Hoops Habit
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2017-18 NBA Awards: HoopsHabit roundtable predictions

By Gerald Bourguet

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 11: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives around Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors during the second half of a NBA game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on February 11, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 11: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives around Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors during the second half of a NBA game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on February 11, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images /

Sixth Man of the Year

Bourguet pick: Eric Gordon
HoopsHabit pick: Eric Gordon/Lou Williams

If the list of top 10 candidates for the Sixth Man of the Year Award wasn’t a clear enough indication that this race is wide open, the final tallies from the HoopsHabit voters all but confirm it, with a total of 14 different players receiving votes.

Former Houston Rockets teammates Eric Gordon and Lou Williams tied for first place with only four votes apiece. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year gets the nod as the favorite, simply because his role will be the exact same despite his team getting even better with the arrivals of Chris Paul, P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute.

Lou Will will have the chance to light it up off the bench for the Los Angeles Clippers and is coming off a career year, but he’ll also be sharing minutes in the backcourt with Patrick Beverley, Milos Teodosic and Austin Rivers.

Related Story: Top 10 candidates for 2017-18 Sixth Man of the Year Award

Andre Iguodala, who really should have won a Sixth Man of the Year Award at some point over the last three years, finishes third with three votes. Unfortunately, with Patrick McCaw‘s growth and the Golden State Warriors needing Iggy for the playoffs, his minutes and numbers will be limited.

J.R. Smith, Will Barton, Enes Kanter and the undying Sixth Man candidate, Jamal Crawford, each received two votes. Smith may or may not come off the bench behind Dwyane Wade, Barton never really lived up to the Sixth Man of the Year hype last season, Kanter’s defense and a crowded New York Knicks frontcourt may limit him in this race and no offense to Crawford, but he’s no longer efficient enough to be a throwaway/default option for voters.

Tyler Johnson, Marcus Smart, Dario Saric, Norman Powell, Cody Zeller, Rudy Gay and Jahlil Okafor all received one vote apiece, but in such a wide open race, we give the edge to the reigning Sixth Man of the Year.