NBA Awards Watch Quarter One: Where we stand after Thanksgiving

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DETROIT, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 23: Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat reacts in the second half while playing the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on November 23, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. Miami won the game 100-92. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

NBA Awards Watch: Sixth Man of the Year, Quarter One – Tyler Herro

Honorable Mentions: Montrezl Harrell, Carmelo Anthony

After a season recovering from the quick turnaround after the NBA Finals and the burden of increased expectations, Tyler Herro is performing at an astounding level for the Miami Heat.

Herro is leading all primary bench players in scoring at 21.8 points per game. He is playing starter-level minutes, the true hallmark for one of the best sixth men in the league, and has helped carry an otherwise defensively dominant team.

He is shooting 45.4 percent from the floor and 39.8 percent from distance. Without him, there would be many a night where Miami would not be able to put forth a modern offense, a badge of honor that has completely rehabilitated his placement in the league.

Montrezl Harrell is a different kind of sixth-man candidate. His impact is not just about scoring, though he is fourth among bench scorers at 16.7 points per game. He has also added 8.5 rebounds per game, contributing to the most underrated center rotation in the league. But it is the cultural shift with the Washington Wizards that Harrell and others have exacted that truly cements his case for the list.

Carmelo Anthony is the most likely to fall off this list, but his current level of efficiency needs to be acknowledged. Currently sporting shooting splits of .448/.439/.813, Anthony is posting the most efficient season of his career to date.