The NBL's MVP race has gone down to the wire, with hope growing that the league could unveil joint winners for the first time in 34 years.
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Adelaide superstar Bryce Cotton and Sydney guard Kendric Davis are in a two-horse race for the prestigious MVP award -- and opinions are split as to who should walk away with the spoils on Monday night.
36ers coach Mike Wells is adamant Cotton deserves to win his sixth Andrew Gaze Trophy.
"It's not even close. The MVP race is over today," Wells said after Cotton scored 42 points in a 92-89 win over NZ on Valentine's Day.
Sydney coach Brian Goorjian effectively said 'hold my beer' as he went into bat for his man Davis in the wake of Wells' comments.
"He's having a season that goes down in Sydney Kings history as one of the best individual performances of any player to put on this uniform," Goorjian said.
Both Goorjian and Wells raised valid arguments during their spiels.
Cotton has averaged a league high 25.7 points and 7.6 assists per game to lead the 36ers into second spot.
Even more importantly, he has come up trumps in clutch game-winning moments to power his team to victory in matches they really should have lost.
Davis's averages are a touch lower in points per game (24.4) and assists (6.7) compared to Cotton.
But importantly, he has produced his best basketball and has enjoyed higher averages this season against the top six teams, while Cotton's best has generally come against the bottom four teams.
And in head-to-head battles between Adelaide and Sydney, it has been Davis who has wielded the bigger influence.
Sydney lead that ledger 3-1 this season, with Davis averaging 23.8 points in those games and Cotton only 16.3.
The tight aspect of the MVP battle has led 36ers guard DJ Vasiljevic to declare Cotton and Davis should be named as joint winners.
Not since 1992, when Scott Fisher shared the award with the legendary Gaze, has that occurred.
Whoever ends up on stage on Monday night, they will be a deserved winner.
In other awards to be handed out, Goorjian will battle with South East Melbourne's Josh King for the coach of the year award, while Adelaide's Flynn Cameron, Sydney's Makuach Maluach and the Breakers' Sam Mennenga are all in the running for the most improved player.
The defensive player of the year is a three-way battle between the Wildcats' Kristian Doolittle, the Phoenix's John Brown III, and Tasmania's Will Magnay.
NBL AWARDS CATEGORIES
Lindsay Gaze Coach of the Year:
Brian Goorjian (Sydney Kings)
Josh King (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
Most Improved Player:
Flynn Cameron (Adelaide 36ers)
Makuach Maluach (Sydney Kings)
Sam Mennenga (New Zealand Breakers)
Step One Next Generation:
Karim Lopez (New Zealand Breakers)
Owen Foxwell (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
Sam Mennenga (New Zealand Breakers)
Sixth Man of the Year:
Angus Glover (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
Kouat Noi (Sydney Kings)
Majok Deng (Tasmania JackJumpers)
Defensive Player of the Year:
Kristian Doolittle (Perth Wildcats)
John Brown III (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
Will Magnay (Tasmania JackJumpers)
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