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Jerry Zgoda's Sunday Insider: A point guard is the one

Chris Paul's stellar play on the West's best team is enough to give him the nod over some other big stars for MVP.

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: April 14, 2008 - 12:04 AM

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WOLVES WEEK IN REVIEW

Record: 2-3

• A rare five-game week yielded opening losses at home to Memphis on Sunday and New Orleans on Wednesday and on the road at Charlotte on Tuesday. They extended the latest losing streak to six (and eight of nine) before rallying to beat Orlando on Friday and capping the week with a victory at Memphis on Saturday, disappointing fans hoping for lottery chances.

STAR TRIBUNE'S STAR OF THE WEEK: Derrick Rose, guard

• OK, so he's not a Timberwolf, but everybody's got to have a dream, right? The Memphis freshman guard stalled in his team's late-game collapse in Monday night's NCAA title game, but his body of work, especially the tournament's three weekends, suggests he could supplant Kansas State's Michael Beasley as this summer's No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

THIS WEEK: Two games

Tuesday: at Detroit, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: vs. Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m.

• Is it over already? A season of transition, to put it simply, ends with Games No. 81 and 82, at Detroit on Tuesday and at home against Milwaukee on Wednesday. How will Pistons coach Flip Saunders subtly try to a twist the knife this time?

THE QUOTE "That doesn’t look anything like me. That thing’s fat." — Al Jefferson, feigning outrage at a piggybank crafted in his likeness that will given away at Wednesday’s home finale

JERRY ZGODA

More from Timberwolves

One guy's regular-season award ballot:

MVP

1. Chris Paul, New Orleans

2. Kevin Garnett, Boston

3. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers

Granted, without LeBron James the Cavaliers are the Timberwolves, but there was just no room. Not with the Lakers set to win probably 10 more games than the Cavs, and in a tougher Western Conference. Not with the Celtics completely transformed from losers to emphatic winners. And not with the Hornets elevated to best in the murderous West because of a precocious point guard who has done more than anybody to lift his franchise.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

1. Kevin Durant, Seattle

2. Al Horford, Atlanta

3. Luis Scola, Houston

Just when it looked like the heavy favorite to win this thing all year was about to fade away, Durant slammed the gate on all conversation with a strong season finish that included a 37-point game in a double-overtime victory over Denver.

COACH OF THE YEAR

1. Byron Scott, New Orleans

2. Rick Adelman, Houston

3. Jerry Sloan, Utah

Usually, I like to spread the love around, but the Hornets have prevailed amid such strong competition and Scott, winner of two conference titles as coach of the Nets and a three-time champ as a player, has gotten everything he possibly could get from Paul, David West, an improving Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

1. Kevin Garnett, Boston

2. Marcus Camby, Denver

3. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers

Camby is going to win a third consecutive shot-blocking title, but the Nuggets allow an average of 457 points a game. The Celtics have been the league's best team from the opening bell because of their defense.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

1. LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland

2. Al Jefferson, Timberwolves

3. Rajon Rondo, Boston

Orlando's Hedo Turkoglu probably will win it, although, at age 29, that might be more a matter of opportunity and circumstance (a new coach) than improvement.

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR

1. Manu Ginobili, San Antonio

2. Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix

3. Jason Terry, Dallas

Just ask any Timberwolf: This is no contest.

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

Danny Ainge, Boston

The ultimate sign that the Apocalypse is upon us. A reversal even more stunning than his worst-to-first Celtics.

ALL-NBA

First team: Paul, New Orleans; Bryant, L.A. Lakers; Dwight Howard, Orlando; James, Cleveland; Garnett, Boston.

Second team: Tim Duncan, San Antonio; Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas; Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix; Ginobili, San Antonio; Steve Nash, Phoenix.

Third team: Carlos Boozer, Utah; Paul Pierce, Boston; Antawn Jamison, Washington; Allen Iverson, Denver; Deron Williams, Utah.

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Garnett, Boston; Tayshaun Prince, Detroit; Camby, Denver; Shane Battier, Houston; Bryant, L.A. Lakers.

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Durant, Seattle; Horford, Atlanta; Scola, Houston; Al Thornton, L.A. Clippers; Jamario Moon, Toronto.

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