Sixth Man of the Year: NBA 1st Half Awards

Reverse Jam: 1st-Half Sixth Man of the Year

Matthew Huang

Staff Writer

@Reverse_Jam

Throughout the next week, Reverse Jam will release a series of articles that will replicate the NBA's end-of-season awards at the end of the 1st half. In a long NBA season, a lot can change and it is important to recognize a player's or team's efforts thus far.

Picking the Sixth Man of the Year might be one of the most difficult award to decide upon. The criterion appears very simple - Choose the best bench player… Right? Past winners of the Sixth Man of the Year Award (6MOY) tend to be the highest bench scorer. Well yes - and no.  Historically speaking, the award tends to be given to the most useful, most vital reserve player on a contending team.  The 6MOY comes off the bench and has to establish himself amongst the starters who have already set a tempo and feel of the game.  He has to perform at a level comparable to that of the starters, yet receive less recognition.  The 6MOY has to figure out the game the starters left him with in time to lead the bench unit towards the end of the rotation.  In short, the 6MOY is the link between two halves of the same team.  While your starting lineup can win the first rotation, the Sixth Man and the bench have to be able to hold that lead until the starters return, making their job extremely difficult.  Given this observation, it only makes sense that each team’s Sixth Man should be: 1) Someone who can be placed into the game at anytime and find rhythm and 2) A natural leader that can run the offense and facilitate the bench unit.  It is with this knowledge that out of all the great bench players in the league, one outstanding reserve player can be selected as the winner of this 1st-Half Sixth Man of the Year - and that is Eric Gordon

Eric Gordon is putting up a very impressive stat-line thus far, averaging 17.4/2.7/2.8 on .392/.421/.850.  It is important to note that Gordon is playing 30.5 min/gm and sinking 3.6 threes a game on a league 2nd-most 9.6 attempts (Second only to that one guy in Oakland). While having a bench player consistently take 10 threes a game seems counter-intuitive, that is Gordon’s role; which will bring me to my first point about the position in that, the 6MOY is awarded to the most useful player - relative to his team.

Eric Gordon’s role on the Rockets

The Rockets bench players play an average of 17 minutes/gm, which is extremely low, 25th in the NBA in fact; and while their average minutes/gm may be very low, they are extremely explosive, scoring 38.2 ppg, which is 8th-best in the league.  The low minutes played by the reserve suggests that the bench’s main job in this system is to give the starters a quick rest towards the end of the rotation.  However, the high scoring totals suggest something else entirely.  While they may not play much, the Rockets reserve players are expected to come in and be extremely effective almost instantaneously.  This ‘instant-offense’ philosophy the Rockets utilize is D’antoni’s brand of basketball, and the Rockets bench clearly reflects that, just with less minutes.  As discussed earlier in this Reverse Jam article, the Rockets rely on a very quick, guard-heavy offense that takes an obscene amount of shots beyond the arc.  The bench’s offensive potency despite their low usage can be traced to their (league 3rd-best) 4.4 threes made a game and their (league 2nd-best) field goal percentage of 47.4.  While the Rockets’ bench is extremely explosive, averaging 38 points in 17 minutes, and is extremely efficient, 47.4% FG - the Rockets play a shallow ten-man rotation.  The Rockets bench doesn't go very deep, but the players who do see the court are integral in the team's success.

While Eric Gordon may come off the bench, he spends more minutes on the court than starters Ryan Anderson and Clint Capela.  D’antoni has expertly crafted the rotation so that Gordon, who is more than capable of starting on an NBA team, is beautifully weaved into playing time with both Harden & Friends and the reserve players.  Gordon’s 30 minutes a game is comparable to that of a starter, and so is his production.  Referencing earlier discussed points, the Rockets bench makes the 3rd-most threes in the league, but it is also important to add that Eric Gordon himself takes 9.2 threes a game. If you’ve been keeping tally of all the stats, you will quickly see how vital Eric Gordon is to the Rocket’s bench as he accounts for 73.6% of the bench’s three’s taken, 81.8% of the bench's made threes, and additionally, accounts for 23.17% of the entire team’s threes taken.  The Rockets’ identity as a 3pt shooting team has been elevated to new heights this season evident in the fact that the Rockets have risen two spots up the league leaderboards in terms of 3-pointers made, due largely to Gordon's efforts.

