NBA Awards Watch: Draymond Green Makes Push For Defensive Player Of The Year
By Ben Nadeau
Sixth Man of the Year
1. Will Barton, Denver Nuggets (Last Week: –, Up 3)
One of the few positive things that has come out of the Denver Nuggets’ slow start has been the emergence of Will Barton. The high-flying guard off the bench is not dissimilar to one of the category mainstays, Alec Burks, except for that he prefers to do his damage in the air rather than behind the arc. Barton is averaging 3.6 more points per game than he was last year and may be one of the biggest reasons the Nuggets are winners of five of their last six, good for eighth in the packed Western Conference.
Barton’s Line of the Week: 12/14 vs. HOU — 23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 2 TOs, 8-18 FG
Week Grade: B+
2. Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs (Last Week: –, Up 2)
Manu Ginobili is by far our best candidate for somebody on a talented team, so that sort of juxtaposition well-merits the Argentinean’s inclusion alone, but can you believe this guy is still so good? Often enough, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year doesn’t go to a great team’s best bench asset, it goes to a player on a bad team that shoots 15-plus times in 25 or less minutes, which can be rough.
Just as I refuse to include the aforementioned Okafor in Rookie of the Year voting for his lack of winning (among other things), it’s just as important to reward the athletes that are playing at a high level and winning. Although it’s a bit tenuous to compare the San Antonio Spurs to the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s tough to ignore how crucial Ginobili has been for one of the league’s best second units.
Ginobili’s Line of the Week: 12/12 vs. ATL — 17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 4 TOs, 5-7 FG, 3-3 3P
Week Grade: B
3. Alec Burks, Utah Jazz (Last Week: 2, Down 1)
Despite the absolute throttling the San Antonio Spurs put on the Utah Jazz and Alec Burks’ plus/minus rating of -37 in the process, the sharpshooter has settled into a nice groove lately. Burks has now scored 15-plus in five of his last 10, even going to 20 or more in three of them. Slowly, the Jazz are sinking out of the picture in the Western Conference without the injured Rudy Gobert, so they need Burks’ shooting now more than ever.
Burks’ Line of the Week: 12/13 vs. OKC — 21 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 TO, 8-13 FG
Week Grade: B
Bounced Out: Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans; Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers
Honorable Mentions: Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls; Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers; Andre Iguodala;Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers; Paul Pierce, Los Angeles Clippers; Lou Williams, Los Angeles Lakers; Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans; Zach LaVine, Minnesota Timberwolves
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
Week 5: Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans
Week 6: Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans
Week 7: Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans
Week 9: Will Barton, Denver Nuggets
Next: The Takeover Continues