2019 NBA Awards: Start Time, Categories, Finalists & More

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The 2019 NBA Awards, hosted by NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, are scheduled to air on TNT at 9pm ET tonight, June 24. 

Of course, the most anticipated award is the MVP, which comes down to the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, OKC's Paul George and the reigning MVP, James Harden. 

Of note, six of the awards are voted on by the media: MVP, Coach of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man Award and Most Improved Player.

Other awards to be handed out tonight include Executive of the Year (voted on by the league's executives), Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year (voted on by the players), NBA Sportsmanship Award (voted on by the players), the NBA Cares Community Assist Award (voted on by fans and a panel of judges), the Lifetime Achievement Award, the NBA Hustle Award and the Sager Strong Award.

Check out the list of categories and nominees below, via NBA.com:

Featured Awards Finalists

Kia NBA Most Valuable Player

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Paul George, Oklahoma City Thunder
James Harden, Houston Rockets

Kia NBA Rookie of the Year

Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns
Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Kia NBA Sixth Man Award

Montrezl Harrell, LA Clippers
Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers
Lou Williams, LA Clippers

Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year

Giannis Antetokounmpo,  Milwaukee Bucks
Paul George,  Oklahoma City Thunder
Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz

Kia NBA Most Improved Player

De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
D’Angelo Russell, Brooklyn Nets
Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors

NBA Coach of the Year

Mike Budenholzer, Milwaukee Bucks
Michael Malone, Denver Nuggets
Doc Rivers, LA Clippers

NBA Cares Community Assist Award

Jarrett Allen, Brooklyn Nets
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies
Tobias Harris, Philadelphia 76ers
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks
Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors

Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award

Steven Adams, Oklahoma City Thunder
Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies
Jared Dudley, Brooklyn Nets
Channing Frye, Cleveland Cavaliers
Rudy Gay, San Antonio Spurs
Udonis Haslem, Miami Heat
Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors
Kyle Korver, Utah Jazz
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
JJ Redick, Philadelphia 76ers
Garrett Temple, LA Clippers
Thaddeus Young, Indiana Pacers

NBA Sportsmanship Award

Steven Adams, Oklahoma City Thunder
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings
Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies
Al Horford, Boston Celtics
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets

Lifetime Achievement Award

Larry Bird
Magic Johnson

Sager Strong Award

Robin Roberts


About The Author
<b>Sports &amp; Sneakers Writer</b> <!--BR--> New York born and raised. Long-suffering Knicks, Mets &amp; Jets fan who fell in love with sneakers when Allen Iverson laced up the 11s at Georgetown. Commissioner of one of the premier fantasy football leagues in the USA.
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