With his outstanding handles, accurate three-point shooting, and ability to create his own shot, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Jamal Crawford proved to be a force off the bench this season for coach Doc Rivers. Today, he was rewarded for his efforts, as the NBA named him the winner of the 2013-14 NBA Sixth Man Award as the league’s best player in a reserve role.
Crawford, who came off the bench in 45 of the 69 games in which he appeared, led all NBA reserves in scoring, averaging 18.6 points while playing at both guard positions at various times. Additionally, Crawford accounted for 3.2 apg and 2.3 rpg in 30.3 mpg for a Clippers team that went 57-25 and earned the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
In order to be eligible for this award, players had to have come off the bench in more games than they started.
Crawford, previously won the award in 2009-10 while with the Atlanta Hawks, joining Kevin McHale, Ricky Pierce, and Detlef Schrempf as two-time winners.
Crawford amassed 57 first-place votes and 421 total points from a panel of 125 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Taj Gibson of the Chicago Bulls finished second with 395 points (49 first-place votes) and Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs finished third with 138 points (nine first-place votes).
Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.
Crawford tallied double-figure scoring efforts in 15-of-16 January games, as the Clippers posted a 12-4 record. On Jan. 25, Crawford poured in 37 points and handed out 11 assists in a 126-118 win over the Toronto Raptors. For the season, he posted 20-plus points 29 times and 30-plus points six times. The Clippers were 31-14 (.689) in games in which Crawford appeared off the bench.
Following is the all-time list of winners:
ALL-TIME NBA SIXTH MAN AWARD WINNERS
1982-83 Bobby Jones, Philadelphia 76ers
1983-84 Kevin McHale, Boston Celtics
1984-85 Kevin McHale, Boston Celtics
1985-86 Bill Walton, Boston Celtics
1986-87 Ricky Pierce, Milwaukee Bucks
1987-88 Roy Tarpley, Dallas Mavericks
1988-89 Eddie Johnson, Phoenix Suns
1989-90 Ricky Pierce, Milwaukee Bucks
1990-91 Detlef Schrempf, Indiana Pacers
1991-92 Detlef Schrempf, Indiana Pacers
1992-93 Clifford Robinson, Portland Trail Blazers
1993-94 Dell Curry, Charlotte Hornets
1994-95 Anthony Mason, New York Knicks
1995-96 Toni Kukoc, Chicago Bulls
1996-97 John Starks, New York Knicks
1997-98 Danny Manning, Phoenix Suns
1998-99 Darrell Armstrong, Orlando Magic
1999-00 Rodney Rogers, Phoenix Suns
2000-01 Aaron McKie, Philadelphia 76ers
2001-02 Corliss Williamson, Detroit Pistons
2002-03 Bobby Jackson, Sacramento Kings
2003-04 Antawn Jamison, Dallas Mavericks
2004-05 Ben Gordon, Chicago Bulls
2005-06 Mike Miller, Memphis Grizzlies
2006-07 Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix Suns
2007-08 Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
2008-09 Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks
2009-10 Jamal Crawford, Atlanta Hawks
2010-11 Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Lakers
2011-12 James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder
2012-13 J.R. Smith, New York Knicks
2013-14 Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers
By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services
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