There weren’t any major surprises jumping out with the nominations released for this year’s NBA Awards, at least not in relation to the Indiana Pacers. Since about December, the Pacers, fans, and the NBA writers pretty much had their Most Improved Player etched in stone as Victor Oladipo.
Twenty-eight games in, the Pacers prepared for their lone nationally televised game against Oklahoma City, entering 16-11 and on a four game winning streak. Oladipo was averaging 24.5 points per game on 48.5% shooting, including 44.4% from three point range. By that point, only a crashing slump would have kept him from being the frontrunner for the award.