Front-runner for Most Improved Player?

[TheUroborosWorm]

Asik is clearly the most improved till now... and by far, surprisingly improved drastically the freebies too...

[DoubleVision]

Some candidates

Omer Asik

Last season: 3.1 ppg 5.3 rpg 1.0 blk 50% FG 45% FT in 14.7 mpg
This season:11.1 ppg 13.2 rpg 1.2 blk 46% FG 73% FT in 33.3 mpg

James Harden

Last season:16.8 ppg 4.1 rpg 3.7 apg 1.0 spg 49%FG 39% 3P 84% FT in 31.4 mpg
This season:26.7 ppg 4.8.rpg 4.7 apg 1.6 spg 44%FG 26%3P 83%FT in 40.1 mpg

Nicolas Batum

Last season:13.9 ppg 4.6 rpg 1.4 apg 1.0 spg 1.0 bpg 45%FG 39%3P 83%FT in 30.4 mpg
This season:20.8 ppg 6.3 rpg 3.2 apg 2.3 spg 1.3 bpg 48%FG 39%3P 76%FT in 39.7 mpg

Jrue Holiday

Last season:13.5 ppg 3.3rpg 4.5apg 43%FG 38%3P 78%FT in 33.8 mpg
This season:19.1 ppg 4.0rpg 8.6apg 45%FG 45%3P 78%FT in 38.2 mpg

JJ Redick

Last season:11.6 ppg 2.3rpg 2.5 apg 0.4 spg 42%FG 42%3P 91%FT in 27.2 mpg
This season:15.8 ppg 2.3rpg 5.5 apg 0.8 spg 49%FG 39%3P 86%FT in 32.5 mpg

Glen Davis

Last season:9.3 ppg 5.4 rpg 0.8 apg 42%FG 68% FT in 23.4 mpg
This season:15.6 ppg 8.3 rpg 2.5 apg 43%FG 58%FT in 32.3 mpg

Al Farouq Aminu

Last season:6.0 ppg 4.7 rpg 1.0 apg 0.9 spg 0.5 bpg 41%FG 28% 3P 75%FT in 22.4 mpg
This season:12.0 ppg 8.1rpg 2.5apg 1.8 spg 1.1 bpg 50%FG 18% 3P 68%FT in 31.5 mpg

Kemba Walker

Last season:12.1 ppg 3.5 rpg 4.4 apg 0.9 spg 36%FG 30%3P 79%FT in 27.2 mpg
This season:18.8 ppg 3.9 rpg 5.5 apg 2.5 spg 42%FG 17%3P 86%FT in 36.6 mpg


Vucevic and E'Twaun Moore saw big improvements statistic wise from their rookie seasons but I don't know if they'll keep the current pace(especially Moore) so I didn't add them

Jordan and Ibaka score more(3 ppg Jordan ,5 ppg Ibaka),but are actually rebounding less and blocking shots at a similar rate as last year.

Mayo has a big improvement statistic wise from last year,but he had a big rookie season and I don't consider him necessarily most improved..he had it in him

Meanwhile,all the players I listed above are having by far,their best season, production wise

I agree that Mayo is sort of returning to his rookie game, but if he continues to average +50% from 3 (huge and unlikely if), he gets it. And Harden is fool's gold. He's getting more time and the offense goes through him now. He's scoring more, but much less efficiently. This isn't the "Most Used Player" award. He hasn't shown improvement if he's missing an extra 10% more of his shots.

[Subway Token]

Harden, JR Smith, Asik

[SirHuey]

DeRozan and OJ

[Dupp]

I like Batum and Mayo so far for this award. It's pretty wide open though, alot of good candidates.

[Hyperglide]

Harden is the front runner so far but Demar has been playing great lately.

[Left Side Drive]

Guys I like DD and all but to be MIP you have to drastically improve your game as in increasing your ppg by 5-10.

[HSOB SIRHC]

Demar averaging 19/5.3/2 a game. Watching him on the court, you can definitely tell he has improved.

[Dupp]

Harden should have won last year imo. If they didn't go for him then he probably won't win this season.

[Live Free]

Harden, Mayo, DeRozan

[fatal9]

Some people are confusing the "most improved player" with players who are seeing a rise in their raw numbers because of more minutes on a worse team.

So far I'd go with Batum. He's playing the way I've been waiting for him to play for a couple of years now. He surprised me with his all around offensive game when I saw a few of his Euroleague games last year during the lockout, seeing that version of Batum so far this year. Finally playing with aggression on both ends. Hope he keeps it up.

[Voice_of_Reason]

how is DeAndre Jordan not on this list?

this!

Last year I was critical of DeAndre, he wasn't giving the Clippers what his contract suggests. So far this year he has been much better. I'm not sure of his numbers, but his ability, particularly in the post, is way beyond last year.

[StyLeD]

I think Asik is the frontrunner. Harden maybe, but he was always considered to be very good. Asik? Not so much. Many people questioned his contract when he first received it.

