Los Angeles Lakers point guard Jeremy Lin hasn't won an individual award since he set foot on an NBA court. But according to several sports writers, the Asian-American standout might have a shot at bagging a trophy this year as one of potential leading candidates for the Most Improved Player of the Year.
It has been a whirlwind of a journey in the past two seasons for the 26-year old Lin. After coming out of nowhere to become a worldwide phenomenon at Madison Square Garden, Lin had to endure the pains and struggles of playing in a system that only featured him as a second-stringer player rather than a cornerstone.
However, things could change this season with the Lakers badly needing someone to step up big time at the point. Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash is entering perhaps is final year as a professional basketball player and his playing time is expected to be limited throughout the 82-game season.
Fortunately for Lin, Nash's losses in playing time will be his gains throughout the Lakers' campaign. Many hoops analysts projected him as the Lakers' starting point guard for next season.
Lin, who averaged 12 points and 4 dimes in 29 minutes per game for the Rockets last year, will have lots of opportunities to pad up his statistics and become a major contributor for a Lakers team that is being ruled out as a playoff contender in a very competitive Western Conference.
While the Lakers will surely have a hard time fighting for a postseason spot in the West, the team's struggles won't have big impact on Lin's Most Improved Player of the Year bid, as long as he continues piling up the stats.
In two of the last three years, all winners of the awards were playing for teams missing the postseason. Goran Dragic won the MIP trophy last year but failed to push the Phoenix Suns towards the postseason.
Will Lin finally win an award this year? No one knows, but he has indeed a golden opportunity to bag one.
