Thunder wing Hamidou Diallo has displayed such improvement this season that he could be a leading candidate for Most Improved Player honors, argues Jenni Carlson of the Oklahoman.
Diallo’s output has dramatically increased across the board. The third-year swingman out of Kentucky is averaging career-highs in points (12.7), rebounds (5.5), assists (2.4), field goal percentage (48.9%) and minutes (24.2) for a chippy Thunder squad. “I would say the biggest thing is just opportunity,” he said of his progress this year. “Sometimes, when you have opportunity and you have people around you that believe in you, it just makes the game much easier.”
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- A variety of health and injury problems have conspired to limit marquee Timberwolves players Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell to just five games together since Minnesota acquired Russell last season. Towns recently vented his frustration, as Chris Hine of the Star Tribune details. “Obviously we want to play with each other,” Towns said. “I finally come back [from a COVID-19 absence] and now he’s out [with a knee injury], so he was emotional too because it’s been bothering him, wanting to play together.” Britt Robson of The Athletic wonders if the Towns-Russell tandem, light on defense, will live up to fan expectations once it finally does appear more consistently.
- Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. has shown off his impressive scoring abilities this season, but his defensive flaws (especially at the rim) are clear too, writes Michael Pina of Sports Illustrated. Porter, 22, is averaging 13.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1.2 BPG and 1.0 SPG this season. He is also shooting well, with a slash line of .475/.379/.786.
- Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard is set to compete three-point shooting contest at this year’s Atlanta All-Star Game, sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Haynes notes that Lillard currently ranks third in the league when it comes to made three-pointers this season. Lillard’s 105 made triples rank behind only Buddy Hield (106) and Stephen Curry (140).
Diallo has been much improved offensively this season.
Oh please KAT don’t vent your Frustrated!
Most improved player should be a 2-man race: Jerami Grant and Wood.
Clarkson? Beasley? Jalen Brown? Gary Trent Jr.? Jalen Brunson? Keldon Johnson?
There is a lot of good break-out guys this season. Corona & injury has provided opportunity for younger players, or veteran retirement attrition hit suddenly in the offseason without notice?
If you look at the Vegas odds it’s just Wood and Grant. No one else is close.
Being the most improved isn’t exactly a skill. Its gotta be one of the stupidest bets in the sportsbook, with terrible odds.
Thus, if season ended today, Randle should get it. He’s in effectively the same situation as last year (same team, playing with most of the same guys). His year reflects true year over year “improvement” in his game vs just putting up better numbers in a different situation. Randle’s been impactful (W/L-wise). Grant is his closest competitor, and Detroit can finish last without him.
KAT is slowly getting back into game shape, but he is already ballin’ at an outrageous level right now!
Took a Cat nap 2nd half vs Lakes yesterday tho, much appreciated
Super impressed with the Thunder this year
There gonna have the rotation players and depth pieces when the time is right , lets just hope they can find a star or 2 with those picks along with an SGA max
I wonder if they account for egos with there top selections moving forward. They have got to find players they can keep around for 7-10 years and not just groom for the league. Indy has done a decent job under the same umbrella for quite some time now, maybe something to look into for them. OKC has had a great last decade in their own regard, im always just left wondering tho what could have been