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NEW YORK • Portland guard CJ McCollum has won the NBA's Most Improved Player award, while Stephen Curry finished fourth after winning the MVP award last season.
McCollum more than tripled his scoring average from 2014-15 and helped the Trail Blazers finish fifth in the Western Conference after losing four starters last summer. He finished with 20.8 points per game in his third season, a 14-point increase.
McCollum received 101 first-place votes and 559 points Friday from a panel of 130 sports writers and broadcasters throughout the U.S. and Canada. Charlotte's Kemba Walker was second with seven first-place votes and 166 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee got four first-place votes and 99 points.
Curry, the favorite to repeat as MVP, garnered seven first-place votes and 83 points after a record-setting season for himself and the Warriors. —
NBA Most Improved Player voting
(Selected by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters)
Player, Team 1st 2nd 3rd Total
CJ McCollum, Por 101 14 12 559
Kemba Walker, Cha 7 37 20 166
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mil 4 17 28 99
Stephen Curry, GS 7 13 9 83
Will Barton, Den 1 16 9 62
Jae Crowder, Bos 1 8 16 45
Draymond Green, GS 2 10 3 43
Isaiah Thomas, Bos 3 3 6 30
Hassan Whiteside, Mia 1 6 3 26
Kawhi Leonard, SA 1 2 7 18
Andre Drummond, Det 1 1 3 11
Gary Harris, Den 1 - 1 6
Kent Bazemore, Atl - 1 1 4
Evan Fournier, Orl - - 4 4
Rodney Hood, Utah - 1 - 3
Russell Westbrook, OKC - 1 - 3
Reggie Jackson, Det - - 3 3
Ian Mahinmi, Ind - - 3 3
Zach LaVine, Min - - 1 1
Kyle Lowry, Tor - - 1 1 —
NBA Most Improved Player winners
2016 • CJ McCollum, Portland
2015 • Jimmy Butler, Chicago
2014 • Goran Dragic, Phoenix
2013 • Paul George, Indiana
2012 • Ryan Anderson, Orlando
2011 • Kevin Love, Minnesota
2010 • Aaron Brooks, Houston
2009 • Danny Granger, Indiana
2008 • Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando
2007 • Monta Ellis, Golden State
2006 • Boris Diaw, Phoenix
2005 • Bobby Simmons, L.A. Clippers
2004 • Zach Randolph, Portland
2003 • Gilbert Arenas, Golden State
2002 • Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana
2001 • Tracy McGrady, Orlando
2000 • Jalen Rose, Indiana
1999 • Darrell Armstrong, Orlando
1998 • Alan Henderson, Atlanta
1997 • Isaac Austin, Miami
1996 • Gheorghe Muresan, Washington
1995 • Dana Barros, Philadelphia
1994 • Don MacLean, Washington
1993 • Chris Jackson, Denver
1992 • Pervis Ellison, Washington
1991 • Scott Skiles, Orlando
1990 • Rony Seikaly, Miami
1989 • Kevin Johnson, Phoenix
1988 • Kevin Duckworth, Portland
1987 • Dale Ellis, Seattle
1986 • Alvin Robertson, San Antonio