Granger is Most Improved – Not Harris

Danny Granger, the emerging star for the Indiana Pacers, will be crowned the NBA’s Most Improved Player today. The forward averaged 25.8 points a game, good enough for 5th in the league. For most of the season, Granger’s scoring proficiency kept him near the very top of the scoring chart. He quietly lingered with names like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade.

He also pulled down 5.1 rebounds a contest, once again, very similar to Wade and Bryant.

Despite his evident, yet somehow overlooked elite status, New Jersey Nets fans are questioning Granger’s victory. They are calling for Devin Harris to be named Most Improved.

Harris led the Nets in scoring with 21.3 points a game, assists with 6.9 and steals with 1.7. Harris is able to be a leading scorer and do a passable job dishing to teammates. He is undoubtedly a top ten point guard in the NBA.

However, his position in the ranks of the top point guards has not changed from the 2007-2008 season. He remains towards the lower end of that group, being surpassed by Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose, Chauncey Billups, whose play was beginning to diminish back in Detroit and Rajon Rondo, who is certainly the best point guard in the 2009 Playoffs. While these three players elevated their standings in the point guard ranks, Harris did not do anything extremely well in order to raise himself.

In fact, an argument can be made that Harris is out of the top ten, with Andre Miller and Mike Bibby resurfacing this season.

An argument can be made about the improvement of statistics from year-to-year. Unfortunately for its employers, that argument is invalid.

Yes, Harris did lift his scoring average almost 7 points. And he did have over 1 more assist per game. But if it was solely based on the elevation of numbers, then Rodney Stuckey would have the advantage over Harris. Filling in for the exiled Chauncey Billups and the never ending headache known as Allen Iverson, Stuckey averaged 6 more points, 2 more assists and a rebound more than he did in the previous season.

Like Harris, Danny Granger improved his scoring about 6 points, but he did something that Harris did not do. He changed his status.

After the 07-08 season, Granger was on his way to be a second tier scorer – a group that includes Kevin Martin, John Salmons and Richard Hamilton. After this past year, Granger is now among Hall of Famers.

It’s not just about numbers. It’s about elevating your status. Granger did that in the biggest way possible. Harris, while improved, would have needed to have done much better to win this award.


--Too bad this isn’t a postseason award. How great has Glen Davis been substituting for Kevin Garnett? From the regular season, Davis is playing 16 minutes more in the playoffs and is making the most of it. On several occasions he has been Boston’s most stable scoring threat inside the arc. The game-winning shot in Game 4 against the Magic put him on the map. He’s going to get a load of money when he becomes a restricted free agent this offseason.

Check out this fan made "Where amazing happens" video about Davis' shot.

--Also regarding 'Big Baby' Davis:


The father of the 12-year-old boy bumped by the Celtics' Glen "Big Baby" Davis after Sunday's game-winning shot is demanding an apology.

Ernest Provetti told the Orlando Sentinel that he wrote the NBA office demanding an apology from Davis for acting like a "raging animal with no regard for fans' personal safety."

You can see the incident in the video above. After he makes the shot, Davis runs up the sideline in a fit of joy and excitement. He accidentally made contact with the kid, who is in a white shirt. It really isn't that bad.

I'm guessing that this demand was triggered by the Orlando loss. If so, Davis should shoot Mr. Provetti one of these:




--Max Caster