NBA Awards Watch: Week 4
By Ben Nadeau
Sixth Man of the Year
1. Alec Burks, Utah Jazz (Last Week: –, Up 3)
So, we sadly have to begin this week by acknowledging the departure of two early, strong candidates: the Boston Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas and the Portland Trail Blazers’ C.J. McCollum. We threatened Brad Stevens and Terry Stotts that if they didn’t make changes over the last week, we’d have to remove two of the league’s most exciting players from contention in this award.
Alas, goodbye, we hardly knew ye, old friends.
Instead, we get an entire makeover of the category with new boy Alec Burks at the top. It’s strange though, the Utah Jazz are just 5-5 but now have had a fourth player mentioned on this Awards Watch since the season started (Gobert, Hayward, Snyder). But make no mistake, this one has some serious sticking power going forward.
Although their team defense is solidified, the majority of the offense has fallen on Gordon Hayward’s shoulders. Bringing Burks off the bench has offered a different dimension to the growing Jazz and giving the sharp-shooter the opportunity to compete against the poorer second-strings is an absolute gift.
After missing out on most of the 2014-15 season through injury, Burks is averaging 16 points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a three per game at 52 percent (!!!) from behind the arc.
Burks’ Line of the Week: 11/12 vs. MIA — 24 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 TOs, 3-3 3-Point %
Week Grade: B+
2. Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks (Last Week: –, Up 2)
Even if Thomas and McCollum hadn’t been eliminated, they still would’ve seen Dwight Powell in their rearview mirrors this week.
Powell, who was nearly an afterthought in the trade last winter that brought Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks for a fleeting moment, has emerged as not only a talented player, but a dependable source of points and rebounds when Dirk Nowitzki needs a spell.
Raise your hand if you saw the Dallas Mavericks sitting at 7-4 currently? Following their failed courting of DeAndre Jordan this summer, there were loads of question marks surrounding the Mavericks, but those most notably focused on their thin front-court.
Along with fellow castaways like Zaza Pachulia and Charlie Villanueva, the Mavericks have found a solution for the aging Nowitzki and gaping hole at center. Through 11 games, the surprise Powell is averaging 10.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game on 56 percent shooting, so, yeah, it’s safe to say that he’s helped out massively thus far.
Powell’s Line of the Week: 11/13 vs. LAL — 10 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 0 TOs, 3-6 FG%
Week Grade: B
3. Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors (Last Week: 3, –)
Andre Iguodala has a sneaky way of flying under the radar, just as he did all of 2014-15 before going supernova in the NBA Finals. Right now, if you had to guess what Iguodala’s averages were, what would you say?
Averaging 9.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, four assists, 1.5 steals per game on a team with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson’s scoring, Draymond Green’s passing, and Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli’s rebounding is actually really special.
Of course, the Warriors are still undefeated at 11-0 and Iguodala’s do-it-all attitude is a huge reason they haven’t seen much fall off from their championship run last summer.
Iguodala’s Line of the Week: 11/14 vs, BRK — 15 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 3 TOs, 6-12 FG%
Week Grade: B+
Bounced Out: Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics, C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
Honorable Mentions: Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls; Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers; Ty Lawson, Houston Rockets; Paul Pierce, Los Angeles Clippers; Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers; Lou Williams, Los Angeles Lakers; Kevin Martin, Minnesota Timberwolves; Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans
Week 1: Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans
Week 2: Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
Week 3: Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
Week 4: Alec Burks, Utah Jazz
Next: The Takeover Begins