Damian Lillard named NBA bubble MVP, Suns' Monty Williams honored as top coach
The NBA announced the winners of its individual bubble awards on Saturday with Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard named MVP.
Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams was named top coach of the bubble.
Lillard averaged 37.3 points, 9.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 43.6 percent from 3-point distance in eight games. He was a unanimous selection among the 22 media members who voted on the awards. Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker was second in MVP voting with 19 second-place votes.
Lillard’s historic scoring binge
Lillard scored 51, 61 and 42 points in Portland’s last three games in the bubble, all wins that the Trail Blazers needed to secure a spot in the play-in series against the Memphis Grizzlies, with the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs at stake.
Williams coached the Suns to an 8-0 record in the bubble. They did not qualify for the playoffs, but were the only unbeaten team in the NBA’s restart from its COVID-19 hiatus.
The league also announced All-Bubble teams. Lillard is joined by Booker and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic as unanimous selections for the first team.
NBA All-Bubble first team:
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
James Harden, Houston Rockets
T.J. Warren, Indiana Pacers
NBA All-Bubble second team:
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
Kristaps Porzingis, Dallas Mavericks
Caris LeVert, Brooklyn Nets
Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets
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