San Antonio Spurs: Best candidates for 2018-19 NBA awards
By Luke Swiatek
Sixth Man of the Year: Rudy Gay
Although no one on the San Antonio Spurs is likely to win the award, there is some fierce competition for who the best bench player is on the team. The distinction is a tough decision between Patty Mills, Marco Belinelli and Rudy Gay. All three could come primarily off the bench, and all three can be very effective in that role.
Trying to figure out exactly who will start is a difficult exercise though. One of Belinelli or Mills should start with Murray and DeRozan, and it seems right now like that player will be Beli. Still, it’s far from settled yet.
Even Gay might start. Pop went to more small-ball than usual last year, and he could do the same this year by playing Gay at the 4. Pau Gasol started most games in a Twin Towers lineup alongside Aldridge when both were healthy, but maybe it’s finally time the 38-year-old moves to the bench for good.
For argument’s sake though, let’s assume Belinelli and Gasol start. That leaves Gay and Mills as the main two backups.
| Rk | Player | Season | Age | G | GS | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | 2P | 2PA | 2P% | eFG% | FT | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rudy Gay | 2017-18 | 31 | 57 | 6 | 21.6 | 4.4 | 9.4 | .471 | 0.6 | 2.1 | .314 | 3.8 | 7.4 | .516 | .506 | 2.0 | 2.5 | .772 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 5.1 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 11.5 |
| 2 | Patty Mills | 2017-18 | 29 | 82 | 36 | 25.7 | 3.4 | 8.3 | .411 | 1.9 | 5.0 | .372 | 1.5 | 3.3 | .470 | .523 | 1.3 | 1.4 | .890 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 10.0 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/25/2018.
The above table compare Mills and Gay’s production per game last year. In fewer minutes, Gay beat Mills in points, rebounds, steals and blocks. Having 1.5 more assists per game doesn’t redeem Patty Mills here, though his superior 3-point touch helps even things out a bit more.
With the backcourt logjam, Mills might end up playing even less this year than he did last year, whereas Gay might play more in a sparse wing rotation. If that happens, the statistical disparity between the two will only become even more pronounced, and make Gay the clear top candidate for 6MOY.