The NBA Sixth Man of the Year award is going to be an exciting race as many big players are involved in it this season.
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The NBA awards the Sixth Man of the Year trophy to a player that affects the most with his contributions off the bench. This season the race to win that trophy is going to be one of the best as some big names are involved in the competition. With all the teams having played at least 15 games, production off the bench is visibly a key element to the success of teams that have done well so far.
Russell Westbrook, Benedict Mathurin, John Wall, Christian Wood, Malcolm Brogdon and Jordan Poole are some of the favourites that have left a significant impact. In today’s article, we take a look at five names that could possibly win the NBA’s sixth man of the year trophy at the end of the season.
Christian Wood made a blockbuster move to the Dallas Mavericks in the off-season. He was expected to play a big role for the team, but coach Jason Kidd decided to bring the big man off the bench and give veteran JaVale McGee a starting spot on the team. Despite falling to a bench role, Wood has put up good numbers. He has averaged 16.6 PPG on 57.3% shooting from the field and 43.2% shooting from three-point range. There have been a lot of concerns about his lack of playing time with the Mavs, but coach Kidd was positive about his decision and stated that Wood would have to earn the playing time rather than it just being gifted to him.
Bones Hyland has been a breath of fresh air for the Denver Nuggets off the bench. He is a natural scorer, who can create havoc on defenses in multiple ways. So far, the sophomore-year player has averaged 16.1 PPG and is shooting 45.7% from three-point range. He has looked a lot better this season and is certainly a key piece for the Nuggets in their pursuit of winning a championship. If he is able to produce great performances, Hyland could be a strong contender for the Sixth Man of the year trophy.
John Wall has been an effective player off the bench for the LA Clippers. In a stacked team like theirs, Wall has found a role, which is to make teammates around him better. An example of this was his performance against the San Antonio Spurs, where he dished out 15 assists, out of which 10 came in the first half alone. He is averaging 11.9 PPG and 5.9 APG, but as the season moves on, these numbers could transcend and Wall could become a front-runner for the 6MOY trophy.
Bennedict Mathurin is the only player on the list that is a rookie. Since coming into the league, Mathurin has come off the bench for a better-looked Indiana Pacers side. He has averaged 19.3 PPG on 44.3% shooting from the field and 42.1% from three-point range. The former Arizona player has immense strength and can also score well around the basket using his physicality. If he keeps playing at this level, Maturin could surprise many and win the Sixth Man of the Year trophy in his rookie season.
Russell Westbrook is one name that not many thought they would ever see in their lives as he was once a superstar in the league. The 34-year-old’s constant failure in delivering good performances forced Darvin Ham to get the former MVP off the bench for the Lakers. However, since doing that, Westbrook has been a different player altogether, averaging 16.8 PPG, 8.6 APG and 5.0 RPG. He has been a player who pushes the pace for the second unit and engage players like Wenyen Gabriel and Austin Reaves. Along with doing his offensive duties, Westbrook has also elevated his defensive game for the LA Lakers. The nine-time All-Star has put clamps on some great players. If he is able to continue playing at a high level coming off the bench, Westbrook could add the Sixth Man of the Year trophy to his already-stacked resume.
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