Bulls' Noah Takes 4th In MVP Voting
(CBS) After a career year, Bulls center Joakim Noah took fourth in the MVP voting.
Thunder star Kevin Durant won the award, his first such honor, in a landslide by taking 119 of the 125 first-place votes. Heat star LeBron James was a clear second, including taking the other six first-place votes, and Clippers big man Blake Griffin took third.
Noah averaged career-highs of 12.6 points, 11.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists this season, becoming the focal point and facilitator of the offense after Chicago dealt with a season-ending injury to star Derrick Rose and the departure of a key cog in Luol Deng. Noah was also named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year, leading a Bulls team to a 48-34 regular-season mark.
The Rockets' James Harden was fifth in the MVP voting.
Here's the top 10, with points in parentheses:
1. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City (1,232)
2. LeBron James, Miami (891)
3. Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers (434)
4. Joakim Noah, Chicago (322)
5. James Harden, Houston (85)
6. Stephen Curry, Golden State (66)
7. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers (45)
8. Al Jefferson, Charlotte (34)
9. Paul George, Indiana (33)
10. LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland (26)
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for CBSChicago.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.