Insider Special: Most Improved Player...

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NBA Most Improved Player:

Pacers still looking the other way

By Terry Brown

Thursday, April 3 Updated 12:27 PM EST

Used to be that Ron Artest was better seen rather than heard.

Now, I can't even bear to look much less listen to his coach make excuses for his boorish, boyish, bullish behavior.

Last year, as a Chicago Bull, he averaged 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per game on 43 percent shooting as a hard-working middle of the first round draft pick who had already been named to the All Rookie Second Team, but was more than willing to work his fingers to the bone and then literally break a couple of them to get better.

Artest

In his first game of this season, Artest tallied 20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals on 61 percent shooting with 2 three-pointers.

In his first month of this season, he averaged 16.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 1 block on 50 percent shooting.

Then came the broken camera in front of his friends and family after a game in New York, the shoving and shouting in Miami and ensuing technical fouls and flagrant fouls, followed by punitive suspensions by both the league and his team and then mandatory suspensions for continued problems.

By the month of February, his averages were down to 11.4 points and 4.7 rebounds on 33 percent shooting and the Indiana Pacers had gone from a 33-14 record before the month to 8-17 since.

So, he can tally 20 points, 6 boards, 6 assists, 5 steals and 3 blocks on 54 percent shooting with two three-pointers against the Suns on March 30 followed by 23 points and 8 rebounds on April 1 against the Kings.

But all I can see, all I can hear, is Isiah Thomas getting shoved away by Ron Artest in the very next game on April 2 after he committed another technical foul and uttering: "Ron is like any other player or any other person."

Which is really too bad because we kinda hoped he'd be better or, at least, Most Improved.

Ricky Davis

Cleveland Cavaliers

Current Stats: 20.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 5.3 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.4 bpg, 41% shooting in 39.3 mpg

Career Stats: 11.3 ppg, 3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.2 bpg, 44% shooting in 23.4 mpg

We don't know if he's going to be traded next year. We don't know if he's going to be benched this year. We don't know why it took so long for all of us to get to this point in the first place. But what we do know is that Ricky Davis has better numbers across the board than Vince Carter, nearly doubles the rebounds, assists and steals from Allan Houston, plays better defense than Jerry Stackhouse and is statistically almost twice the playmaker Michael Finley is. So, aside from Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Allan Houston, all called selfish, aloof and temperamental, themselves, we find no cause not to give this award to a shooting guard who has just about doubled his numbers in every major statistical category we use in default when half the players mentioned here aren't going to the playoffs, either. Except, of course, for that awful taste in my mouth which got worse as I typed this.

Bobby Jackson

Sacramento Kings

Current Stats: 16.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.06 bpg, 47% shooting in 29.3 mpg

Career Stats: 9.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1 spg, 0.1 bpg, 43% shooting in 22.2 mpg

In a better world, he'd have his own team. Until then, we won't know how good he can possibly be which is too bad for us, him and the game, itself.

Matt Harpring

Utah Jazz

Current Stats: 17.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1 spg, 0.2 bpg, 51% shooting in 33 mpg

Career Stats: 12.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.1 bpg, 47% shooting in 29.3 mpg

Matt Harpring turns gold this year, shooting better than 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from long range and 80 percent from the line. Pause. Now, combine the numbers of all eight players who have been able to shoot at a higher percentage from the field this season than Matt, and this guy still has hit 55 more three-pointers than all of them this year and 81 over their combined careers.

Corey Maggette

Los Angeles Clippers

Current Stats: 17 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.2 bpg, 44% shooting in 31.8 mpg

Career Stats: 11.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.2 bpg, 45% shooting in 23.1 mpg

Most point to the fact that Corey Maggette, in his fourth year as a pro, has finally and greatly improved his ability to simply shoot the ball. I'd like to add that, had be stayed in school, this would have been his rookie season.

Eric Snow

Philadelphia 76ers

Current Stats: 12.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 6.8 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.1 bpg, 45% shooting in 38.3 mpg

Career Stats: 7.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.3 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.09 bpg, 43% shooting in 27.5 mpg

It took Eric Snow seven seasons to eventually average double-digit scoring. A year later, which just so happens to be this one, he has increased that number as well as posting career highs in rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and, assuming he hits his next four shots, shooting percentage. Now, we can go ahead and honor all the other guys on this list for their breakout seasons so long as we don't forget about players like the aforementioned point guard and his fellow partners in arms Chauncey Billups, Troy Hudson and Alvin Williams for continuing to improve over the course of their careers.

[cyman3]

but what do i know???

[DJ_Money]

No mention of Gilbert Arenas or Troy Murphy? Blasphemy!