[bfan1]

Mike Kahn thinks so:

Most improved player: Zach Randolph, Portland Trail Blazers. Looking like a latter-day Willis Reed, Randolph has that big body, quick feet and great instincts for rebounding the ball. He has countless release points and deft left-handed touch around the basket and is one of four 20-10 players in the league. All that and he's just 22, in his third season. Also under consideration are Andrei Kirilenko (Utah), Erick Dampier (Golden State) and Carlos Boozer (Cleveland), and a late candidate could be Joe Johnson (Phoenix).

LINK

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Well, if one considers paper stats only, of course he is. On the other hand, when one considers he may be the worst defensive PF in the NBA then maybe not.

If he can become an average defender then maybe he would be the most improved.

 

[ABM]

Originally posted by <b>BLAZER PROPHET</b>!

......If he can become an average defender then maybe he would be the most improved.

If memory serves, they said similar things about George Gervin.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Alright, the Ice Man! I miss him, and the old NBA.

 

[Nightfly]

Originally posted by <b>BLAZER PROPHET</b>!
Alright, the Ice Man! I miss him, and the old NBA.

Don't you mean ABA?

 

[Ed O]

At this point, it seems clear that ZR is the runaway winner for Most Improved (can't say "MIP" because of his past ). Dampier and Murray are really the only other guys I can think of that are in the same zip code.

Kirilenko and Boozer were each key players for their teams last year, and while each are improved (with the additional minutes) they haven't taken the huge jump ZR has.

Dampier's almost doubled his rebounds from last season in only 8 more minutes... amazing. But his offensive numbers aren't much improved.

Murray hasn't been getting the playing time lately that he did before Ray Allen came back, and I'd expect his 14.9 ppg to dip even more by the end of the season.

Is ZR's improvement in production due at least partly to playing time? Sure, but that's the case for almost every candidate, and when a guy goes for 20/10 after getting 8.4/4.5 the year before, it's impressive enough to know that it's significantly more than JUST minutes.

Ed O.

 

[ABM]

Originally posted by <b>BLAZER PROPHET</b>!

...he's a tremendous defensive liability. Maybe he can get better. I really hope so. I also think he's still a lot rougher around the edges than most people think.....

The problem with Zach is, he's so good offensively, it's almost been "demanded" that he start and get big minutes.

In a way, that's not really fair to the youngster because he hasn't been given the chance/time (as most) to develop defensively.

As you've indicated, BP, let's hope it does eventually happen