The
NBA’s 2018-2019 season is the first season fans have experienced since 2002
that lacks Argentinian star Manu Ginobili. Ginobili stands alone from his
peers, a 2x all-star that played the majority of his career from the bench.
Gregg Popovich, Ginobili’s coach for his entire NBA career, featured him
heavily as a rotation piece off the bench though he was arguably the second or
third best player on some of those dynamic Spurs teams. Though only capturing
one Sixth Man of the Year award, Ginobili was integral in revolutionizing bench
pieces in the NBA, prioritizing energy and skill above all else.
The
Boston Celtics have about three solid candidates for this season’s bench
awards, depending on the way their season progresses. Marcus Morris has been
their early season savior, making an early case for the Sixth Man award.
Judging from the early rust related struggles with Gordon Hayward and Kyrie
Irving, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum’s slumps, Boston needs an injection of
points to compliment a stifling defense. Morris has provided an efficient 15.7
points per game on 52.7% from the field and a scalding 53.3% from 3 point
range. If Morris even drops 5% in efficiency from the field and 10% from 3
without a significant loss of points, he has to be in heavy consideration for
6MOY.
Also
playing for the C’s, Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart will figure into the award conversation
the entire season. Rozier, in his first contract season no less, will have much
of the spotlight on him from last years playoff performance. A fiery guard,
Rozier has similar offensive abilities to Irving allowing the Celtics not to
change their offensive plan of attack when Kyrie takes a breather. He’ll put on
a show all season with his scoring and playmaking, all while being a fan
favorite across the NBA.
Smart
on the other hand, may not have the adoration that Rozier has though his impact
will be impossible to ignore. A high energy guard that hasn’t backed down from
a single defensive assignment, covering a range from Steph Curry to Porzingis,
Smart will prove on the highest stage that he impacts the game like no one
else.
Staying
in the Atlantic division, the Toronto Raptors have put together one of the top
four teams in the league with much of their success stemming from consistently
brilliant play from the bench. Jonas Valanciunas has spent most of the year
coming off the bench, and will most likely remain there even though it is not
an indictment on his game. A lumbering 7- footer, Valanciunas’ play style has
become somewhat outdated in the modern NBA since he cannot keep up with some of
the smaller players in the league.
However,
off the bench with the opposing skill level slightly lowered, some of his
defensive misgivings can be masked by his rebounding and offensive touch. He is
a finisher in the paint as well as a good passer who is developing a dangerous 3-point
shot from the corner. He should destroy the competition of the bench and be the
best paint presence on the floor.
Valanciunas’
bench point guard, Fred van Vleet, will be another figure in the year long
battle for best bench player. A big time shot maker who has been a presence in
Toronto’s closing lineups in the past, van Vleet can score from all parts of
the floor. He can be a playmaker as the ball handler as well as play off ball
with guard Delon Wright, and even play pestering defense. Van Vleet will be an
integral piece in a formidable Toronto team, and will be hard to ignore come
the post season.
In
Oklahoma City, Russell Westbrook and his cohorts on the Thunder have a better
back up point guard then at any other point since the city has had an NBA team.
Dennis Schroder, the former Atlanta Hawks franchise cornerstone, is in the
perfect spot for a guard of his capabilities. Westbrook’s overall play is too
valuable for the team, so even when Schroder plays he’ll spend much of his
floor time with Westbrook, allowing him to stay in attack mode and not focus on
being the primary playmaker. A talented scorer, Schroder will put up buckets
all season and be a serviceable playmaker when Russ takes a breather, while
masking his turnover problems playing bench minutes.
The
LA Clippers have the reigning 6MOY, Lou Williams, who corralled the award last
year and in the 2014-15 season along with being a contender every season in
between. A bucket-getter of the highest order, Lou Williams is a scorer to the
core. Drafted out of high school to the Sixers, Williams was tutored to be an
NBA baller by Allen Iverson. Replicating his former teammate’s drive to hang as
many points as possible, Lou has been a menace for NBA defenses for years.
A
small 2 guard who doesn’t play a ton of defense, Lou has made a name for
himself by being a bucket for hire, having played for 6 teams in his career.
Williams has not averaged less then double-digit points since his third NBA
season. Williams put up a career high 22.6 points per game last season. The
32-year-old guard has shown little signs of regression and will almost
certainly be a highly effective bench player like he has been his entire
career.
The
competition has never been stiffer for the 6MOY awarded, though the smart money
is on Williams. He is far to electric of an offensive player to count out for
the award, and will most likely be the second best player on his team in a high
profile city. However, Rozier should come alive at some point this season and
play like tens of millions of dollars are on the line, and the same goes for
Marcus Morris. Those should be the top 3 vote getters, though Schroder has the
potential to take the race by storm depending on OKC’s team success.