There was more than a little head-scratching when the Most Improved Player voting was released Friday.
In addition to Ryan Anderson undeservedly winning the award, a scan of the balloting showed a single first-place vote going to Andrew Bogut.
Bogut played just 12 games this season, driven to the sidelines by a pair of injuries. He also was dealt from Milwaukee to Golden State at the trading deadline. In addition, all of his numbers – except his formerly horrific free-throw shooting – were down from last season.
The idea that Bogut could get a first-place vote was chalked up to a possible homer voter or a practical joke. But it seems no one considered that Ernst & Young, the accounting firm used by the NBA for official tabulation of many of the league’s mathematical needs, could have botched the count.
But that’s exactly what Ernst & Young did. The NBA sent a release Sunday admitting the error and stating that the vote that went to Bogut should have been given to Andrew Bynum.
It appears to be an honest mistake, one that removes Bogut from the list of players receiving votes and elevates Bynum to sole possession of fourth place with 101 points.
Ernst & Young also handles the draft lottery drawing for the NBA later this month. Let’s hope the firm has gotten all of its mistakes out of its system and Anthony Davis doesn’t wind up with the Miami Heat.