It's official: Granger takes NBA award

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger is the NBA's Most Improved Player, winning the award after averaging a career-best 25.8 points a game this season.

Granger accepted the award Tuesday during a ceremony at Conseco Fieldhouse. He edged New Jersey Nets guard Devin Harris 364-339 in voting from a panel of 121 journalists.

Click on the video in the left margin of the story to see reaction from Granger, Larry Bird and head coach Jim O'Brien.

Granger said the honor isn't just about him. He said it's about the Pacers and their new and improved look.

"I had a great year but we had a lot of other guys that had good years. Troy Murphy had a good year, TJ Ford, Jarrett Jack had a career year," said Granger.

Granger found out he won while on vacation in Venice, Italy.

"I can honestly say it really did come as a surprise," he said. "I really had it out of my mind for a while. I was on vacation, enjoying Italy, and all of a sudden, I'm winning the award."

He was honored after being selected to the All-Star team this year for the first time and improving his scoring average by at least five points in each of the past three seasons. He averaged 7.5 points as a rookie out of New Mexico, then 13.9 in his second season and 19.6 in 2007-08.

"Four years ago, when we drafted Danny, he kept saying how good he was going to be -- but we have a lot of players that say that," said Pacers President Larry Bird. "Not much I can say other than he's a hell of a basketball player."

Granger responded, "I watched Larry probably when I was in diapers, you know. I don't want to say how old he is but it's a great honor, you know, to have him commend you on the type of season, type of success you had speaks wonders."

Granger had the NBA's fifth-highest scoring average this season.

"I think in my fourth year, I just had the experience of playing a lot of minutes," he said. "I could read defenses a lot better. I could get my shot a lot easier than what I had in the past. I think I just thought my way through the game a little more than I had previously."

Granger also has been invited to participate in a USA Basketball training camp this summer, the first phase in selecting the squad for the 2012 Olympics in London. He said Tuesday he has accepted the offer.

Granger elevated his game in January. He averaged 34.7 points and shot 49 percent over a six-game stretch against Western Conference teams that began on Jan. 3.

At about the same time, he began making dramatic shots. He drained a game-winning 3-pointer over two-time MVP Steve Nash on Jan. 7 in Phoenix, then made a game-tying jumper late in regulation before the Pacers beat Detroit in overtime a week later.

He made another clutch shot on Jan. 19, a game-tying 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds left at New Orleans, before being one-upped by Chris Paul at the buzzer.

"We look for even better things out of Danny because he does have a lot skill and he's a hard worker. He will improve," said Bird.

Granger missed 11 games in 2009 with a torn tendon in his right foot. He returned and averaged 28.4 points in 15 games the rest of the season.