Basketball Twitter Achieved Peak Pettiness During NBA Awards

As always, the best part of watching something involving the NBA was seeing how Twitter responded to it.

The NBA season is officially officially over.

Yes, the Warriors won the championship more than a week ago, but Monday's NBA Awards put the bow on the 2017-18 season.

It was the second year of the event, and the combination of host Anthony Anderson and the Inside the NBA crew was exactly what we needed before free agency gets started next week.

From the red carpet before the show, to the responses to some of the awards to Bill Russell flipping off Charles Barkley, the 2018 NBA Awards had everything.

Take a look back at some of the top moments from the night.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver laughs when asked about the Bryan Colangelo burner account: “I’m not touching that one. You want me to get between husband and wife?” to @Kara_Klontz pic.twitter.com/Fcqi3VkdFi

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) June 25, 2018

Dikembe Mutombo stole the show pic.twitter.com/NufAg9kS21

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) June 25, 2018

Apparently Anthony Anderson and LeBron have the same stylist pic.twitter.com/vhSZhSQ1wn

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 26, 2018

Asking the tough question...@Kara_Klontz: “Where do you think LeBron is going?”
Adam Silver: 🤨🤫🤣 pic.twitter.com/msQtB53Ld8

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) June 26, 2018

The first award of the night was Rookie of the Year, which went to Ben Simmons of the 76ers. Simmons and Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell had a pretty public and pretty petty battle for the award, which included Adidas going all out to help push Mitchell. But when Simmons took home the honor, the marketing campaign Adidas used got flipped on its head.

Look what this man rolled up in 👀 🕷#NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/U4BFF5gvun

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) June 25, 2018

Rookie has arrived 🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/KSi4dyHxUQ

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) June 25, 2018

award-winning /əˈwɔːrdˌwɪn.ɪŋ/

adjective [ before noun ]

Having won a prize or prizes for being of high quality or very skilled:@BenSimmons25 is an award-winning rookie. #KiaROY https://t.co/EFoFs3kDCy

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) June 26, 2018

There goes @BenSimmons25 leaving #NBAAwards Show.#HereTheyCome x #KiaROY pic.twitter.com/ziZSXj5U6l

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) June 26, 2018

Nike was prepared to capitalize on that “not a rookie” storyline pic.twitter.com/CmvLZYJxDl

— DeAntae Prince (@DeAntae) June 26, 2018

NBA Free Agency 2018: Top 50 Players Available

Another big moment of the night came after Dwane Casey won Coach of the Year for leading the Raptors to a 59-23 record and the top seed in the East. Toronto's season ended thanks to a sweep in the second round of the playoffs by the Cavaliers that proved to cost Casey his job. But that didn't stop his old team, and his new team, from congratulating him for the award.

Congratulations to Dwane. https://t.co/LoviJVFllD

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) June 26, 2018

Congrats Coach! 😉 https://t.co/e7hordsJ7Z

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) June 26, 2018

Well this is awkward... pic.twitter.com/YXblNELKTS

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 26, 2018

This was slightly less awkward then when the Raptors congratulated Casey for being named a finalist for the award less than a week after firing him.

And then there was the whole thing with Bill Russell flipping the bird at Charles Barkley.

Sorry everyone, I forgot it was live TV & I can’t help myself whenever I see Charles it just is pure instinct. @NBAonTNT @NBA #birdman #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/0zQLvWhuKi

— TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) June 26, 2018

And, there was James Harden finally winning the MVP to make the Thunder the only team to draft MVPs in consecutive seasons with Kevin Durant (2007), Russell Westbrook (2008) and Harden (2009). It's a shame they don't play together any more.

BOW TO THE BEARD

James Harden is the 2017-18 NBA MVP! pic.twitter.com/UJeHCbfhQC

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 26, 2018

When the church mother comes to Resurrection Sunday with a new fit pic.twitter.com/S0hUEtnUp0

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 26, 2018

Luck had nothing to do with it. #HereToCreate⁠ ⁠@JHarden13 @adidasHoops pic.twitter.com/J6S4KOe7pe

— adidas (@adidasUS) June 26, 2018

Well, you can relax for now NBA fans. Free agency gets started July 1.