20 bold predictions for the NBA’s second half

Enes Kanter will win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year

The Sixth Man race has a handful of possible candidates, but there are two true frontrunners: Charlotte Hornets point guard Jeremy Lin and Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter.

So far, despite the difference in positions the two have been comparable in production. Lin’s 12.1 pts/g matches up well with Kanter’s 11.9 pts/g; at the risk of comparing apples to oranges, Kanter’s combined rebounding and assist numbers (8.2/g) are similar to Lin’s (6.6/g).

However, Kanter has been by far the more efficient player. Kanter has shot 56% from the field compared to Lin’s 42%, and adjusted for True Shooting Percentage – Lin’s shots will be tougher by nature – Kanter still has the advantage at 60.9% to 53.6%. Kanter has played 20.8 min/g for the Thunder compared to Lin’s 26.9, and adjusting to every 36 minutes he very clearly outpaces Lin in any scoring production or efficiency category. In the end, Kanter ends up with a PER of 23.0, versus 14.5 for Lin.

But statistics won’t be the only way the award is measured. Jeremy Lin’s role on the Hornets is to provide the team with a secondary ball handler off of the bench, important but not as vital as Kanter’s role on the Thunder. Enes Kanter’s job for the Thunder is to provide them with their best inside scoring threat, a post player who can finish smoothly at the rim, be the roller on pick-and-roll plays and take some scoring pressure off of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant’s isolation plays.

Next: Finals MVP