With Knicks power forward David Lee sidelined for another few weeks, the race for Most Improved Player really heats up.

Lee might not have been the best choice for the award before his injury, but he had the advantage of playing in New York and on a team that went from high lottery to playoff contention. With Lee out of action for nearly five weeks, the competition gains substantially. Still, Lee remains a favorite for Sixth Man of the Year honors as the competition there is not as stiff.

Let’s look at some of the other players who have taken a big step forward this season.

Boston Celtic power forward Al Jefferson was picked by many pundits (including me) to have a breakout season last year. Instead, he spent much of the campaign on the shelf or playing hurt. This season, he’s showed what the fuss was about, improving from 7.9 points and 5.5 boards per game to 15.3 and 11.1 so far this season. Admittedly, per-game measurements are inaccurate since nearly every player listed here played substantially more minutes, but we’ll use them because they’re the metrics that most voters will notice. It’s unlikely that voters will hand an award to a player whose team has been horrible most of the season, but Jefferson’s play of late has led the Celtics toward respectability in the last month.

Golden State center Andris Biedrins had the same scenario as Jefferson. After he showed some promise as a rookie, his sophomore campaign in 2005–06 was marred by injuries and ineffective play. This season he has come on strong, averaging 10 points and 9.5 boards in 29 minutes per game. In addition, he’s shooting an eye-popping 60.9% from the field. Last season he shot even better, 63.8%, but mustered only 3.8 ppg and 4.2 rpg in 14 minutes per contest. Biedrins has good credentials, and his case would improve but for coach Don Nelson’s fetish for small ball, which limits the minutes of the Latvian big man. It’s one thing to go small when your options in the pivot are limited; it seems silly to do so when you have one of the best young centers in the game in your rotation.

Portland power forward Zack Randolph has one of the strongest cases. Generally perceived as an underachieving knucklehead both on and off the court, he has turned in his best season as a pro. His pergame averages — 23.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 46.3% shooting —scream “impact player,” and his turnaround mirrors the sense that the Trail Blazers are emerging from a dark period in team history and are en route to being a good, if not elite, team again.

The best portfolio belongs to Sacramento guard Kevin Martin. Last season in 26 minutes per game he scored 10.8 points on 48% shooting. This season he leads the team with 21.3 ppg in 36 minutes of action. His shooting percentage has also risen to 49.3%. Martin is about the only thing that has kept the stumbling Kings (28–35 and last place in the Pacific Division) from doing a complete face plant.

Toronto Raptor guard T.J. Ford and Utah Jazz center Mehmet Okur will likely receive votes from voters looking to reward their teams for big upticks. Ford is a major reason for Toronto’s ascent from lottery leader to division champion. Except for a slight rise in 3-point accuracy, Okur is the same player he was last season, but he plays for a team whose best player, Carlos Boozer, has stayed healthy and whose point guard, Deron Williams, has maintained his torrid pace from the end of last season.

Among the others likely to receive votes, Luol Deng of the Bulls, Charlie Bell of the Bucks, and Joe Johnson and Josh Smith of the Hawks, have improved but not dramatically. Emeka Okafor of the Charlotte Bobcats and Cleveland’s Larry Hughes have improved by simply staying healthy.

A nice case could be made for Chris Webber had he played more than half a season with the Pistons. In a weaker field, Andrew Bynum’s marked improvement from end-of-the-bench guy to key rotation member for the Lakers would warrant consideration. The Nets’ Mikki Moore has put up good perminute numbers in limited playing time, and this season he’s proved highly productive in major minutes. But his team’s woes and the fact that he’s an important but not central part of the rotation work against him. Andre Iguodala has done well since becoming the primary option in the Sixer offense, but even a late season surge won’t alter the perception that this team stank all season.

Although Martin has the best credentials, I think the award will go to Randolph (as long as he stays out of trouble). His improvement hasn’t been quite as dramatic, but his context is what the voters like to see. Martin’s team is in the middle of a turnaround, but it’s heading in the wrong direction.

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Although “team with losing record fires coach” is about as dog bites man as it gets on this beat, the timing of the Bucks’ decision to can Terry Stotts is bound to raise eyebrows. It seems almost certain that the Bucks’ motive was to keep Assistant Coach Larry Krystkowiak in the fold; his name has been mentioned with several NCAA openings, most notably, the University of Utah. The timing also suggests that the 23–41 Bucks sense a chance at nabbing more ping pong balls in the lottery that will award top prospects Greg Oden and Kevin Durant to two (sic) lucky teams.

mjohnson@nysun.com