6th Man Award

[Matt]

ive noticed this year that there is a wealth of 6th man candidates....here are just a few....fell free to add if you wish.

Mehmet Okur- Utah Jazz
12.3ppg 7.8rpg in 26.7mpg

Antonio McDyess- Detroit Pistons
9.9pbg 6.7rpg in 24.8mpg

Vladimir Radmanovic- Seattle Sonics
12ppg 4.8rpg in 29.8mpg

Antonio Daniels- Seattle Sonics
11.2ppg, 4.5apg 2.1rpg in 27.2mpg

Danny Fortson- Seattle Sonics
9.5ppg, 6.4rpg in 18.8mpg

Jerry Stackhouse- Dallas Mavericks
14.8ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.5apg in 29.5mpg

Ricky Davis- Boston Celtics
14.4ppg, 3.1rpg, 2.9apg, 1.22spg in 32.1mpg


i don't know if we've ever had this many 6th man contenders, and theres surely more than this....favs at this point are probably Okur, Stackhouse and Davis

[Matthew]

I'll go with Stackhouse, and not just becuase I'm a fan of his, but becuase of his willingness to accept a much lesser role to help the mavs. Antonio Daniels needs some consideration also...

[Jowe]

i'd go with mcdyess
Its good see him back being productive.

[Matthew]

I'd love to see 'Dice in a position where he's starting, like Miami or San Antonio. He looks like he has some years left in the tank.

[The X]

I'd have to go with one of the Sonics.....would probably go with Antonio Daniels at this stage.....although Vlad Rad is starting to pick it up a little and clawing his way back.....but Daniels has edge.....

EDIT: Forgot to add that by season's end, you'd have to consider Bulls' rookie Ben Gordon as a favourite if he continues to flourish in his 6th man role and if Bulls keep on winning....although I've never seen a rookie win 6th man of year, this one could be fitting....

[Jowe]

I'm hoping Ben gordon will eventually break into the starting line up. He's been playing great.

[Matt]

didn't Skiles say he's on the bench because his stamina is an issue at this point?

[SkipToMy_Lou]

Definetely Stackhouse at the moment, probably after that one of the Seattle boys.

[iKe7in]

I wish they would change the way they select the winner for this award. Most of these guys play more minutes than the guy they replace in the starting lineup. For example, Ricky Davis plays about 11 minutes more per game than Jiri Welsch, who has started almost every game. In reality, Jiri Welsch is Boston's sixth man. Same with Stackhouse. He's 4th in minutes on Dallas.

I think they should change the way the league decides this award. You should be ineligible if you are in the top 5 in your team in minutes, because in many cases, starters are occasionally 6th men or less.

My picks would be either McDyess or Fortson.

[fgrep15]

Ben Gordon is also a candidate, and Jalen Rose could become one.

How could everyone forget Hedo Turkoglu.

I'd go with Hedo or Vladimir.

[fgrep15]

I wish they would change the MIP so it's actualyl given to players that improve, not players with most improved minutes. A guy that actually improved, Bobby Simmons, Larry Hughes, a Most Improved Minutes candidate, Primo Brezec, Gerald Wallace etc...

[Fresh8]

About RIcky, the Celtics start Jiri because they feel he plays better as a starter despite playing less, and Ricky is more explosive off the bench. Ricky has also used this opportunity to vbe the 'leader' of the second unit, doesnt this make him the 6th man?

[fgrep15]

I think it's fine for a 6th man to play more, sometimes teams don't want a dropoff when going to the bench so they put the better defender, better team player, or just less talented player in the starting lineup so that their bench will be strong with a good scorer on it.

[iKe7in]

But then they are not truly 6th men. They are usually the 3rd or 4th scoring option.

[fgrep15]

Well what can we do, as long as they come off the bench it counts, even if they play 40 MPG.

[Full Surface]

Jerry Stackhouse deserves the award.

[fgrep15]

No, not really, he just shoots a lot

[-BHZMAFIA-]

Bonzi Wells-11.7ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.5spg

He may not win it, but he will be a canidate and I would also have to go with Stackhouse.

[Wormy10]

MycDyess or Stackhouse

[Matt]

I'd say Okur would win if voted today.....simply because he's getting nearly 8 rebounds off the bench.....I remember JYD averaged 9.8 off the bench in 24mpg and Roy Tarpley was the first player to average a dbl-dbl off the bench.

How about Chris Gatling in 97...he made the All-Star game whilst playing offthe bench for Cleveland....he was second to Jordan in points per minute....i think he was getting 17ppg off the bench

[Andrew]

If 'Dyess ups his scoring a little, he's one of the top candidates but for now my guess is that Okur, Davis and Stackhouse are the most likely candidates. But as far as McDyess is concerned, I agree with Matthew. He can still be a starter in the league playing 30+ minutes per game, though he might not be able to reach the level he was at in Denver just a few short years ago.

[Matt]

McDyess would be a starter on most teams in the NBA right now....he's pretty much the same player he was before the injury minus the explosiveness and athleticism

[air gordon]

lol basketball isn't all about scoring but it seems like the 6th man voting is based on that

i think stack's had this recent surge due to daniels and now howard being hurt.

almost all of the mentioned nominees are like starters since they're playing the important minutes in the 4th qtrs

i was thinking okur for 6th but sloan admits okur is really a starter but doesn't get more tick since his defense is shotty.

i like what chris andersen does- he's a true 6th man- has short stints on the floor and really brings it. same with that pietrus guy on GSW

[Matt]

and Danny Fortson....18mpg and he uses all that time...to foul anyone he can, ehehe.

Corliss Williamson too

[fgrep15]

Pietrus doesn't get too many minutes Wish he'd get more. Desmond Mason is a great 6th man, he brings energy, defense, and as soon as he comes in he changes the game for the Bucks.

Ricky Davis would be the pick if you were just looking at numbers, he has 14-3-3.