NEW YORK – Phoenix’s Goran Dragic, who helped lead the Suns to a 23-win improvement while establishing career highs in scoring and field goal percentage, is the winner of the 2013-14 Kia NBA Most Improved Player Award, the NBA announced today.
Dragic received 408 of a possible 1,134 points, including 65 first-place votes, from a panel of 126 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Lance Stephenson of the Indiana Pacers (158 points, 13 first-place votes) and Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans (155 points, 16 first-place votes) finished second and third, respectively. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third place vote received.
My vote went to Dragic.
(RELATED: SHERIDAN’S POSTSEASON AWARDS BALLOT)
Dragic, who entered the 2013-14 campaign with a career scoring average of 9.5 points, averaged a career-best 20.3 points to go with 5.9 assists and 3.2 rebounds, as the Suns finished with a record of 48-34, one game behind the Dallas Mavericks, who claimed the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
He shot a career-best .505 from the field, including a .408 mark from behind the three-point arc. He was the only player in the NBA to shoot at least 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range. Dragic started 75 of the 76 games he appeared in, and helped keep the Suns in playoff contention despite the extended absence of teammate Eric Bledsoe, who was limited to 43 games this season.
In all, 31 different players received votes. Kevin Durant received one vote, a first-place vote, from Clippers broadcaster Michael Smith, whose ballot read: Durant, LeBron James, Blake Griffin. It also was the only vote James received. D.J. Augustin of the Bulls also received one first place vote, his coming from Bulls broadcaster Stacey King.
Here are the complete voting results.
2013-14 KIA NBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER AWARD
1st 2nd 3rd
Goran Dragic (Phoenix) 65 25 8
Lance Stephenson (Indiana) 13 24 21
Anthony Davis (New Orleans) 16 21 12
Gerald Green (Phoenix) 16 7 16
DeAndre Jordan (L.A. Clippers) 4 13 7
Kyle Lowry (Toronto) 2 8 9
Blake Griffin (L.A. Clippers) 6 1 6
DeMar DeRozan (Toronto) 1 4 11
Patty Mills (San Antonio) 0 4 2
Markieff Morris (Phoenix) 1 1 5
Isaiah Thomas (Sacramento) 0 3 4
Shaun Livingston (Brooklyn) 0 2 5
D.J. Augustin (Chicago) 1 0 4
Reggie Jackson (Oklahoma City) 0 1 5
Robin Lopez (Portland) 0 1 3
Klay Thompson (Golden State) 0 2 0
DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento) 0 1 2
Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City) 1 0 0
Al Jefferson (Charlotte) 0 1 1
Bradley Beal (Washington) 0 1 0
Mike Conley (Memphis) 0 1 0
Andre Drummond (Detroit) 0 1 0
Taj Gibson (Chicago) 0 1 0
LeBron James (Miami) 0 1 0
Terrence Jones (Houston) 0 1 0
Jodie Meeks (L.A. Lakers) 0 1 0
LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland) 0 0 1
Alec Burks (Utah) 0 0 1
Paul Millsap (Atlanta) 0 0 1
Chandler Parsons (Houston) 0 0 1
John Wall (Washington) 0 0 1
So Michael Smith is obviously an idiot who mixed up most improved with MVP… does he have Dragic as his MVP?