Concluding, while having a player start 8 games in the 1st half of the season, play more than 2 starters and average 30 minutes per game does not suggest that he would be eligible for the Sixth Man of the Year award, D'antoni intended to strategically bring Gordon off the bench in a guard-heavy rotation to strategically take advantage of opposing team's weaker rotations. D’antoni and Harden came to the conclusion that bringing an additional playmaker and wing scorer would not only be extremely beneficial in sharing the load Harden carries, but vital in the Rocket's success.  Gordon’s salary of $12.4M may seem like an exorbitant price tag for a Sixth Man, but look at it this way: given D’antoni’s quick, shooting philosophy and the rotation they currently utilize to meet that philosophy - Eric Gordon is the perfect Sixth Man to compliment the likes of Harden and starters, as well as a great leader for the bench unit.  While the bench sees little daylight, when they are subbed in, Eric Gordon ensures that the offense is flowing and producing while buying the starters much needed rest.  D’antoni may have finally found the perfect team to implement his philosophy as well as the perfect Sixth Man.  With a ceiling as high as the NBA Finals, only time will tell if the Rockets can maintain their current course but as it stands now: they’re playing a great brand of basketball, are in a great system and have great leadership due, in part, to the 1st-Half Sixth Man of the Year: Eric Gordon.

Most Improved Player: NBA 1st Half Awards

This one really didn’t take much thought.  The answer was crystal clear the seconds after reading the question.  However, I did note a few other players who deserve an honorable mention for seriously stepping their game up:

Demar Derozan, Otto Porter, Jabari Parker, Zach Lavine, Dennis Schroder, Devin Booker

Without further ado, our first half (and likely full year) most improved goes to… Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Giannis came into the league 3.5 years ago with a whirlwind of hype surrounding him. He was quickly dubbed “The Greek Freak” and… to be honest at first it was difficult to understand why. He had very unique physical attributes, but watching him play in his first year wasn’t exactly inspiring.  He couldn’t shoot and looked hesitant -- qualities that are not found in a current-day superstar.  Many (including myself) were wholeheartedly rooting for him, but more production was needed before breaking out the Giannis bandwagon.  

However, with a few years under his belt, he has shown us a heck of a lot more.  Bucks fans witnessed a few glimpses of greatness towards the end of last season, but nothing could have prepared them for what has come this year.  Giannis has taken the league by storm, posting 23.7p/8.8r/5.4a/1.8s/2.0b, utterly god-like numbers across the board. He is the very essence  of a “do-it-all” player, and is a huge reason behind the Bucks being in the playoff conversation this year. His scoring has increased by 6.8 points, assists by 1.1, and he added almost a whole block per game. That’s all on top of his FG% jumping from 50.6% to an extremely efficient 53%, which is crazy given the spike in usage he is experiencing.

One could try and compare him with players like Lebron James or Magic Johnson, but it would be unfair to both sides.  Giannis possesses a combination of skills that the league has never seen before.  The guy is 7 feet tall and has a great handle, which allows him to attack the rim and nonchalantly pick up his dribble before the three-point line and throw down a ferocious dunk. Rarely ever does a draft gamble like Giannis turn out to become one of the league’s most talented players, but John Hammond is surely thanking his stars in Milwaukee.

At the time of he was drafted in 2013, Giannis was a 6’9” forward who did not have much besides potential. There sure was a lot of it, but he hadn’t really refined his game in any direction.  As stated before: he couldn’t shoot, didn’t have a great handle on the ball, two things essential to making a superstar player. However, for the better part of his first 3 years, the basketball world remained confident that huge things were coming from the Greek native. He weathered the ups and downs of being a young NBA player, steadily improving throughout each year. And boy, things have changed.  He is now 7’0” tall and arguably at his most dangerous when handling the ball in the open court.  His great length allows him to corral rebounds with the league’s best, and take off to finish on the other end of the court with ease, or drop a sweet dime to Jabari Parker.  The versatility he displays on a night-in, night-out basis is incredible.  From defense to playmaking to finishing, Giannis has truly become one of the league’s elite, and is deserving of his spot as an All-Star Game starter. Almost every aspect of his game has clicked harmoniously, and the league may have a perennial All-Leaguer on its hands.  

