[fliptonnParticipant]

What do you guys got in terms of this years Most Improved Player of the Year. The way i see it it’s between…

Ryan Anderson – Started very strong but has really died down at the end of the season

Andrew Bynum – Huge numbers but questions about character

Jeremy Lin – Obviously a breakout star but didnt play many games

Goran Dragic – Playing great now but probably not even the best pg on his team

Demarcus Cousins – Same as Bynum

Marc Gasol – Playing great this year but still played well last year

Greg Monroe – Playing well, terrible team

James Harden – Same as Gasol, also hasnt been playing well at the end of the season

Who deserves it most?

[NihochuParticipant]

I would give a big consideration to C.J Watson he has played very good this year and could start for many  teams, but i would shy away from giving most improved to people in their 2nd or 3rd year. Monroe and Demarcus were high picks and everyone new they were going to improve, i think it should go to someone that no one expected it from

[Anton123Participant]

If you have to choose a player who really has improved most from last season to this one, it has to be Bynum. He is coming off a injury-riddled season, where he averaged just 11&9 and is now averaging a terrific 18&12. He has been doing it all season and has stayed healthy

There really are no shockers this year that seem to have come out of mediocrity into an all-star (like Devin Harris), but i think nobody can match Bynum’s individual progress

[TRC1991Participant]

demarcus cousins in my opinion. hes had a great season

17.6 ppg, 11 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 45% fg, 1.5 spg, 71% ft

[fliptonnParticipant]

I agree, those guys should get better. I think its fair to say that the only guy who was a stand out MIP was Jeremy Lin but he really didnt play enough games to get the award. Another guy is Jarrett Jack who is on of the only guys who made a really drastic improvement in terms of numbers.

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

Now he is one of the bet defenders in the league. Averaging 17 plus a game for the last two months. Has become a starter and earned himself millions after people said he was a bad pick. I like Lin and Bynum here too. Too bad Lin got hurt.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

If Jeremy Lin makes it back for part of the playoffs then I wonder if that will be taken into consideration.

Bynum went from a very solid center with flashes of potential into a "1 and 1a" tie with Dwight Howard as the best center in the game.  If they want to reward a very good player who took it up a notch then they should go with Bynum.

Cousins had a much improved season too but his team still stinks.  Same with Greg Monroe. 

I think it’s between Lin and Andrew Bynum.

With Bynum though he always showed flashes, but injuries and a lack of touches hurt his numbers.  He didn’t really come out of nowhere.  Jeremy Lin came out of nowhere.  This season will be remembered for many things, one being the 66 game battle royal of a season but it will also be known for LINSANITY.  I think we need to reward that somehow.

Finally, I agree with one ESPN writer who thinks that Bynum RIGHT NOW is as about on the level of Dwight Howard.  I would agree and, based on how he has helped his team, and based on how he is kicking butt on both ends of the floor, I would reward him by naming him to the All-NBA First Team.

Lin has played in 35 of a possible 66 games this year.  So he has played just over half of the games this season.   It’s cutting it close but I think that that is enough games this year.  He played well and he also helped the Knicks win.  He’s the MIP this year.  Or, we could start a new award called the Jeremy Lin Award given to a guy who completely comes out of nowhere and plays great basketball and helps his team win and turns into a guy that other teams have to really, really scout.  That would be a somewhat different award given to a player with "potential" who shows flashes but is held back by a lack of minutes and touches, and then when given minutes and touches has a really great season.

 

[TomShoeParticipant]

 If it’s not Jeremy Lin…*shudder*

[apb540Participant]

I like your Avery Bradley suggestion but I’m just wondering who it was that you heard bashing that pick?  As a Sixers fan I was livid when the C’s grabbed Bradley.  I thought it was going to get even worse this year when they took Marshon Brooks but I can live with him on the Nets.  For now lol. 

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

Gundy last year said it was a bad pick. Heard a few College guys call it a bad pick to cause Bradley was not a PG.

[FearTheStacheParticipant]

 Can Kevin Love win it twice in a row?

If he didnt win it last year I think he’d be automatic for this year

[WereadyBParticipant]

 

 

[NbanflguyParticipant]

He wont win it, but you should add Nikola Pekovic to your list. He made a huge improvement this year and some were picking him to win the award before injuries messed up his season.

[fliptonnParticipant]

i see him winning it next year honestly. hell get his shot for sure. 

[thricethefunParticipant]

 He was really a non-factor last year but he’s come on as a solid center of late putting up some good numbers.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

Kyle Lowry anyone?

[dede21]

 Gerald Green though maybe not enough games, but that is kind of the point he was not even considered an NBA player going in to the year and now 13 a game and great defense

[PulseGlazerParticipant]

There’s a lot of viable options, so I’ll just strike some guys off and narrow the field.

Lowry established basically this level in the second half of last year.  Cousins is largely the same player, but with an absurd usage rate that makes him look better. Gasol did largely this last year, but with Randolph it wasn’t as noticed.  Love’s got better numbers but less efficiency.  Lin doesn’t have the PT.  Bradley just started getting the PT.  Harden did this in the second half last year.  Maybe Monroe, but second year players are supposed to improve.  Who’s left?

[OldSkoolBasketballParticipant]

What about Ilyasova from the Bucks? 

[Author]

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