Fansided

NBA Award Watch: Fiz is rocking in Memphis

By John Buhler

Nov 14, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale attempts to get a referee
Nov 14, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale attempts to get a referee /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
Nov 4, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Lou Williams (23) drives the ball defended by Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) during the fourth quarter at Staples Center. The Los Angeles Lakers won 117-97. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 4, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Lou Williams (23) drives the ball defended by Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) during the fourth quarter at Staples Center. The Los Angeles Lakers won 117-97. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Sixth Man of the Year: Lou Williams

One of the most surprising stories in the NBA so far this season has been that the Los Angeles Lakers have hovered around .500 and playoff contention in the deep Western Conference. This was a team that won 17 games last year. How are the Lakers doing this?

They don’t have a star player on its roster, but it has the right mix of young talent and savvy NBA veterans that new head coach Luke Walton can mess appropriately. The Lakers likely won’t have an NBA All-Star, but have a legitimate candidate to win Sixth Man of the Year: shooting guard Lou Williams.

Williams won the award playing for the 2014-15 Toronto Raptors as a reliable jump shooter from distance. In 15 games for the 2016-17 Lakers with no starts, Williams is averaging 16.6 points per game, 3.5 assists per game, and 1.5 steals per game.

He is shooting a career best .469 from the field, a career best .431 from three, and .839 at the free throw line. Williams’ overall great game off the Lakers’ bench has given a 24.3 PER, best among non-starters, and 1.3 Win Shares on the year. He has been a major reason that the Lakers have had so much early season success. Williams is an easy choice for Sixth Man of the Year at Thanksgiving.

Home/NBA