Anthony Hollingsworth and Matthew McCreary break down their mid-season Most Valuable Players and other NBA awards, using the time-honored proof of GIFs. Before we start, a couple of rules. First, once a player's been picked in one slot, he can't be picked again. So Anthony Davis can't win every award. Second, this is not about the players with the best GIfs - it's about the best players, explained through GIFs. So Gerald Green can't win every award, either.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Hollingsworth: Stephen Curry

(First quarter pick: Anthony Davis)

(Second quarter pick: Anthony Davis)

It pains me to do it, but I’m making a needed change to my MVP vote. With Anthony Davis missing the All-Star game, will miss the post-season, and will miss the next two weeks due to a shoulder injury. His replacement, however, has been cementing his status as the league’s best player all season. Stephen Curry dominated All-Star Weekend when he won the 3-Point Shootout, will be the number one seed going into the post-season and is on pace to HK. While his shoes are horrendous, Curry and his Warriors are cooking. Curry average win share over 48 games is high for any other MVP candidate at .291 your favorite Harden is lagging at .276 while LeBron James is at a measly .182! The Baby-faced Assassin has faced Harden 4 times and won each game by an average of 17.5 points. I think it’s safe to say that he does not fear the beard.

McCreary: James Harden

(First quarter pick: Kyle Lowry)

(Second quarter pick: James Harden)

To be clear, I don't think Harden will win the MVP trophy. Curry's Warriors have absolutely drubbed Harden's Rockets this season, and Curry has averaged 25.8 points, 8.3 assists, 6.5 rebounds, and 2 steals in those games. Curry also has Golden State in the driver's seat in one of the toughest conferences in the NBA's history.

More importantly, though, people like Curry. People want to watch him play and hit shots from Alameda.

People don't like to watch Harden play. They don't like watching him flop or take 10 free throws per game. They don't want to watch Morey ball in general. The Howard-Harden Rockets are villains, the Splash Brothers heroes.

But sometimes the villain matters more than the hero. I mean, remember that time Christian Bale won the Academy Award for playing Batman? Neither do I.

Harden's leading the league in scoring, and he's doing it more efficiently (.611 true shooting) than Anthony Davis (.603). He's also first in win shares, offensive win shares, field goals, and free throws made. He's led the Rockets to the third best record in the West without Dwight Howard for much of the year.

Curry, meanwhile, has an All-Star cast including a guy who scored 37 points in a quarter (Thompson), four Defensive All-NBA candidates (Bogut when healthy, Green, Iguadala, Thompson again), a former number one recruit (Harrison Barnes), a former All-Star (David Lee), a former 6th Man of the Year (Leandro Barbosa) and my 6th Man of the Year this season (Mo Speights).

Basically, Curry's like Michelangelo. He's everyone's favorite turtle, but he's just part of an All-Star Cast. Harden is Shredder.

BEST DEFENDER

McCreary: Anthony Davis

(First quarter pick: Andrew Bogut)

(Second quarter pick: Serge Ibaka)

Davis is having one of the best statistical seasons in NBA History, and no one cares because Evan Gordon and Jrue Holiday aren't the same players the Pelicans traded for and Tyreke Evans and Ryan Anderson are overpaid. So if he's not going to win MVP (and he's not), he's got to win something.

I'm not just giving him this token award as a token, though. Davis has been the best defensive player in the NBA this season, averaging a league-leading 2.7 blocks per game and 1.5 steals per game. I mean, a guy that long who moves that well is just flat-out terrifying. He didn't just block Oladipo's shot above, he abosrbed it.

Hollingsworth: DeAndre Jordan

(First quarter pick: DeAndre Jordan)

(Second quarter pick: DeAndre Jordan)

Being snubbed from the All-Star Game has only mad DJ more of a beast. Not only is he healthy, nudge nudge hint hint, but he is also leading the NBA per usual. With 14.0 rebounds, he is head and shoulders above anyone else in the category. Let's also point out that Jordan accounts for 3.4 defensive win shares over 48 games while Davis has an apathetic 2.7. As the Clips cruise into the post-season on the back of one of the most athletic players in the league, Davis, who is behind Jordan in blocks will be but a thought.