Now the only problem he has is figuring out which position he is best at.

Rookie of the Year: NBA 1st Half Awards

Matthew Huang

Staff Writer

Throughout the next week, Reverse Jam will release a series of articles that will replicate the NBA's end-of-season awards at the end of the 1st half. In a long NBA season, a lot can change and it is important to recognize a player's or team's efforts thus far.

Joel Embiid  “Sam Hinkie’s Martyr” - 1st Half Rookie of the Year

Prior to this season, the 22 year old out of Kansas University hadn’t played a game of basketball since March of 2014.  For nearly 2.5 years,Embiid was sentenced to the sidelines forced to witness the  tanking machine that was the 76ers.  He may not have been entirely public about his daily workouts and did not update fans on his condition, but he put in work.  In the 2013-2014 college season, Embiid put up 11.2/8.1/1.4 on .626/.200/.685, numbers that were not historic, but he showed potential to be a prominent big man in today’s 3-pt dominated NBA. Fast forward to the beginning of the 2016 NBA season, Embiid is playing for arguably the best lineup Philadelphia has put out since this guy was on the team.

Andre Iguodala

Embiid has taken the NBA by storm, averaging 18p/7.6r through his first 9 games despite only playing around 23min/gm….  The NBA quickly turned their attention to the man many had forgotten since his days as a Jayhawk.  Embiid did not stop putting up good numbers, and proved to the NBA that his game had come a very long way since we had last seen it.  In college, Embiid had taken 5 whole 3-pointers, making 1.  In just 28 games this season, the same amount he played with Kansas, Embiid has taken 87 and made 30 resulting in a very respectable 34.5%.

But it does not stop there, Embiid worked diligently with prominent NBA skill coach Drew Hanlen, adding moves to his post game arsenal, expanding his range, and improving his tried and true interior defense and mid-range shooting skills.

Embiid has one of the most refined post-games in the NBA, despite only playing 28 games. He is extremely dynamic, stepping out to the arc when the opportunity presents itself and relentlessly taking it inside when it does not.  He also does not suffer from the same disease that a lot of the NBA’s prominent big men are prone to, in that he is not a liability at the free throw line.  Embiid is also a great off-court presence, uniting both his team and the entire city of Philadelphia for the first time in recent history. He has welcomed young guys like Simmons and Saric, and has made the 76ers a fun team to watch.  While their record does not reflect their skill as a team, the 76ers are a very solid basketball team that plays good basketball - due largely to Embiid’s efforts.  Embiid posesses a +/- of +48 meaning his time on the court has resulted in a positive net compared to when he sits. Joel Embiid's presence is certainly a known factor as he contributes not only on the offensive end but also on the defensive end, tallying in a very intimidating 2.5 blocks/game.

I would highly suggest you, reader, to watch 76ers games if you have not already.  While the team is not setting any records, Embiid and crew play a game of basketball that is almost unique in this day and age.  In an oversaturated league of 3-pointers, lazy defense and melodramatic off-court shenanigans, Embiid displays great post game, is dynamic and (above all) has a great twitter feed.  Concluding, this award is extremely easy to give to Embiid as he is the only Rookie averaging over 10ppg…. But that is not a knock on The Process, in his short NBA career, he has already proven to the NBA that he is a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Houston Rockets: The D'Antoni Effect

Mike D’Antoni has done it again, this time in Houston. Innovator of the run-and-gun style and “7 Seconds or Less” philosophy, D’Antoni has proven himself a winner and one of the most successful offensive minds of the 21st century. He has led 3 different teams to the playoffs, often under less than ideal circumstances. And, invariably, D’Antoni has proven his ability to elevate guards to incredible heights. Steve Nash won two consecutive MVP awards at the helm of the D’Antoni-led Suns; Chauncey Billups had a reemergence at 34 on D’Antoni’s Knickerbockers; and of course, he was coach when Linsanity took over the NBA in 2012. In 2016, now with his 5th team as head coach, he is once again showing his aptitude for offense, elevating the Rockets to one of the top three offenses in the league, and quite possibly a top-5 team overall. But how exactly has he done it?

