Dwyane Wade Joins the MVP Race In The NBA Awards Watch

Most Improved Player

1. Eric Bledsoe, Phoenix Suns (Last Week: 1, –)

Alright, it doesn’t take a genius to notice that the Phoenix Suns have been rather poor over the last few weeks, going 2-8 over their last ten and needed an absurd shot from Mirza Teletovic to even scratch out that second one. Add in that their defense was ripped apart by the Brooklyn Nets and Detroit Pistons, suffered a buzzer-beating alley-oop against the Memphis Grizzlies, and Tyson Chandler continues to sit out with a lingering hamstring issue and you’ve got a minor crisis out west.

My point is: Eric Bledsoe can’t do it all himself. Even with Brandon Knight contributing on a nightly basis, Bledsoe has had trouble trying to weave minor miracles from this Suns’ squad. Things will undoubtedly improve with Chandler’s interior defense and the return from this two-week road trip, but Bledsoe has been balling nonetheless as he continues to stuff the stat-sheet across the board. Ultimately, it’s hard to imagine it getting any worse for the Suns than it is currently and with Bledsoe still thriving, Phoenix can only go up from here.

Bledsoe’s Line of the Week: 12/6 vs. MEM — 23 points, 7 rebounds 6 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 8-22 FG%
Week Grade: B+

2. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors (Last Week: –, Up 2)

Sometimes hidden amongst Stephen Curry’s onslaught against humanity is that Klay Thompson is still an incredible basketball player. Surely, I don’t need to tell you that Thompson is a great player, but I think we’re all a little guilty of getting caught up in Curry-Mania. So when Thompson hits 10 three-pointers, as he did Tuesday night against Indiana, we all suddenly snap awake and think: oh crap, that’s right, Klay is freakin’ great too.

Thanks to a slow start, and certainly not aided by Curry’s explosion, Thompson is just now getting up to speed on this season — but something tells me it will be worth the wait. Now 23-0, Thompson has nearly gotten his statistics back to the level he was playing at last season. With both Curry and Thompson liable to ignite at a moment’s notice, it’s completely plausible that the other Splash Brother will start taking the spotlight on a more frequent basis.

Thompson’s Line of the Week: 12/8 vs. IND — 39 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 13-21 FG%, 10-16 3PT%
Week Grade: A

3. Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz (Last Week: –, Up 1)

The shake-up in the category continues with Gordon Hayward’s return to consideration in the category. After a slow start to the season, the Starcraft fanatic has settled into some fine form. Of course, the loss of Rudy Gobert’s help defense and rim protection will force Hayward to score and take more responsibility on defense, the efforts thus far suggest that the Jazz might be able to weather the storm for now.

Before last night’s 18-point outing against the Sacramento Kings, Hayward had topped 20 points in three straight games, a season-high. With a home and away looming against the Oklahoma City Thunder and showdowns with the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans this coming week, things are unlikely to let up any time soon in Utah.

But with Hayward coming into his own, finally, things are looking up for the Jazz.

Hayward’s Line of the Week: 12/5 vs. IND — 22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 4 turnovers, 5-14 FG%
Week Grade: B+

Bounced Out: Danilo Gallinari, Denver Nuggets; Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics

Honorable Mentions: Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics; Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers; Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks; Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves; Nerlens Noel, Philadelphia 76ers; Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks; Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz; Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards

Week 1: Eric Bledsoe
Week 2: Eric Bledsoe
Week 3: Eric Bledsoe
Week 4: Eric Bledsoe
Week 5: Eric Bledsoe
Week 6: Eric Bledsoe
Week 7: Eric Bledsoe

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