Fansided

NBA Awards: Fifth Man of the Year

By Luke Dahlgren

Mar 13, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Lou Williams (23) passes the ball against the Miami Heat at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Heat 102-92. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Lou Williams (23) passes the ball against the Miami Heat at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Heat 102-92. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 30, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles (2) dribbles in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The Utah Jazz beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-84. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 30, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles (2) dribbles in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The Utah Jazz beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-84. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

The Kendrick Perkins Golden Lunch Pail
Joe Ingles, SG/SF, Utah Jazz

The Kendrick Perkins Golden Lunch Pail is awarded to the fifth man in the NBA who fits most comfortably into their role as the fifth best player in the starting lineup. Really, if “fifth” can be an adjective in basketball terms more than simply the placement after “fourth”, representing a mindset rather than a number, then the winner of the Kendrick Perkins Golden Lunch Pail is the most “fifth” fifth man in the NBA.

It may be hard to believe now that Perkins is an anvil that the Cavaliers are occasionally obligated to drag around the court in lieu of a player, but during the Boston Celtics 2007-08 championship run, Kendrick Perkins was a valuable fifth man for the squad, providing rebounding and tough screening to allow the better players in Boston thrive.

That is exactly where we find Joe Ingles. It is clear that the Aussie shooting guard is the worst member of the Utah Jazz starting lineup especially with the emergence of the Stifle Tower Rudy Gobert. Ingles’ deficiencies as a player are completely evident. He is a slow, unathletic player who makes his carrer possible by quick anticipation and smart play.

Wait, maybe that’s not the greatest example. How about now?

That was all pure, sloppy hustle. Sure, maybe he totally got away with crudely fouling Blake Griffin, and he was maybe going about four miles per hour on that fast break, but did you see the flair and precision on that behind the back pass?

He may only be a shooting guard, but that man is a true plugger. And a plugger is exactly what you want in the recipient of the Kendrick Perkins Golden Lunch Pail.

Mar 8, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons (25) chases a loose ball against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 8, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons (25) chases a loose ball against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

The Tayshaun Prince Tiara
Chandler Parsons, SF, Dallas Mavericks

The winner of the Tayshaun Prince Tiara is the player who least resembles a fifth man within their team concept. This player is much closer to being a second fourth man or even a third third man.

The award is named after Tayshaun Prince, the current and former Detroit Piston, with short stops in Memphis and Boston in between. Prince was the fifth man by default on the Pistons 2003-04 Championship team that beat the unbeatable Los Angeles Lakers. The lineup of Chauncey Billups-Rip Hamilton-Prince-Rasheed Wallace-Ben Wallace was one of the tightest in NBA history, one where any of the five players could be the top weapon. The winner of this award laughs in the face of the idea of being a “fifth man”. Their team just has five superstars.

As was described before, a great deal of pain went into choosing Chandler Parsons as the fifth man of the Dallas Mavericks. In fact, I may have gone temporarily blind and lost ear equilibrium while contemplating the pros and cons of Parsons against Rajon Rondo. The truth of the matter is that Parsons is a very dangerous perimeter shooter with good defensive length and a quickly varying offensive game. In reality, he is a high-end secondary option.

The primary problem facing the Mavericks this season is their inability to play meaningful defense. However, in terms of their starting lineup, the Mavs are solid across the board, and a large part of that is due to Parsons.

Apr 1, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Lou Amundson (21) loses the ball as he drives against Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Markel Brown (22) and Nets small forward Thaddeus Young (30) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Nets defeated the Knicks 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Lou Amundson (21) loses the ball as he drives against Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Markel Brown (22) and Nets small forward Thaddeus Young (30) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Nets defeated the Knicks 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

The Raymond Felton Bag o’ Bricks
Lou Amundson, PF, New York Knickerbockers

The winner (loser?) of the Raymond Felton Bag o’ Bricks is the worst fifth man in the NBA, and therefore the NBA’s worst starter. There was quite a bit of competition for this slot, as there would be any year if this award was around. The entire 76ers team gave it a good run for the Bag o’ Bricks, but unfortunately you can’t trade the Bag o’ Bricks for cash and a conditional second round pick in 2025.

This award is named after the immortal Raymond Felton, who is most famous for bringing a loaded gun into an NBA locker room that exists in New York City. Last year, Felton endured one of the most miserable seasons in the recent history of the NBA, pitching in under 10 points per game and about five assists as a point guard while playing 31 minutes per game. His lethargic and lousy play was indicative of the Knicks as a whole, despite all of the passion he demonstrated for the game.

The demerit this year stays at Madison Square Garden with the great Lou Amundson. The Almighty Man-Bun actually averaged career highs in New York under the watchful eye of head coach and fifth man extraordinaire Derek Fisher, putting up 6 points, 6 rebounds and a little over 1 block per game. To be fair to Amundson, he only averages 20 minutes per game, and per every 36 minutes he averages 10, 10 and 2.

But despite all of his noble hustle and energy, his lack of awareness and execution have become symbolic for the struggles of the New York Knicks this season.

Oh my goodness.

Next: The NBA Fifth Man of the Year Award

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