McCreary: Players are shooting just 40.3% from the field when Davis is guarding them. Those same players are averaging 46.2% otherwise, meaning Davis stops nearly 6% more shots than the average player. Meanwhile, DeAndre Jordan's opponents are shooting about the same whether he's guarding them or not.

Hollingsworth: I will admit it is a stretch but, best of luck with Serge. We all saw your uncanny ability to predict the future with Bogut. I see another strained calf for Ibaka in the near future.

6th Man

Hollingsworth: Lou Williams

(First quarter pick: Lou Williams) (Second quarter pick: Lou Williams)

How could a guy who is was already asked to do so much provide any more to his team? Now averaging 24.3 minutes a game, Williams is the man. Not only is he making a name for himself on the court he has one of the hottest rappers in the game right now, Drake, making a song about him! If Lou doesn't win 6th Man of the year, Drake might start dissing Speights, and you or Speights don't want that!

McCreary: Marreese Speights

(First quarter pick: Brandan Wright)

(Second quarter pick: Marreese Speights)

You could say that DeMarcus Cousins just decided to do DeMarcus Cousins things and let Speights score here, but I think there's a chance that Speights is, in fact, a Jedi.

I thought his production might dip after David Lee returned, but he's still averaging 11.4 points and 4.5 rebounds in just 17.8 minutes per game. He can legitimately play the 4 or the 5, giving the Warriors just about infinite lineup options, he's a great midrange shooter and knocks down free throws. You just don't see that kind of skill, size, and youth from a backup.

Most Improved Player

McCreary: Draymond Green

(First quarter pick: Draymond Green)

(Second quarter pick: Draymond Green)

Draymond Green is earning $915,243 this season. Draymond Green's contract ends after this season. Draymond Green will make more than $915,243 next season.

Hollingsworth: Jimmy Butler

(First quarter pick: Jimmy Butler)

(Second quarter pick: Jimmy Butler)

With D. Rose going down again, Butler has cemented himself as the premier player on the Chicago Bulls. Butler is currently averaging 20.2 ppg, up from his 19.2 the last time we made our picks. He recently visited the White House and probably got some pointers from President Obama on how to take command of the floor and be diplomatic with the ball. Butler's assists are up to 3.3 and 4.2 defensive rebounds. Green was your best shot but looks like you came up short again.

Rookie Of The Year

Hollingsworth: Andrew Wiggins

(First quarter pick: Andrew Wiggins)

(Second quarter pick: Andrew Wiggins)

You might be the worst thing ever to happen to the NBA, you injure all of your picks. Please for the love of God do not pick LeBron for any award - if your latest victim Parker shows anything it's that you are cursed. Wiggins is still shooting 34.7% from the 3-point line and is making 43.8% of his field goals. Oh, and remember what I said about Wiggins becoming the leader of his team? With the return of KG, I think the future is looking bright for the Canadian wonder kid.

McCreary: Nikola Mirotic

(First quarter pick: Jabari Parker)

(Second quarter pick: Nikola Mirotic)

Wiggins is the runaway candidate right now, and he's probably going to win, but Mirotic is the best rookie on a team with a winning record. That's got to count for something.

Coach Of The Year

Hollingsworth: Terry Stotts

(First quarter pick: Terry Stotts)

(Second quarter pick: Terry Stotts)

What more can I say, I'm like the basketball Nostradamus! You asked the question "are the Blazers actually getting better?" Well, shout out to my boy Terry Stotts for delivering the answer in convincing fashion. Ride the Hawks bandwagon all you want, one good year doesn't make the coach the best coach in the league, especially in a down Eastern Conference. What Stotts is doing is great for the Portland and basketball as he is building a seasoned contender for years to come.

McCreary: Mike Budenholzer

(First quarter pick: Steve Kerr)

(Second quarter pick: Mike Budenholzer)

I know they've looked a little shakier after the All-Star Break, but if you'd told Atlanta fans that you traveled to the future and knew they'd lead the East by a whopping EIGHT GAMES before the season started, this is the exact dance they would do.

Take it away, Harry.