The Rockets have arguably the least starpower that they have had in the Harden era, losing the uber-athletic Dwight Howard to free agency along with other valuable pieces in Donatas Motiejunas and Terrence Jones. But two nifty offseason acquisitions have proven to be brilliant.  The Rockets signed sharpshooter Eric Gordon to a 4yr/$53million contract, and perhaps the best stretch big in the game in Ryan Anderson for 4yrs/$80million.  The addition of two of the league’s premier shooters have sent the Rockets offense to the moon, typified by having already twice broken the records for three-pointers made and three-pointers attempted in a single game, and we’re not even halfway through the season.  The Rockets play at a torrid pace, rivaled only by past teams that D’Antoni has also been at the helm of.  The style of play does result in a lot of turnovers, but it produces countless easy buckets and wide-open threes, something the Houston offense thrives off of.  

While the prolific offense has been a huge factor, D’Antoni has never been known for his defensive prowess.  His teams often choose to put their foot on the gas and outscore their opponent, rather than to grind it out and make their opponent score less.  On opening night the defense most closely resembled strawberry Jell-O with how fluidly the Lakers cut through them in transition, and it looked like it was going to be pitiful at best after the first few games of the season.  However, it’s actually improved to a solid not that bad.  Their weakness was especially glaring when the defensive stopper Patrick Beverley was out for the beginning of the season, but since his return the defense has looked alive and well.  Sometimes it only takes one man to inspire an army.

To this point, you’ve gotta be thinking “So D’Antoni has worked his magic and created a carbon copy of the ‘3 Seconds or Less’ Phoenix Suns! Right?” Not quite. Yes the Rockets are scoring at will, chucking 3’s at a historic rate, and have an elite playmaker at the helm; but there are a few defining qualities that make this Rockets team unique, quite unlike any team we’ve ever seen before.  And that is largely in thanks to the man, the myth, the Beard: James Harden.

Harden’s astronomical offensive numbers are largely due to a stroke of genius from D’Antoni, and how he has completely reimagined the offense by utilizing Harden as his full-time point guard.  Last year ranking 13th in touches per game and time of possession, Harden now leads the league in both; he touches the ball a remarkable 99 times a game and has possession for over 9 minutes. This has caused him to be directly involved in almost 60 points a game, scoring 28.4 himself and letting his league-leading 11.9 assists account for the rest.  A few aforementioned offseason moves have surrounded him with an abundance of floor spacers and pick-and-roll big men, allowing Harden to impose his will in the paint more effectively than ever before.  His offensive plus/minus leads the league at a whopping +7.5, a half point higher than even Russell Westbrook (who’s averaging a triple double).  Simply put, with Harden at the helm, the offense is nearly unstoppable.

Yes, Harden does have his flaws.  He averages a league-most 5.7 turnovers per game.  His defense is suspect.  There are questions surrounding whether he has the ability to lead a team to a chip.  But c’mon, with the kind of season he is having, it’s hard to deny his greatness.  The combination of talents he has in being able to shoot the 3-ball, score inside, get to the line over 10 times a game, and create offense for others is almost unprecedented, and allows him to slice-and-dice through defenses all game long.  Houston’s, and especially Harden’s, firepower was on full display throughout the month of December, where they compiled a fantastic 14-2 record.  The real fireworks didn’t go off until New Year’s Eve, however, when Harden posted an astounding 53point-16rebound-17assist triple-double in a 119-112 win over the Knicks.  It marked the first time in NBA history that anybody has posted a 50-15-15 game, and he tied the legend Wilt Chamberlain for the most points in a triple-double ever.  Truly incredible numbers.

Long story short: The Rockets are legit. The beautiful combination of Point Guard James Harden, the offensive mind of Mike D’Antoni, and a plethora of shooters has caused a team that many weren’t predicting to earn higher than the 6th seed in the Western Conference to strike fear in the hearts of the league’s giants. They are a picture-perfect example of what a team can grow to become when the GM, coach, and players are all tuned to the same wavelength, and that’s exactly what Daryl Morey has accomplished: one of the most gifted offensive minds of the modern era paired with one of the most gifted offensive players of the modern era, chucking 3’s and dunking basketballs into the hearts of basketball fans.