NBA Awards Watch: The Stephen Curry show rolls on

Sixth Man of the Year

1. Andre Iguodala, SF Golden State Warriors – Iguodala is an interesting case. His numbers don’t jump off the page, as the talented swingman is averaging just 8.6 points per game on the year. However, he (easily) leads all NBA bench players in win shares (2.1) and he is shooting the ball at an obscene level (48%) from beyond the three-point arc. It will be fascinating to see if voters recognize the type of value that Iguodala brings, especially on the defensive end. In the absence of another slam dunk candidate, he has been tremendous and should be considered the frontrunner.
2. Tristan Thompson, PF/C Cleveland Cavaliers – Sadly, Thompson is never going to post numbers “worthy” of the Sixth Man of the Year award. The honor has a track record of being given to gunners off the bench who post high scoring totals, and Thompson doesn’t fit that bill. He is a highly effective defensive big man who doubles as an elite rebounder (more than 10 rebounds per game in only 27.6 minutes), and Thompson allows Cleveland to defend in a way that they simply would not be able to without him. Only diehards will see Thompson’s value, but it is certainly there.
3. Will Barton, SG Denver Nuggets – There isn’t a ton to like in Denver right now, but the Nuggets are getting a very nice contribution from Will Barton. The sharpshooter is knocking down 42.9% of his attempts from beyond the three-point arc this season, and Barton is averaging 13.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for his trouble. It is fair to say that Barton can’t afford a slip in his long-distance shooting an expect to stay in the race, but his play has been a pleasant surprise and the Nuggets need reliable wing play in the absence of an injured Wilson Chandler.

Next: Defensive Player of the Year