The Chicago Bulls will face off against the Miami Heat in a fight to feature in this year’s playoffs. The Bulls are coming off a resounding 131-116 victory against the Hawks, where the team’s newest star Coby White dropped a 42-point bomb. After the game, former NBA player, Danny Green joined ESPN for some post-game analysis of the two EC Play-In matchups and also gave his pick for this year’s most improved player.
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Talking about the Bulls and Hawks match-up, Green gave Coby White his flowers, complimenting his fellow UNC commit,
“Well, I got to see it up close when he was a freshman in Carolina. So I always knew he had game. The resurgence of it is due to injuries. Zach LaVine being out, and Alex Caruso was down. He gets the ball more in his hand, and he is playing his game.”
Green’s reasoning for White’s sudden resurgence holds some validity. The Bulls are currently missing three of their starring guards, Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, and Alex Caruso, sidelined due to injuries. Before the injuries, White was just a solid role player on the squad, someone who did everything, from defense to offense.
But since the team has been hit with an injury bug, White’s numbers have skyrocketed, as the former UNC alumni is averaging 19.1 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.5 rebounds in 79 games this season. He has been getting more touches as the former Tar Heel star increased his usage rate from 17.9% last season to 22.7%, this season.
Green picks Coby White as the Most Improved Player
The Most Improved Player is one of the most coveted awards in the NBA. While appearing on ESPN’s post-game coverage, Danny Green made his pick for this year’s MIP award,
“He [ Coby White] is a very skilled player and to me, he is the most improved player in the league today. If isn’t him, it’s Tyrese Maxey. But I like Coby White. He was a role player, and he has made himself almost a superstar. A star player on that team right now. Tyrese Maxey has kinda already been a star beforehand.”
As things currently stand, Maxey is the favorite to win the Most Improved Player award. While White has been nothing short of box office this season, Maxey has carried the 76ers to the 7th spot in the East, that too with Embiid missing a majority of the season due to injuries. Both White and Maxey make a strong case for winning the MIP award, each having their specialty on the court.
Maxey is clearly the more polished player, averages more points, and can defend at a high level. But Coby isn’t the clear runner-up either, as the 6’6″ guard is a more versatile scorer, better at keeping his teams involved, and can rebound at a much higher level than Maxey. In the end, the decision will come down to splitting hair between the two young guards, as the winner might come down to the personal preferences of the voters.
