. 
The Brow leads the league in blocks per game by half a block and player efficiency rating by about three points. He has four of the league’s 25 highest block totals in a game with nine once and six three other times. Davis also turned in the season’s second highest steal total in a game against Oklahoma City on Dec. 2, 2014.
He deserved the award last year, and he’s been playing too well not to win it this year — as long as he can stay healthy.
 Rookie of the Year: Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves
Hey Cleveland, I found the wing-defender you’ve been looking for.
The Cavaliers drafted Wiggins No. 1 overall, and once they got LeBron James, they shipped him to Minnesota to play with Kevin Love.
Since the Canadian has gone to South Canada, he’s been decent, averaging 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. While those numbers won’t set the box score on fire, they are the best out of this year’s rookie class. 
As a whole, it’s been an underwhelming group of youngsters, but someone deserving of this award will step up in the second half. Wiggins’ only real competition is the Magic’s Elfrid Payton and the Sixers’ Nerlens Noel, who still counts as rookie after sitting out all of last season.
Coach of the Year: Mike Budenholzer, Atlanta Hawks 
Let’s be honest with each other for a minute: I did not know his name before I started writing this, but he has done an incredible job making the Hawks not only a playoff contender but the leader in the Eastern
Conference.
Before taking over the Hawks, Budenholzer spent 17 years as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs, golden child of the NBA. He saw the Spurs win four titles, and he has Atlanta looking like San Antonio with ball movement, defense and impressive win totals.
Last season, Budenholzer and the Hawks snagged the eight seed in the East and gave the No. 1 seeded Pacers a run for their money in a seven-game series. They only won 38 games last season, but they’re on pace for nearly double that total this season thanks to tough defense and heart.
The Hawks are nowhere near as talented as many teams in the league and have no business leading the conference. But Budenholzer has them believing  they are good enough and their opinion is the only one that matters.
Most Improved Player: Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls
Welcome to the world of superstardom, Jimmy Butler. Make no mistake about it — the Bulls are Derek Rose’s team, but they wouldn’t be where they are without the play of Butler.
Butler has increased his totals in assists, rebounds, blocks, field goal percentage and 3-point percentage — all while nearly doubling his point total.
He’s increased his shooting percentages from all distances and is the consistent scoring threat from mid-range the Bulls need. Rose and the bigs can score in the paint. Chicago needs the wing scoring threat Butler brings.
Brian Pellerin is a 20-year-old junior mass communication major from Kenner, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Pellerin_TDR.