May 3 arrived quickly—the day the second round began. At the same time, at 9:00 a.m. on the 3rd, the NBA released the list of regular-season award winners for the 2014–2015 season.
This season's MVP: Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors!
He averaged 24.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game, leading the Golden State Warriors to a 67–15 record, the best in the entire league and the best regular-season record in Warriors history.
This season's Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs!
With Tim Duncan's retirement, Leonard not only had to take on more responsibility offensively, but also shoulder more on defense. This season, he averaged 21.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.5 blocks.
This season's Coach of the Year: Budenholzer of the Atlanta Hawks! Under head coach Budenholzer's leadership, the Atlanta Hawks posted the best record in franchise history.
Head coach Budenholzer's outstanding performance was reflected not only in the team's record. He had also successfully instilled an unselfish basketball philosophy in the team, giving the Atlanta Hawks an offensive style similar to that of the San Antonio Spurs.
This tactical success and the cultivation of the team's culture were also important reasons why he received recognition.
That was why head coach Budenholzer beat out Steve Kerr for Coach of the Year.
This season's Sixth Man of the Year: Lou Williams of the Toronto Raptors!
This season, Lou Williams averaged 15.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals, helping the Toronto Raptors reach the playoffs. Unfortunately, they lost to the Chicago Bulls in the first round.
This season's Most Improved Player: Jimmy Butler of the Chicago Bulls.
This season, Jimmy Butler joined the Chicago Bulls and was completely unleashed. After all, he had only been a defender