Kevin Durant finished third in voting for the NBA's Most Improved Player award. Indiana forward Danny Granger won the award, and New Jersey guard Devin Harris finished second, the league announced Tuesday.
Granger received 364 of a possible 605 points, including 48 first-place votes from a panel of 121 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Harris had 339 points and 43 first-place votes. Durant finished with 83 points and six first-place votes. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.
Granger, the 17th overall pick out of New Mexico in 2005, averaged a career-high 25.8 points, 6.2 points more than 2007-08. He became the first player in NBA history to raise his scoring average by at least five points in three consecutive seasons. He also averaged 5.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
After averaging 20.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists as a rookie, Durant averaged 25.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 2008-09.
Thunder forward Jeff Green finished with one third-place vote.
BROOKS TO REPRESENT Thunder AT DRAFT LOTTERY
Coach Scott Brooks will sit at the podium as the Thunder's representative during next Tuesday's nationally televised NBA Draft Lottery, which determines the 2009 draft order for the 14 non-playoff teams.
The Thunder is slated to pick fourth overall in this year's draft and has an 11.9 percent chance of winning the No. 1 overall pick. Oklahoma City can fall no lower than seventh.
Brooks was promoted to the full-time position on April 15 after serving as interim coach since Nov. 22. Durant represented last year's Seattle SuperSonics at the lottery when it landed the No. 4 overall pick and eventually selected guard Russell Westbrook.
