The Sixer Sense
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2023 NBA awards race: Embiid’s MVP push, picks for every award

By Christopher Kline

James Harden, Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
James Harden, Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports /

Most Improved Player

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made the leap to superstardom. He will finish top-five on several MVP ballots. OKC has an average team age of 22.8 and yet here they are, the 10th seed in the West and a couple wins away from an improbable (but fully possible) postseason berth. The Thunder are on the precipice of contention earlier than any of us could have anticipated and it starts with Gilgeous-Alexander’s unique two-way dominance on the perimeter.

2. Lauri Markkanen, Jazz

Lauri Markkanen went from an excellent floor-spacer and complementary scorer in Cleveland to one of the league’s most potent three-level, go-to scorers in Utah. Were it not for injuries and a trade deadline tank, the Jazz might’ve made the postseason. Markkanen’s rapid development as a face-up scorer and off-ball weapon made him a worthy challenger to SGA in this category.

3. Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers

Games played will hurt Tyrese Haliburton’s case, but the Pacers’ rebuild is well ahead of schedule because of Haliburton’s steep arc of improvement. Before his midseason injury, Haliburton had the Pacers teetering on the brink of the postseason picture. His otherworldly playmaking acumen and greatly improved scoring arsenal should make Haliburton a perennial All-Star for years to come.

Honorable mention: Jalen Brunson, Knicks