LA Clippers: Handing Out Player Awards Through 15 Games

LA Clippers Most Improved Player: Nicolas Batum

Could it have gone to anybody else? If you’re thinking about who the Most Improved Players are on the LA Clippers so far, the conversation begins and ends with Nicolas Batum. After getting stretched by Charlotte and picked up on a minimum contract by the Clippers, Batum has flourished.

To make the case for his improvement case, just look at his statline last year and this year:

Batum 2019-2020: 3.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3 assists, 34.6%/28.6%/90% shooting

Batum 2020-2021: 9.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 49%/43.9%/87% shooting

He’s gone from being a well below average scorer in terms of efficiency, shooting a True Shooting Percentage of 46.3% last year, to being a hyper efficient scorer with a TS Percentage of 66.4.

But again, much like Kawhi, the nerd stuff isn’t the whole thing. Watching the LA Clippers play, you can see that Batum is the perfect complement to Kawhi and PG. He keeps the ball moving and makes the right play more often than not; on defense he contributes far more than we might have expected coming off of an injury-plagued last season.

Nic has also proven himself to be a very dangerous three point shooter, and he’s got more made threes from the left corner than any player in the entire NBA. He’s a weapon from the corner, and his connection with Paul George especially has led to some crucial buckets this season.

For his performance on both sides of the ball, and for coming off of being waived to build a starting lineup that’s one of the best lineups in the league, Nicolas Batum wins the Seth Kimbrell MIP Award Through 15 Games.