ZZ Pachulia for Most Improved Player

[CrawDaddy]

All the talk is about Boris leading the group for Most Improved Player. What about Zaza? Here are his lines from last year with the Bucks:

04-05 Mil: 6.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 0.8 APG

Compare that with this year's line with the Hawks:

05-06 ATL: 11.4 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.6 APG

Throw in the fact that Boris went to a team with the reigning MVP and assist God, while Zaza came to a team where he is our only real option in the paint, and I would hope that he would at least garner some consideration for the award.

The arguments against (so that I can get them out of the way before Zaza haters weigh in on this post) are as follows:

1) Lack of defense

2) He gets his own rebounds off his missed shots which pad his rebounding totals

3) Poor shooting % for a PF/C

[Packfill]

I don't think Zaza is one of the top 5 candidates for that award.

[Johnnybravo4]

Yeah...according to the geniuses on this board he should be in the D league.

[Popeye]

It's really hard for Zaza to get his points because we don't have a real pass first PG who can get him easy layups.

So if he averages 12 ppg that is awesome and he will get better too.

[Lascar78]

I don't either. He was a steal, and has played well, but is not in the running for MIP in the whole league

As of today, I would give it to TP. Diaw would be 2nd I suppose.

Also, a lot of Diaw's improvement can indeed be attributed to his system, and to Nash the MVP. But that doesn't change the fact that he has improved waaay more than zaza. They don't look at why they improved, just who improved the most.

Parker has been amazing this year. The change in his numbers isn't even close to that of Diaw, but his impact on San Antonio is like night and day compared to last year. He's putting up about 20/6/4 like JJ, but on 55% shooting.

It depends on what the voters are looking for. Do they consider it more important to go from a scrub to a good player, or to go from a good to a great player? Because the latter is harder to do, but the former makes for a bigger jump in stats

Hard to argue with Diaw going from 5/3/2 to 12/7/6 if he does end up getting it though.

[TAdams_1]

I'm in. Zapu is a great asset to this team. Probably BK's greatest move (JJ was a great acquisition buy was also alread known.)

[exodus]

I think you have the Most Improved award confused with the increased numbers due to increased minutes/touches award.

Zaza is getting 12 minutes per game more this year than last. He is shooting worse and his turnovers have gone from less than one to 2.5.

You have to actually improve to get the MIP.

[swolehawk2]

If any Hawk fan is not pleased with what we are getting from ZZ at 21 years old and for what we paid him, they really should not watch basketball anymore.

My only knock is that he tries a little too hard at the offensive end sometimes. I think that is because he knows he has improved his offense and is trying to show what he can do, any young player that suddenly gets more minutes than he has ever had is going to try a force things at times.

ZZ is a keeper.

[Johnnybravo4]

Trust me...the minute Amare comes back Diaw will go back to being a 5/5 player.

There is no way in the world TP should get most improved on a championship team...improved from what?

I think that Zaza could get the award if in the second half the hawks can go .500 and win 30-35 games. We also need to start an internet campaign...call sports radio. I think we should petition to get Zaza MIP, JJ MVP, Salim 1st/2nd Team all rookie.

Before you laugh at my JJ reference think of it this way. If JJ could get us to 35 wins from 13 last year, and he puts up the same numbers he put up in Jan and Feb. He might not win but he would give Kobe, Nash and Lebron a run for their money. In any event he would knock out all of the Parker, Billups, Cassel and AI votes.

[Packfill]

Please send me some of whatever you are smoking.

[Dakin]

As long as the Hawks are in the running for most improved team, thats all I care about.

[Final_quest]

You got to love JB's optimism. He is a true fan. The dude can imagine the Hawks winning 35 games this year and JJ getting the MVP.

Perhaps he also imagines his wife suddenly losing 20 lbs. and giving him BJs every other day. It could happen.

[exodus]

He has had some good lines.

Recently he has said that Lue>Duhon and Zaza>BigZ.

My favorite was when he said Doc Rivers belonged on the NBA's all time top 50.

[Lascar78]

I like the guy a lot, but he's overly optimistic. That being said, I'll take an optimist over a hotlantamist - oops I mean pessimist - any day of the week. But I'm still going to disagree with him a lot if I'm trying to be a realist

[Johnnybravo4]

I have said a lot of crazy things but I have never said that Doc should have been in the Top 50. But I have said that Nique was better than

Drexler

Barkley

Pippen

And about a dozen others in that top 50.

[Diesel]

Diesel's Most improved rankings...

1. Chris Bosh

2. Gerald Wallace

3. Boris Diaw.

4. Sam Cassell

5. Mehmet Okur

6. Chris Kaman

7. Zaza Pachulia

8. Kevin Martin

9. Eddie House

10. Josh Howard

11. Raja Bell

I think Chris Bosh really is the definition of what the award should be. This is not a guy who got more minutes and improved.. This is a guy who played just about the same amount of minutes and improved significantly. Not only that, but he has become the leader of his team.

[exodus]

Actually i remember you looking over a posted list of the NBA's top 50 on ISH last year and you were like:

"No Doc Rivers?"

I got a good laugh from that one.

No offense but you say some pretty funny things sometimes....unitentionally i think.

[Johnnybravo4]

You can't tell that was a joke man?

If you got the stick out of your azz you would have been able to figure that out.

[Popeye]

I agree with diesel because MIP should get same amount of minutes but increased stats. I mean if you out there on the court for about 35 min per game like Diaw is you have to get at least 6 reb 5 assists and at least 10-15 points at minimum.

[Peoriabird]

What about that West kid in NO?