Friday 15 May 2020 14:07, UK
Jayson Tatum, Pascal Siakam and Bam Adebayo have pressed their claims for the 2019-20 Most Improved Player award. All three players feature in Mike Tuck's Most Improved starting five.
The field of contenders for the NBA's Most Improved Award is huge so we asked Sky Sports NBA analyst Mike Tuck to craft a starting five from the players he believes are the frontrunners for the honour.
2019-20 is Tatum's third year in the league and it has been a breakout season for him. He has upped his scoring from 15.7 to 23.6 points a game and earned All-Star selection for the first time. He also increased his shot volume and efficiency.
The Celtics adding Kemba Walker, a great playmaker who understands where Tatum needs to get the ball, has helped. Tatum is taking more threes and less mid-range jumpers now, an adjustment to his game which has helped his overall scoring. He is shooting 40 per cent from three-point range which is well above league average and he has put up career-best numbers in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.
Tatum started the season relatively slowly but he was really playing his best ball right before the season was halted in March. That was a shame as he was building so much momentum.
Tatum has cemented himself as a 'building block' for the Celtics this year. He is going to be one of their go-to guys for years to come. I could see him starting and finishing his career as a Celtic.
My man Spicy P! This season Siakam has proved how high his ceiling truly is. It's amazing to think just two years ago he was coming off the bench and averaging seven points a game. Now he is an All-Star.
In the wake of Kawhi Leonard's departure, Siakam has stepped up to the challenge and become the Raptors' go-to guy. If he hadn't been last season's Most Improved Player, he'd be a lock to win it this year. The thing working against him is the NBA have never given the Most Improved award to the same player twice.
Siakam's rapid progress from reserve to leading scorer is a testament to Toronto's ability to develop talent and the vision they have for their players. Norman Powell is another Raptors who has made huge strides.
But I don't know if the Raptors foresaw just how good Pascal would become or that he would blossom into the type of guy capable of scoring close to 25 points a game. He scored 44 points in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans this season - I don't think anybody saw that coming.
Siakam has shown this season just how hungry he is to succeed. He signed a big contract and he is out there to prove himself. He is out to become one of the leading names in the NBA. The Raptors were expected to crumble and Siakam has put them on his shoulders and he has helped them to the second-best record in the East.
Ingram showed promise with the Los Angeles Lakers but I didn't feel he reached his full potential. He struggled with injuries as the team struggled with the wake of Kobe Bryant's retirement. At that time, the Lakers were not as organised as they should have been.
Coming to New Orleans as part of the Anthony Davis trade, Ingram became an All-Star this year and I think he deserved it. He became the centrepiece of the Pelicans and he responded, leading the team in scoring (24.3 PPG) along with 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. His free throw shooting improved as well.
Ingram's shot selection has changed quite a bit as well, he is shooting a lot more threes now. He has put up 6.3 three-point attempts this season (354 in 56 games) compared to a combined total of 386 triples over the past three seasons. That shows the development of his game and the attention to detail he has applied. Ingram is a good playmaker, too. He has a really well-rounded offensive game that fits nicely with what the Pelicans are trying to do.
Now Zion Williamson is fit and firing in New Orleans, there aren't as many shots and plays available for Ingram but I think the pair can work well together. You can play them alongside side each other, play Williamson at the 'big' spot and have Ingram at the small forward position. It's a great one-two punch for the Pelicans.
After being stuck behind Hassan Whiteside for his first two seasons in Miami, Adebayo has had a complete breakout year resulting in his first All-Star appearance. He increased his scoring by seven points a game and showed that he has a complete game. He is a big guy but he can do a little bit of everything.
I like how Bam impacts the game at both ends of the floor. His defense makes him such a valuable player. He is a switchable 'big', he can block shots, he can protect the rim. But, from a big man position, he is also one of the Heat's best playmakers. He has more than doubled his assists this season (5.1 per game).
Having Jimmy Butler, a floor general who expects big things from everybody, alongside him has helped Adebayo. Bam is one of many Heat players who have stepped up to that challenge.
What makes Bam a frontrunner for the Most Improved award is that the jump he has made was unexpected. His improvements and development have spiked out of nowhere. His real test will come next season. It's easier to take a league by surprise. Once opponents are scouting you and gearing up for you every single night, that is when the real test comes. Can he continue at the same level or better next season?
The difference between Doncic and Adebayo is that the 21-year-old Mavericks star already has all that pressure and attention that the Heat big man will soon have to deal with.
Despite all those expectations, Doncic has made tremendous improvements this season. We could all see the trajectory he was on but he has followed through in great fashion. Of the players we have discussed here, he is the one who has reached that elite level - he will likely make an All-NBA team and he is in the MVP conversation. Not a lot of players get to that tier.
Luka's success is down to his work ethic. He came in and took the NBA by storm. This season I think he worked on his weak hand quite a bit. He is attacking the basket more rather than settling for mid-range shots. And he got the All-Star nod in just his second season in the league.
In terms of his averages, Doncic tickles a triple-double with 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game. His numbers are massive. His field goal percentage is 46.1 which is super-impressive when you think he has other team's best defender on him every single night. Teams are planning for him and he still finds a way to shine. The degree of difficulty of some of the shots he has to take… you see him hit shots falling out of bounds. He has the ability to make difficult shots and doesn't shy away from taking big shots. He wants the ball in his hands at the end of games.
Doncic has proved himself skill-wise and statistically. Now he has to show he can be the leader for Dallas. Can he take this team and be the floor general, the guy who makes his team-mates better, the guy willing to bark at guys when he needs to. I want to see a little bit more of that.
DeVonte' Graham (Charlotte Hornets)
Kemba Walker's departure created an opportunity for him to step up and he delivered. His shooting was the thing that impressed me the most.
Norman Powell (Toronto Raptors)
His development has been on a steady incline and Nick Nurse has shown more confidence in him this season. Injuries created opportunities and he has knocked down the outside shot and do a little bit of everything. He came from the Raptors G League squad and built his way up, just like Siakam.
Markelle Fultz (Orlando Magic)
Going down to Orlando has been the best thing for him. It's a fresh opportunity and it looks like he is making the most it. He didn't have a complete season but there were moments where you could see why he was the No 1 pick. He has got to be one of the fastest guys in the league, a north-south guy who flashes up and down the court. It might take two or more seasons, but I think he will become a go-to guy for the Magic.
