Bryant Is Improved, but Henderson Wins

It’s the one award Kobe Bryant almost certainly will never win, such are the lofty expectations, but the Laker swingman nonetheless picked up three votes and an endorsement from his coach as the NBA announced Thursday that Atlanta Hawk forward Alan Henderson had been chosen as the most improved player.

Thirty-three media members picked Henderson, who this season improved his career scoring average by 7.9 points, his rebounding by 2.1 and his shooting percentage by .034. Sacramento’s Corliss Williamson finished second with 25 votes, with Donyell Marshall of Golden State one vote behind.

Bryant finished seventh--with Lamond Murray of the Clippers named on two ballots to earn a five-way tie for eighth--after his scoring between the first and second season jumped 7.8 points, an increase topped around the league only by the 8.0 of Murray. But Coach Del Harris mentioned an improvement that doesn’t appear on stat sheets.

“I think his defense,” Harris said. “And with the exception of that little span in there . . . right after the All-Star game, if you were a director and could edit that from the final release, he would have had an absolutely fantastic season.

“His total game improved, but more his defense. And his judgment as well. And he’s just 19 years old, as everyone knows, so I would expect to see another big jump next season as well.”

*

Swingman Walt Williams had become a major factor off the bench for the Trail Blazers before Thursday, going from 37.8% shooting and 8.4 points a game in the 31 regular-season appearances after being acquired from Toronto to 62.5% and 15.3 points the first three games of the series. That included 17 points and eight rebounds in the Tuesday victory.

“Walt’s been great,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “This is what he’s capable of bringing us. Come the playoffs, he’s been everything we had hoped.”

Probably even more. After his season-long shooting struggles--39.2% with the Raptors before the trade--Williams was No. 3 among all playoff participants in field-goal percentage before Game 4, behind only Dale Davis of the Pacers and Avery Johnson of the Spurs. The Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal was fourth, at 62.1%.

“Throughout my career, a lot of people have doubted what I could do on the basketball court,” said Williams, a former lottery pick with the Kings who is with his fourth team in three seasons. “So, of course, there’s some satisfaction there.

“I’m a scorer, and sometimes I’m going to come out and be hot. Sometimes it’s going to take a little time to get into a rhythm. I just sat back and waited for my turn. It happened to be in these playoffs and I’m just trying to take advantage of it.”