And for those of you questioning whether or not he actually improved, take a look at his FT% increase. A jump from 40% to 70%+ in unreal, especially for a big man. He's also shown confidence in making decisive offensive moves, and his rebounding is exceeding/living up to expectations, depending on who you ask. But going from 3.5 points to 10+ per game is incredible for a guy that was labelled as a offensive dud.

[CB-Blazer]

how is DeAndre Jordan not on this list?

this!

Last year I was critical of DeAndre, he wasn't giving the Clippers what his contract suggests. So far this year he has been much better. I'm not sure of his numbers, but his ability, particularly in the post, is way beyond last year.

Regardless of how much Jordan has improved on the court, unless his stats pick up he isn't going to make a run for MIP.

I mean, he went from 7 points and 8 boards to 10 points and 7 boards a game.......not MIP material.

It's going to Harden or Batum......Varejo should also be atop the race.

[OptimusOne6]

Some people are confusing the "most improved player" with players who are seeing a rise in their raw numbers because of more minutes on a worse team.

So far I'd go with Batum. He's playing the way I've been waiting for him to play for a couple of years now. He surprised me with his all around offensive game when I saw a few of his Euroleague games last year during the lockout, seeing that version of Batum so far this year. Finally playing with aggression on both ends. Hope he keeps it up.

Do you think Tracy McGrady shouldn't have won the award in 2001 then? I mean McGrady was probably not that much different in his last year in Toronto than as he was in his first year in Orlando.

He was just put in a better situation and in a situation where he was asked to do more.

[Mr_Perfect]

Raymond Felton?

[Luv those Knicks]

Some candidates

Omer Asik

Last season: 3.1 ppg 5.3 rpg 1.0 blk 50% FG 45% FT in 14.7 mpg
This season:11.1 ppg 13.2 rpg 1.2 blk 46% FG 73% FT in 33.3 mpg

James Harden

Last season:16.8 ppg 4.1 rpg 3.7 apg 1.0 spg 49%FG 39% 3P 84% FT in 31.4 mpg
This season:26.7 ppg 4.8.rpg 4.7 apg 1.6 spg 44%FG 26%3P 83%FT in 40.1 mpg

Nicolas Batum

Last season:13.9 ppg 4.6 rpg 1.4 apg 1.0 spg 1.0 bpg 45%FG 39%3P 83%FT in 30.4 mpg
This season:20.8 ppg 6.3 rpg 3.2 apg 2.3 spg 1.3 bpg 48%FG 39%3P 76%FT in 39.7 mpg

Jrue Holiday

Last season:13.5 ppg 3.3rpg 4.5apg 43%FG 38%3P 78%FT in 33.8 mpg
This season:19.1 ppg 4.0rpg 8.6apg 45%FG 45%3P 78%FT in 38.2 mpg

JJ Redick

Last season:11.6 ppg 2.3rpg 2.5 apg 0.4 spg 42%FG 42%3P 91%FT in 27.2 mpg
This season:15.8 ppg 2.3rpg 5.5 apg 0.8 spg 49%FG 39%3P 86%FT in 32.5 mpg

Glen Davis

Last season:9.3 ppg 5.4 rpg 0.8 apg 42%FG 68% FT in 23.4 mpg
This season:15.6 ppg 8.3 rpg 2.5 apg 43%FG 58%FT in 32.3 mpg

Al Farouq Aminu

Last season:6.0 ppg 4.7 rpg 1.0 apg 0.9 spg 0.5 bpg 41%FG 28% 3P 75%FT in 22.4 mpg
This season:12.0 ppg 8.1rpg 2.5apg 1.8 spg 1.1 bpg 50%FG 18% 3P 68%FT in 31.5 mpg

Kemba Walker

Last season:12.1 ppg 3.5 rpg 4.4 apg 0.9 spg 36%FG 30%3P 79%FT in 27.2 mpg
This season:18.8 ppg 3.9 rpg 5.5 apg 2.5 spg 42%FG 17%3P 86%FT in 36.6 mpg


Vucevic and E'Twaun Moore saw big improvements statistic wise from their rookie seasons but I don't know if they'll keep the current pace(especially Moore) so I didn't add them

Jordan and Ibaka score more(3 ppg Jordan ,5 ppg Ibaka),but are actually rebounding less and blocking shots at a similar rate as last year.

Mayo has a big improvement statistic wise from last year,but he had a big rookie season and I don't consider him necessarily most improved..he had it in him

Meanwhile,all the players I listed above are having by far,their best season, production wise

JR Smith says hi

Putting up career highs in every category except offensive rebounding.

Pts, Rebs, Assists, Steals, Blocks, Fewest TO's cept for his 2nd season - 18 MPG and best shooting percentages too. 3 pointers attempted is way down off his career highs too.

[Promezclan]

Yeah, if JR Smith continues to shoot 64% on 3-pointers, he's pretty golden

[CBB_Fan]

I don't think Harden should be considered for this. He has improved, he's been unleashed.

[phoenixx]

Not Harden because he hasn't improved; he was and still is a great player. He's just getting more minutes as a starter.

I'd say Omer Asik is the most improved player. Just looking at his FT%, he jumped from 50% to 73%. That's insane, along with his rebounding and slightly improved offense.