While there was no chance he would come away with the trophy, you could at least
mention third-year center Jusuf Nurkic as a potential canidate for the 2017 NBA
Most Improved Player award. One could argue he improved the most throughout the
course of the season, going from riding the bench during his final days with the
Denver Nuggets to putting up truly historic statistical performances once traded
to Portland, though that run was far too short lived to garner much attention
from the MIP voters. Of course, suffering a non-displaced fracture in his right
tibia 20 games into his career with the Trail Blazers scuttled the rest of his
season and any chance he had to really get into the discussion for Most
Improved, which eventually and rightly went to Milwaukee forward Giannis
Antetokounmpo, though he did end up garnering one second-place vote.
But his performance over the course of a month and a half with the Trail Blazers
was enough to earn the 7-0 center out of Bosnia and Herzegovina a spot on
NBA.com’s favorites to win Most Improved Player award in 2018…
It was a deal that helped both teams when the Nuggets sent Nurkic to Portland.
Denver had to make room for Nikola Jokic to play, but the Blazers hit it big by
securing their tentpole for the middle. Nurkic is the perfect complement for the
high-scoring backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum and is also a great
passer. He was a double-double producing monster upon arriving in Portland in
February, but broke a bone in his leg and missed the end of the season, then
managed just a cameo appearance in a first-round sweep by Golden State in the
playoffs. After a disappointing 2016-17 season, a healthy Nurkic could be the
reason for a strong bounce back by the Blazers.
Nurkic averaged 15.2 points on 51 percent shooting, 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists,
1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals in 20 games with the Trail Blazers, statistics which
are considerably better than his career numbers of 8.5 points on 47 percent
shooting, 6.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 blocks. If he’s able to play
anywhere close to as well for the duration of the 2017-18 season as he did in
those first 20 games in Portland, Nurkic could end up being the odds-on favorite
to win Most Improved. Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, Pacers center
Miles Turner, Knicks center Kristaps Porzingis, Antetokounmpo (that’s just
laziness) and Lakers forward Brandon Ingram as the other preseason favorites for
Most Improved.
Player: Jusuf Nurkic
Media Content:
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Media Keywords: NBA, Sports, Portland Blazers, Jusuf Nurkic, Portland Trail
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Taxonomy: forward center
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