Top 3 candidates for 6th Man of the Year
The Sixth Man of the Year award is something of a backhanded compliment.
Most quality players start instead of coming off the bench, leaving a shallow pool of talent to draw from. That's why it's not surprising that former winners include a slew of one-dimensional scorers - they're usually flawed in some way.
However, when put into the right system, a good bench producer can change the outcome of the game with his scoring or defense. Here are your top three candidates for Sixth Man of the Year.
Lou Williams
As with most moves Toronto Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri has made, the Raptors' acquisition of Lou Williams panned out better than anyone expected.
Coming off two disappointing seasons sandwiching an ACL tear, the Atlanta Hawks essentially dumped Williams's salary on Toronto. Williams's isolation-heavy style of play didn't mesh with Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer's motion offense.
But Williams found a home in Toronto and, two years removed from his injury, returned to the top form he displayed while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. He's averaging 15.2 points, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals in his comeback campaign.
Along with Greivis Vasquez and Patrick Patterson, Williams has served as a core component of the Raptors' formidable bench unit, which is outscoring opponents by 13.8 points per-100 possessions.
Jamal Crawford
Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard Jamal Crawford defies age.
Season after season, Crawford's name sits atop the race for Sixth Man of the Year. This year is no different: Crawford is chugging along with averages of 16 points, 2.6 assists and 0.9 steals per game.
His shooting percentages have slipped, but Crawford's importance to Los Angeles has only risen. With Doc Rivers whiffing on repeated attempts to rebuild a passable bench unit, Crawford remains the only reliable contributor for the 35-19 Clippers.
Most importantly, Crawford has flourished when playing alongside the Clippers' starters. Along with Blake Griffin, Matt Barnes, DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul, Crawford is a key playmaker in the league's top-scoring five-man unit.
Taj Gibson
Chicago Bulls power forward Taj Gibson nearly captured Sixth Man honors last season, only narrowly losing to Crawford. Ultimately, Crawford had the better scoring average, but Gibson played a huge hand in the Bulls' elite defense.
This season, Gibson's scoring numbers have dropped, from 13 to 10.7 points per game. However, there's a simple explanation: the Bulls brought in Pau Gasol. Otherwise, Gibson is the same player.
That same player is one of the fiercest defenders in the NBA and a decent post scorer. Gibson routinely draws tough defensive assignments, forcing him to constantly shift between checking stretch-fours along the perimeter and bodying up on post players down low.
Gibson's mobility and interchangeability on defense is crucial to Chicago's success. Gibson is allowing just 0.74 points per post-up, a mark topping Joakim Noah's average of 0.89. Gibson has been excellent on pick-and-rolls as well: the roller is scoring just 0.64 points per possession against Gibson.
Also considered: Isaiah Thomas (Suns), Tristan Thompson (Cavaliers), Kevin Seraphin (Wizards), Chris Kaman (Trail Blazers), Ryan Anderson (Pelicans).