Trophies night: The 2017-18 NBA Season Awards show
Most Improved Player
December 23, 2017: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers motions goodbye to the crowd after defeating the Brooklyn Nets in overtime at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. /VCG Photo
Pacers guard Victor Oladipo is the NBA's Most Improved Player after a stellar first season in Indiana that ended in a playoff showdown with LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Oladipo beat out fellow finalists Clint Capela of the Rockets and Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets.
Oladipo, 26, averaged a career-high 23.1 points with 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.4 steals to earn his first career All-Star selection, as well as a spot on the All-NBA third team and the All-Defensive first team.
In the playoffs, Oladipo averaged 22.7 points, 8.3 boards, 6.0 assists and 2.4 steals, but it wasn't enough to send the Pacers onto the conference semifinals, as they lost to the Cavaliers in seven games.
Also, Daryl Morey, Houston Rockets won the Executive of the Year voted on by the league's executives. Jamal Crawford from Minnesota Timberwolves awarded Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year by the players. The Sportsmanship Award went to Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker. The NBA Final FMVP Kevin Durant got Cares Community Assist Award. Lifetime Achievement Award went to Oscar Robertson.
(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)
