Sports Desk
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
BASKETBALL
DIAW NAMED NBA’S MOST IMPROVED Boris Diaw went from being a throw-in as part of the Joe Johnson trade to winner of the NBA’s most improved player award. The Phoenix Suns’ versatile Frenchman was a landslide choice with 80 first-place votes in balloting by 124 sports writers and sportscasters. He received 489 overall points, compared with 22 first-place votes and 283 points for runner-up David West of New Orleans.
The 6-foot-8 Diaw, the 21st overall pick in the 2003 draft, averaged 4.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 44% in 66 games for the Hawks last season. Inserted into the front line for the small, fast-paced Suns, and improving his mid-range jumper in the process, Diaw averaged 13.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists this season, shooting 53%. He played in 81 games, 70 as a starter.
HOCKEY
JAGR MULLS SURGERY FOR INJURED SHOULDER Jaromir Jagr tugged his shirt and rubbed his dislocated left shoulder as he spoke of what it might take to fix it. About 48 hours after the Rangers were swept out of the NHL playoffs, Jagr and his teammates cleaned out their lockers, had exit interviews and underwent physicals yesterday.
Jagr had an added activity, taking an MRI of the shoulder that basically limited him to two of the four postseason losses the Rangers endured against the New Jersey Devils. The decision of whether the NHL’s second-leader scorer would require surgery was expected quickly.
“I saw a lot of pictures but I don’t understand it,” said the 34-year-old Jagr, who broke team records with 53 goals and 123 points this season. Jagr was injured late in Game 1 – the Rangers’ first playoff game since 1997 – when he took a swipe with his left arm in an attempt to hit New Jersey forward Scott Gomez late in the 6-1 loss. If surgery is the call, Jagr wants to get it over with as quickly as possible.
“We’ve got five months before the season starts,” Jagr said. “Hopefully, if there is any surgery it’s not going to be complicated and I might start practicing next month.”
– Associated Press
