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http://www.sportsline.com/nba/story/8427027
Clippers' Simmons wins most improved player
April 28, 2005
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports
[font=Arial, Helvetica]LOS ANGELES -- Bobby Simmons of the Los Angeles Clippers was a runaway winner of the NBA most improved player award Thursday, easily topping Miami All-Star Dwyane Wade and Detroit standout Tayshaun Prince despite playing on a losing team.
Simmons, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, is the first Clippers player to win the award that started following the 1985-86 season. Portland's Zach Randolph won it last year.
Simmons received 59 first-place votes and 384 points in voting by sports writers and broadcasters. Wade got 15 first-place votes and 129 points, and Prince had 14 first-place votes and 107 points.
Charlotte's Primoz Brezec was fourth with 75 points, and New Orleans' Dan Dickau was fifth with 68. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three for each second-place vote and one for each third-place vote.
"Everyone in the Clippers organization is very happy and excited for Bobby and proud of what he has accomplished this season," coach Mike Dunleavy said. "The award is a testament to all of the hard work and effort Bobby has put in to improve his overall game."
Earlier this week, Dunleavy called re-signing Simmons "a high very priority, as far as I'm concerned."
The 24-year-old Simmons averaged career highs of 16.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 37.3 minutes in 75 games, including 74 starts. A year earlier, in his first season with the Clippers, he averaged 7.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 24.6 minutes in 56 games, including eight starts.
Simmons, a 6-foot-6 forward from DePaul, signed a two-year, $1.575 contract with the Clippers two years ago after being released by the Wizards. He was a second-round draft choice of Seattle in 2001 before being traded to Washington, where he averaged 3.5 points in a total of 66 games over two seasons.
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Clippers' Simmons wins most improved player
April 28, 2005
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports
[font=Arial, Helvetica]LOS ANGELES -- Bobby Simmons of the Los Angeles Clippers was a runaway winner of the NBA most improved player award Thursday, easily topping Miami All-Star Dwyane Wade and Detroit standout Tayshaun Prince despite playing on a losing team.
Simmons, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, is the first Clippers player to win the award that started following the 1985-86 season. Portland's Zach Randolph won it last year.
Simmons received 59 first-place votes and 384 points in voting by sports writers and broadcasters. Wade got 15 first-place votes and 129 points, and Prince had 14 first-place votes and 107 points.
Charlotte's Primoz Brezec was fourth with 75 points, and New Orleans' Dan Dickau was fifth with 68. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three for each second-place vote and one for each third-place vote.
"Everyone in the Clippers organization is very happy and excited for Bobby and proud of what he has accomplished this season," coach Mike Dunleavy said. "The award is a testament to all of the hard work and effort Bobby has put in to improve his overall game."
Earlier this week, Dunleavy called re-signing Simmons "a high very priority, as far as I'm concerned."
The 24-year-old Simmons averaged career highs of 16.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 37.3 minutes in 75 games, including 74 starts. A year earlier, in his first season with the Clippers, he averaged 7.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 24.6 minutes in 56 games, including eight starts.
Simmons, a 6-foot-6 forward from DePaul, signed a two-year, $1.575 contract with the Clippers two years ago after being released by the Wizards. He was a second-round draft choice of Seattle in 2001 before being traded to Washington, where he averaged 3.5 points in a total of 66 games over two seasons.
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, he deserves it
