Giannis' Development

[breakchains]

So Giannis is literally my favorite player of all time already but I think he is just making a major major mistake by doing NT stuff this summer. I think his shot needs essentially an overhaul. It's not just putting shots up but actually he needs to alter his form. He's not going to be able to do that with what he apparently has planned this summer and that's really upsetting, since the longer he waits the harder it will be.

[3Diamantidis]

So Giannis is literally my favorite player of all time already but I think he is just making a major major mistake by doing NT stuff this summer. I think his shot needs essentially an overhaul. It's not just putting shots up but actually he needs to alter his form. He's not going to be able to do that with what he apparently has planned this summer and that's really upsetting, since the longer he waits the harder it will be.

Well it would be great if the bucks could prevent him from travelling overseas this summer.

[RRyder823]

So Giannis is literally my favorite player of all time already but I think he is just making a major major mistake by doing NT stuff this summer. I think his shot needs essentially an overhaul. It's not just putting shots up but actually he needs to alter his form. He's not going to be able to do that with what he apparently has planned this summer and that's really upsetting, since the longer he waits the harder it will be.

Well it would be great if the bucks could prevent him from travelling overseas this summer.

If they wanted to they could. They won't though

[HurricaneKid]

6th man is the non-starter who scores the most PPG.
MIP is the player whose role increases the most.

The other awards have come along ways but these are garbage.

McCollum will likely still win and Curry may finish above Giannis as well. The 45% increase in 3s made and 6.2ppg increase coupled with 73 wins will get him votes. Frankly its a horrid award and I don't care about it at all.

[Ron Swanson]

Curry won't get votes for MIP, or at least he shouldn't. How can you be the "most improved" when you were already the MVP last year? Hate to say it, but McCollum and Isaiah Thomas are both more deserving than Giannis based on season numbers. If we had gotten point Giannis from the beginning of the season, then it's a different story.

[M-C-G]

MIP would be a nice headline, but that is about all it is. If there was a who would you rather have on your team vote between Giannis, McCollum and IT, he'd win 99.9% of the votes and that is literally all that matters. We have him.

[skones]

Curry won't get votes for MIP, or at least he shouldn't. How can you be the "most improved" when you were already the MVP last year? Hate to say it, but McCollum and Isaiah Thomas are both more deserving than Giannis based on season numbers. If we had gotten point Giannis from the beginning of the season, then it's a different story.

Thomas isn't a candidate. He's averaged 20 a game with Sacramento before and was pretty damn near a 20 point scorer last season when he was dealt to Boston. This is a two man race between Giannis and McCollum. If he's able to average 21 a night over these last 8 games (pushing his scoring average to 17), I think Giannis might actually take the award as he's the "sexier" pick between the two by virtue of highlights and a more well rounded stat-line.

It looks better for the league and voters to have their selection go on to become an all-star player which Giannis projects to be moreso than McCollum next season.

[Gianstoppable]

So Giannis is literally my favorite player of all time already but I think he is just making a major major mistake by doing NT stuff this summer. I think his shot needs essentially an overhaul. It's not just putting shots up but actually he needs to alter his form. He's not going to be able to do that with what he apparently has planned this summer and that's really upsetting, since the longer he waits the harder it will be.

Well it would be great if the bucks could prevent him from travelling overseas this summer.

If they wanted to they could. They won't though

If they want to keep him here his career I am sure letting him play for Greece in the off season will help our case.

[HurricaneKid]

Curry won't get votes for MIP, or at least he shouldn't. How can you be the "most improved" when you were already the MVP last year? Hate to say it, but McCollum and Isaiah Thomas are both more deserving than Giannis based on season numbers. If we had gotten point Giannis from the beginning of the season, then it's a different story.

When your scoring goes up 6.2ppg (more than Giannis), you make 130 more 3s, win more games than anyone ever, etc.

Disagree about Isaiah. He is who he has always been.

[emunney]

There are probably 10 or more guys who could win MIP and it wouldn't bother me, including Middleton and Giannis. I think McCollum has the kind of gratuitous counting stat increases (plus an "overachieving" team) that probably gives him the best resume for traditionalists. Could easily see Kawhi winning it. A lot of voters might look at the 4 first time all stars (Drummond, Kawhi, Draymond, Thomas) and ask themselves why they would need to look farther than that.

[Ron Swanson]

People are really underrating what Thomas is doing right now. It's not just about his scoring average. He's criminally underpaid and has raised his scoring, assists, and defense all while maintaining his efficiency, taking on a bigger role, and being the best player on a (current) home court playoff team. Not saying it's fair, but both McCollum and Thomas have a leg up on Giannis IMO because they're putting up equal-to-better numbers and they're doing it on playoff teams.

