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In what turned into a back-and-forth showdown between two young, developing players, Jordan Poole’s Golden State Warriors edges Miles Bridges’ Charlotte Hornets Wednesday night. Both players showed why they’re in the running for the Most Improved Player award this season in Golden State’s 114-92 win.
Poole made up for a relatively tame night for MVP frontrunner Stephen Curry, who finished with 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. The third-year player out of Michigan dropped 31 in the victory, including seven three-pointers. He also snagged four steals.
Bridges, who was known in his early NBA days as a great dunker, one-upped Poole on the stat sheet. The Hornets small forward poured in 32 points and nine rebounds, showcasing his range as well with five triples. Bridges also had two steals, two blocks and two assists. Both players have not only made improvements to their game but are seeing major minutes on the floor for teams in the playoff hunt. That’s a strong formula for winning this honor.
Bridges is the favorite to win Most Improved Player at +550, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The Hornets forward was averaging 23.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game entering Wednesday’s contest. Poole is +2500 to win the honor. He came into Wednesday’s game putting up 14.0 points and 4.0 assists per game but those numbers are likely down due to some poor shooting percentages. If the Warriors guard can be more efficient from the floor, this race should tighten substantially over the course of the season.
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