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Wednesday 28 June 2017

Russell Westbrook wins NBA MVP; Rockets, Bucks take 2 awards

By BRIAN MAHONEY from his do-everything role
AP Basketball Writer with the NBA champions.
NEW YORK (AP) — Russell He had a franchise-record
Westbrook moved past 10 steals in a Feb. 10 game
Oscar Robertson and kept at Memphis while record-
right on going to the top of ing the first triple-double in
the NBA. NBA history without scoring
Westbrook was voted MVP in double figures, adding
on Monday night after set- 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
ting a record with 42 triple- The NBA formerly gave out
doubles during his historic its individual awards at var-
season. He led the league ious points throughout the
with 31.6 points and added postseason before switch-
10.7 rebounds and 10.4 as- ing to the awards show
sists per game, joining Rob- this season and presenting
ertson as the only players them all at once in front of
to average a triple-double the league’s top players
for the season and break- and stars from the enter-
ing Robertson’s single-sea- tainment world.
son record of 41 triple-dou- Bill Russell was presented
bles in 1961-62. the first Lifetime Achieve-
“I remember growing up ment award.q
just being home, play-
ing the video games and Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, Best Style & Game Winner Award winner, Russell Westbrook, poses Federer com-
stuff with my pops, and in the press room at the 2017 NBA Awards at Basketball City at Pier 36 on Monday, June 26, 2017,
my mom sitting there and in New York. Associated Press mits to Hopman
my brother and just talk-
ing about maybe one day Cup to open
I could be the MVP. Obvi- acceptance speech in mon draft era, beating out a reserve. 2018 season
ously I was joking at the which he brought some Philadelphia’s Dario Saric “Obviously I’m just proud of
time,” Westbrook said. teammates onto the stage and Joel Embiid. the team and the way they
“But now to be standing with him. Brogdon was the No. 36 responded all year. Great PERTH, Australia (AP) —
here with this trophy next The Thunder went 33-9 overall selection out of Vir- organization,” D’Antoni Roger Federer has com-
to me is a true blessing, when he had a triple-dou- ginia. The common draft said of the Rockets’ 55-win mitted to starting the
man, and it’s an unbeliev- ble, riding Westbrook’s re- era began in 1966. season. 2018 season at the Hop-
able feeling, something cord run into the playoffs in “I think it’s an example for “This is not an individual man Cup, the interna-
that I can never imagine.” their first season after losing guys that are told they are award. This is a lot of peo- tional mixed-team tour-
Westbrook’s victory ended Kevin Durant to the Golden too short, they are not ath- ple, a lot of hard work goes nament where he’ll team
the first NBA Awards show, State Warriors. letic enough, they are not into it, and I’m the recipient up again with Belinda
which included two wins “Oscar, guys like him, Mag- real point guards, they are of some pretty good play- Bencic for Switzerland.
apiece for the Houston ic Johnson, those guys, ob- not real shooting guards,” ers.” The 35-year-old Federer
Rockets and Milwaukee viously I wasn’t able to see Brogdon said. “I just think In his first season coming has cut back on the num-
Bucks. those guys play, but just to it’s an important message off the bench, Gordon set ber of tournaments he
He received 69 first-place look back at history and for people to see, and it a single-season record with plays in order to prolong
votes and 888 points from see the things that they did, can be done. It just takes a 206 3-pointers by a reserve. his career, and skipped
a panel of 100 media it’s something that I looked lot.” He averaged 16.2 points to the recent clay court sea-
members and a fan vote up to as a kid,” Westbrook Brogdon’s Greek team- help fuel the Rockets’ run son recently to concen-
to easily beat Houston’s said. mate Giannis Antetok- to the surprising No. 3 seed trate on Wimbledon.
James Harden, who had “I never thought I would ounmpo won the Most Im- in the Western Conference He played with Bencic
22 first-place votes and 753 be able to say that I broke proved Player award. and edged former NBA at the last Hopman Cup
points. Kawhi Leonard was Oscar Robertson’s record, Houston coach Mike Finals MVP Andre Iguoda- and it proved an ideal
third with nine first-place and that’s just a true bless- D’Antoni won his second la of Golden State by 32 tune-up for the Australian
votes and 500 points. ing.” Coach of the Year award, points. Open, where he beat Ra-
Westbrook succeeded Ste- Earlier, Milwaukee’s Mal- and the Rockets’ Eric Gor- Golden State’s Draymond fael Nadal in the final to
phen Curry, who had won colm Brogdon became the don was Sixth Man of the Green won the Defensive end a personal Grand
the past two MVP awards. first player not picked in the Year after setting a record Player of the Year, ending Slam drought stretching
The point guard who plays first round to win NBA Rook- for most 3-pointers off the Leonard’s two-year run. back to Wimbledon in
with defiance on the court ie of the Year in the com- bench in his first season as Leading the league in steals 2012.q
got choked up during an