[skones]

People are really underrating what Thomas is doing right now. It's not just about his scoring average. He's criminally underpaid and has raised his scoring, assists, and defense all while maintaining his efficiency, taking on a bigger role, and being the best player on a (current) home court playoff team. Not saying it's fair, but both McCollum and Thomas have a leg up on Giannis IMO because they're putting up equal-to-better numbers and they're doing it on playoff teams.

13/14:
72 54 34.7 6.9-15.2 .453 1.8-5.1 .349 4.8-5.7 .850 0.7 2.3 2.9 6.3 0.1 1.3 2.6 3.0 20.3

15/16:
73 70 32.5 7.2-16.9 .429 2.0-5.8 .352 5.7-6.5 .884 0.6 2.5 3.0 6.4 0.1 1.1 2.1 2.6 22.2

That's not an MIP increase no matter how you slice it.

[Ron Swanson]

People are really underrating what Thomas is doing right now. It's not just about his scoring average. He's criminally underpaid and has raised his scoring, assists, and defense all while maintaining his efficiency, taking on a bigger role, and being the best player on a (current) home court playoff team. Not saying it's fair, but both McCollum and Thomas have a leg up on Giannis IMO because they're putting up equal-to-better numbers and they're doing it on playoff teams.

13/14:
72 54 34.7 6.9-15.2 .453 1.8-5.1 .349 4.8-5.7 .850 0.7 2.3 2.9 6.3 0.1 1.3 2.6 3.0 20.3

15/16:
73 70 32.5 7.2-16.9 .429 2.0-5.8 .352 5.7-6.5 .884 0.6 2.5 3.0 6.4 0.1 1.1 2.1 2.6 22.2

That's not an MIP increase no matter how you slice it.

Sure, I suppose if you skip a year and use raw box scores instead of per 36. But by using the same logic Giannis' statistical improvement isn't that impressive at all (+4 PPG, +1 REB, +1.5 AST). The point is that Thomas doesn't sign such a low-ball contract (3 yrs $18 mil) if he was "the same player he's always been". Both Giannis' and Thomas' improvement is evident beyond the boxscores. And for that reason, McCollum probably wins it pretty easily this year, because yeah, big PPGz increases usually sway the voters.

[VooDoo7]

http://on.nba.com/22V8c42

[skones]

People are really underrating what Thomas is doing right now. It's not just about his scoring average. He's criminally underpaid and has raised his scoring, assists, and defense all while maintaining his efficiency, taking on a bigger role, and being the best player on a (current) home court playoff team. Not saying it's fair, but both McCollum and Thomas have a leg up on Giannis IMO because they're putting up equal-to-better numbers and they're doing it on playoff teams.

13/14:
72 54 34.7 6.9-15.2 .453 1.8-5.1 .349 4.8-5.7 .850 0.7 2.3 2.9 6.3 0.1 1.3 2.6 3.0 20.3

15/16:
73 70 32.5 7.2-16.9 .429 2.0-5.8 .352 5.7-6.5 .884 0.6 2.5 3.0 6.4 0.1 1.1 2.1 2.6 22.2

That's not an MIP increase no matter how you slice it.

Sure, I suppose if you skip a year and use raw box scores instead of per 36. But by using the same logic Giannis' statistical improvement isn't that impressive at all (+4 PPG, +1 REB, +1.5 AST). The point is that Thomas doesn't sign such a low-ball contract (3 yrs $18 mil) if he was "the same player he's always been". Both Giannis' and Thomas' improvement is evident beyond the boxscores. And for that reason, McCollum probably wins it pretty easily this year, because yeah, big PPGz increases usually sway the voters.

Lol whatever you say man. Per 36 numbers when there's a 2 minute differential? This is not an MIP jump when that award relies upon box score production. The more you claim it does, the more it shows you have a fundamental misunderstanding of the award itself.

[Prince12]

The curry line with MIP is pretty funny. He's going to win the mvp, he won't get votes for mip. Mcollum for mine.

[MiltownHawkeye]

I think that Barton improved more than McCollum did.

[ReasonablySober]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/cf_gardner/status/714866651154374656[/tweet]

[Badgerlander]

not surprising really with the lack of available alternatives

[LUKE23]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/cf_gardner/status/714866651154374656[/tweet]

Obvious move is obvious. Glad to see it confirmed.