Smith before him, Anthony has been a model complement to LeBron James and Russell Westbrook’s drive-and-kick capacities, begging the question: why didn’t Melo and Bron play together earlier in their coextensive 19-year careers? No time like the present. He’s also making 44% of 6.5 attempts from deep per game. The 37-year-old future Hall of Famer’s silky stroke has been the perfect floor spacer for a team with glaring spacing issues.Īnthony is averaging 15.0 points on 45% shooting from the field, his best mark since 2007-08. Through nearly a quarter of the campaign, most of those worries have not been remedied, though the play of Carmelo Anthony has been one pleasant surprise. When Los Angeles Lakers exec Rob Pelinka assembled the retirement home version of the Avengers in the offseason, there were several concerns about continuity. Schroder’s pace of play, versatility, and adeptness at playing alongside other ball-handlers is an asset for first-year bench boss Ime Udoka.

The 28-year-old finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting in 2019-20 and is again excelling as a backup difference-maker. Bet on yourself … sometimes.įast forward a few months, and Schroder is shining in his role as Marcus Smart’s deputy with 17.5 points and 4.9 assists in 33 minutes per contest. Naturally, the German purveyor of multi-chromatic manes and shifty dribbles became a focal point of mockery. After rejecting the Lakers’ four-year, $84-million extension offer in March to pursue a more lucrative deal in the summer, Schroder instead penned a one-year, $5.9-million contract with the Celtics in August.

NBA Photos / National Basketball Association / Gettyīoston Celtics point guard Dennis Schroder had a rough offseason. Not an insignificant contribution from one of the game’s best unassuming reserves. With Doncic in the lineup, Brunson takes over when he needs a breather and provides ball-handling support while playing alongside him. Over three outings without Doncic, Brunson, 25, has 18/6/9 splits while starting in the Slovenian talisman’s stead. Brunson is posting career highs in points (15.1), rebounds (4.4), and assists (5.3) through 18 games. This season, Brunson has become the Mavs’ ultimate utility man, both coming off the bench and starting in place of the injured Luka Doncic. Jalen Brunson, Dallas Mavericksĭallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson finished fourth in voting last year. Here’s a look at the top candidates so far: 5. Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson is mired in a slump to start the term, meaning the annual distinction for the NBA’s best reserve is up for grabs. With the 2021-22 campaign nearly at the quarter mark, end-of-season awards are starting to shape up.

Sixth man of the year 2016