MIP Award 2007-08

TheMC I think the element of surprise has to come in to play when you are talking about MIP. If Bargs had been a 5 point 2 rebound guy as the number one pick last year and turned in to a 20/10 guy, then that is enough of an improvement to be in the MIP conversation. When you are talking about the natural progression of a number 1 overall pick like you are I don't think that's an Most improved candidate.

I think Chris Kaman is absolutely a candidate. He has become a low post scoring machine this year. His game has always been nice fundamentally but this year he has become a go to guy in the low post.

The other candidates at this point to me are John Salmons, Rashad McCants, Damien Wilkins, and if Ike Diogu continues to improve when he returns from injury.

but should is Carlos Delfino. He's gone from an IR guy to an integral part of the Raptors success thus far.

What? Injured Reserve guy? He played in every single game last season. And averaged 17 minutes per game during the regular season.

Figure of speech. In Detroit he was not considered part of the rotation nor would he play clutch time, in Toronto he is and succeeding at it. He won't be in consideration for the award but he is showing he is a lot better given the time and role he has now.

LaMarcus Aldridge should win it at this stage i reckon he has been portlands saviour after losing Oden all season.

He has become a stat filler

hes gone from averaging 9 ppg to 19 ppg along with 5 rbds to 8 a game.

hes shooting 53.7% in fg%

Figure of speech. In Detroit he was not considered part of the rotation nor would he play clutch time, in Toronto he is

Since when is "IR guy" for a regular reserve a "figure of speech"? Delfino was part of the rotation, you usually don't play over 15 minutes every single game otherwise. Detroit has Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince.

I don't like Aldridge, McCants, etc. because second year players are supposed to, and almost never don't, improve.

He has become a stat filler ... hes gone from averaging 9 ppg to 19 ppg along with 5 rbds to 8 a game.

Or...he went from 22 minutes a game to 34. And Zach Randolph got traded. He's shooting better than last year, but also turning it over more. Rebounding and assisting at the same rate. He went from a good starter quality player to a very good starter. Hardly the leap of a Bynum or Felton.

Figure of speech. In Detroit he was not considered part of the rotation nor would he play clutch time, in Toronto he is and succeeding at it. He won't be in consideration for the award but he is showing he is a lot better given the time and role he has now.

I guess you didn't watch Detroit much. Delfino was usually the first guy off the bench.

benji I agree with you about Lamarcus, but McCants is in his 3rd season. I think that should be the rule in MIP, that you must be in at least your 3rd full year in the league.

I'm not so sure about Damien Wilkins being a candidate for MIP. Sure his stats are way up, but he's getting the green light to shoot now that Ray and Rashard are gone, the two guys who played his position. He's always been as good as he is now, he's just never had the chance to show it.

I could see Wilkins as a candidate for MIP. Stats really are the biggest thing they go by. I think what will stop him from winning though, is the fact that Seattle might not win even 20 games this season. Yes, 2 of the last 4 MIP's have been on losing teams (Simmons and Randolph; although I think the Blazers may have gone 41-41 in that year, I'm not sure) but team success does matter. It is why Monta Ellis beat Kevin Martin last year.

but McCants is in his 3rd season. I think that should be the rule in MIP

Good darko you're right. I must have blacked out for eight months or something.

The biggest flaw in the third year thing, is that's usually a players most likely year to break out...flaws in the system abound!

They should just abolish the award. Every year like 350 players* get a vote.

*Slight exaggeration.

I think the reason Monta was picked over Martin was more about the element of surprise then about the Warriors sneaking in to the playoffs. Most people hadn't seen him much and certainly did not think he was a guy who was capable of putting up those type of numbers. Kevin Martin, people really already knew about.

benji is really 100% correct though, there is too much room for interpretation in this award.

Here's a few more guys to consider...

Code:

RichardJefferson0607: 18.3 pts 4.9 rebs 3.0 asts | 49.5% eFG, 55.5% TS, 11.1ToR, 7.2 reb%, 20.2 UsG, 13.8 PER
RichardJefferson0708: 25.3 pts 5.2 rebs 2.9 asts | 47.7% eFG, 58.2% TS, 8.3 ToR, 7.8 reb%, 25.5 UsG, 21.1 PER

Farmar0607: 11.8 pts 4.4 rebs 5.0 asts 1.6 stls | 49.8% eFG, 51.5% TS, 14.0 ToR, 6.4 reb%, 15.5 UsG, 10.8 PER
Farmar0708: 19.1 pts 5.2 rebs 5.6 asts 2.6 stls | 58.7% eFG, 60.1% TS, 13.7 ToR, 7.2 reb%, 20.3 UsG, 18.7 PER

Gibson0607: 11.2 pts 3.7 rebs 2.8 asts | 53.7% eFG, 55.6% TS, 12.2 ToR, 5.4 reb%, 12.9 UsG, 9.4  PER
Gibson0708: 14.9 pts 3.3 rebs 3.6 asts | 61.1% eFG, 64.2% TS, 12.0 ToR, 4.6 reb%, 14.9 UsG, 14.0 PER

LouisWilliams0607: 15.2 pts 4.1 rebs 6.4 asts | 46.9% eFG, 52.1% TS, 11.3 ToR, 6.1 reb%, 19.7 UsG, 14.6 PER
LouisWilliams0708: 20.6 pts 4.0 rebs 6.4 asts | 52.7% eFG, 58.5% TS, 11.0 ToR, 5.8 reb%, 23.6 UsG, 20.7 PER

BrandonBass0607: 10.4 pts 10.7 rebs | 34.1% eFG, 41.1% TS, 15.6 ToR, 15.4 reb%, 15.7 UsG, 7.3  PER
BrandonBass0708: 18.3 pts 8.9  rebs | 49.5% eFG, 59.6% TS, 12.1 ToR, 12.8 reb%, 18.5 UsG, 17.9 PER

of that list, I'd only consider Richard Jefferson....Farmar's jump is good, but it's rookie to 2nd year, much like LaMarcus Aldridge....same with Gibson....as for Bass & Louis Williams, their improvements were expected, they were just waiting for a chance to solidify themselves in a team's rotation....

I think Jefferson definitely deserves consideration if he can keep this up, although I still think Chris Kaman would have to be the frontrunner, ahead of Dwight Howard....