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NBA Awards Watch: Klay Thompson on the rise

By Brad Rowland

Jan 23, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) is greeted after scoring a three point shot against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of their NBA basketball game at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports. Thompson set a record 52 points in their win over the kings.
Jan 23, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) is greeted after scoring a three point shot against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of their NBA basketball game at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports. Thompson set a record 52 points in their win over the kings. /
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Jan 23, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) is greeted after scoring a three point shot against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of their NBA basketball game at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports. Thompson set a record 52 points in their win over the kings.
Jan 23, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) is greeted after scoring a three point shot against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of their NBA basketball game at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports. Thompson set a record 52 points in their win over the kings. /

Most Improved Player

  1. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors – This is our first change at the top in some time, but Thompson certainly earned his keep. Golden State’s “other” star guard was second in this category a week ago, but with six consecutive twenty-point games, his statistical profile is beginning to take shape with an enormous jump from a year ago. Naturally, his overall showing is buoyed by a 52-point outburst that included an NBA-record 37 points in a quarter, but Thompson is now shooting 61.5% in true shooting (up from 55% last season), and with an 8-plus point jump in PER (14.3 to 22.9), the visible development is there. Klay Thompson was already seen as a borderline “star” a year ago, and that may hurt his candidacy for some people, but his improvement has been significant, especially when considering that much of his game was lacking at this time in 2014.
  2. Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls – Butler has been the “clubhouse leader” for some time, but has Thompson has ascended, Chicago’s stud swingman has cooled a bit. Hot shooting was the impetus for much of his offensive bump this season, but in January, Butler is shooting just over 40% from the floor and in his last 10 games, that number dwindles to just 38.4%. Of course, the former Marquette standout does any significant value in other areas, but in order for him to facilitate the massive gap from one year to the next, his shooting has to return to his early-season showing. Still, Jimmy Butler is undoubtedly a candidate here.
  3. Hassan Whiteside, Miami Heat – Sunday was Hassan Whiteside’s coming-out party on a national stage, but the journeyman center was putting in great work previously. It will be interesting to monitor his candidacy given that Whiteside appeared in only 19 NBA games prior to this season, but his numbers are jarring (13.9% block rate, 24.1% rebounding rate) and we’re just getting started. Miami appears to be willing to deploy Whiteside on a more regular basis, and if he continue the production that has him averaging 17.4 points, 14.0 rebounds and 5.8 blocks (!!!) per 36 minutes, it will be tough to keep him away.

Next: 6th Man of the Year

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