Sixth Man of the Year: Austin Rivers/Alec Burks
Something that every Knicks fan should be happy about, is finally having some reliable scoring off the bench. Mainly due to the work of Austin Rivers and Alec Burks, the second unit has been looking at its best in recent memory.
One could say that the sample size for each of these guards is relatively small, though this is just an early prediction given their respective performances so far.
First things first, Burks has had the luck to play in just 3 games so far, the first trifecta of the season in late December. In those 3 games, he scored at least 18 points in each one of them and currently holds a season scoring average of 20.7 points per game.
Rivers, on the other hand, entered the rotation later on, after his teammate’s ankle injury. We’ve had the joy of watching him play for a bit longer, in a 7-game span where he averages 12.0 points per outing.
Austin Rivers scores 14 straight down the stretch to lift the @nyknicks to victory. pic.twitter.com/PSHoyUaeuI
— NBA (@NBA) January 7, 2021
Both of these guards can currently boast about having astronomically high shooting percentages. That is, of course, in the limited number of times they’ve worn a New York Knicks uniform, though the signs are nothing but positive for the both of them.
Given the general belittling of the New York Knicks around the league, both Burks and Rivers could be major sleeper picks to win the Sixth Man of the Year award. We just have to wait and see just how well they are capable of working together.