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NBA Awards Watch: The MVP race is over

By Brad Rowland

Feb 27, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after hitting the game winning shot against the Oklahoma City Thunder in overtime at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after hitting the game winning shot against the Oklahoma City Thunder in overtime at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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CJ McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers dribbles in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend 2016 at Air Canada Centre on February 13, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
CJ McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers dribbles in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend 2016 at Air Canada Centre on February 13, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

Most Improved Player

  1. C.J. McCollum, SG/PG Portland Trail Blazers – This is a runaway. McCollum averaged 6.8 points per game a season ago, and he has bumped that to a stunning 20.8 points per game this season. It must be noted that the jump came with double the amount of playing time (15.7 min. per game in 2014-15 and 35.0 min. per game this season), but McCollum has been able to make the improvement while actually improving his efficiency numbers. In addition, he operated as the team’s point guard effectively when Damian Lillard went down with injury, and McCollum looks like a budding star for the future at the tender age of 24.
  2. Jae Crowder, SF/PF Boston Celtics – Prior to this season, Crowder was seen as a pure role player in every regard. Now, he is viewed as a key piece for Boston moving forward and a potential target for anyone looking to unload an estranged superstar (Blake Griffin, Demarcus Cousins, etc.) in the near future. Crowder is posting career-highs in PER (16.39), true shooting (58.2%), scoring (14.5 points per game) and rebounding, and he looks like a stud when considering he is still only 25 years old.
  3. Draymond Green, PF/C Golden State Warriors – Players at Draymond Green’s level aren’t often associated with this particular award, but he has been better by leaps and bounds this season than at any other point in his career. Green has nearly doubled his assist production (4.2 to 7.7 per game) this year while posting career-bests in FG% and 3-point shooting, and he has been able to maximize this production without suffering at all on the defensive end. To be honest, there is probably an argument for Stephen Curry if we use these same criteria, but Green is worthy of discussion.

Next: 6th Man of the Year

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