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Grizzlies guard Ja Morant wins 2021-22 Most Improved Player award

Morant led the Grizzlies to the No. 2 seed in the West.

By Chinmay Vaidya
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Memphis Grizzlies v Minnesota Timberwolves - Game Four
Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter of the game during Game Four of the Western Conference First Round at Target Center on April 24, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Grizzlies 119-118 to tie the series 2-2.
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images

The NBA announced Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant won the league’s Most Improved Player award for the 2021-22 season. Morant was the driving force behind Memphis landing the No. 2 seed in the West, averaging 27.4 points per game and being selected as an All-Star starter.

Morant entered the season at +3000 to win the honor according to Action Network and was a force for Memphis. A month into the season, his odds to win the honor were +350 according to DraftKings Sportsbook. By the All-Star break, he was -550 to win the honor and was the heavy favorite.

Fellow finalists Dejounte Murray and Darius Garland were way behind Morant in the final tally. The Grizzlies guard has struggled a bit in the postseason, but this award is for regular season performance and it’s hard to argue with the uptick in stats. This is a somewhat controversial award because improvement is subjective, but Morant fits the bill.

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