NBA Awards show 2017: Time, TV channel, and host for Monday night’s ceremony

The first-ever NBA Awards show will reveal the league’s MVP, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, and Defensive Player of the Year on Monday night at 9 p.m. on TNT. Each award has three finalists remaining to be selected from, and votes have already been cast by the media. The show will be hosted by Drake, who also hosted the ESPYs in 2014, and will include a special guest performance from Nicki Minaj.

The MVP candidates are Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Kawhi Leonard. The Rookie of the Year race is among Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, and Malcolm Brogdon. Sixth Man of the Year finalists are Eric Gordon, Andre Iguodala, and Lou Williams. Coach of the Year will be Mike D’Antoni, Gregg Popovich, or Erik Spoelstra. The Most Improved Player finalists are Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Rudy Gobert. And the Defensive Player of the Year will be Kawhi Leonard, Draymond Green, or Rudy Gobert.

The MVP conversation has been heated all year between Westbrook and Harden, two of the league’s best offensive players who had two of the most memorable seasons ever from that end of the floor. Our Paul Flannery had a vote this year, and defended his choice of Russell Westbrook here. Our Houston Rockets blog is keeping track of which media members announced their votes already.

Aside from MVP, Rookie of the Year appears to be the next most controversial pick. Though he only played in 31 games on a minutes restriction, it’s impossible to deny Embiid’s the best player in his class. But did his injury cost him the award to his teammate Saric? SB Nation believes the award is still Embiid’s.

Time: Monday, June 26, 9 p.m. ET

TV: TNT

Online: Watch TNT