In 1969, Jerry West was named MVP of the NBA Finals, despite the fact that his Los Angeles Lakers lost in seven games to the Boston Celtics. Why do I bring that fact up now? I’m just citing precedent that not always does an award go to a player on the winning team.
Simply put, young Knick Quentin Grimes dominated the 2023 NBA Rising Stars competition. This year the host of young players was split into four groups, with Grimes playing on a team coached by former Knick Joakim Noah. Team Noah won their first game to advance to the Final, but lost.