The LA Clippers back up guard Lou Williams seems to be in the conversation for NBA Sixth Man of the Year. He continues to lift the Clippers when they need a closer and he has other players stressing its his award to win this year again.
Lou Williams is in the conversation for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award every season, and this season is no different. Last Year, Williams posted some of the best numbers of his career in points (22.6), assists (5.3), and minutes (32.8). The thing this season which is even more impressive is the drop in minutes by about six minutes and his scoring is only down by 2.3 points. His minutes are down, the LA Clippers offense and health have been better this year so the team can rely a bit less on the 14 year veteran.
Clipper fans have seen two of the greatest sixth men come through their organization in Lou Williams and Jamal Crawford. Crawford is the only three-time winner of the sixth man award, winning two of the three with the Clippers. Williams is looking to do the same thing this year but in back-to-back years. They have different games but they are professional bucket getters. If a team needs a basket they can go get it for you and from anywhere on the court. It is really quite incredible what Williams is doing coming off the bench.
Williams could easily start for many teams in the league (even the Clippers), but the comfort for him is coming off the bench. He can watch from the start and get a feel of the game before checking into and going to work. While other teams have really good players coming off the bench, there is a reason Williams’ won previous two awards. He’s consistent with what he does when he comes off the bench no matter the jersey he’s wearing. He’s even the third leading scorer in the final quarter of games, behind James Harden and Lebron James.
Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) is tied for third best player in the ENTIRE league at scoring during the fourth quarter. The only players ahead of him are James Harden and LeBron James. Now if you don't wanna give him the All-Star, you better give him the Sixth Man. #Clippers
— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) March 24, 2019
Player Praise
Players are noticing the talk about possible challengers to the sixth man title, and some are even voicing their support of the Clipper’s Veteran. Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat even tweeted support for his fellow NBA brother, stating, “That’s Lou Will Award.” When you have future hall-of-famers showing support, there is something to him being in a class of his own.
https://twitter.com/DwyaneWade/status/1110302316282949638?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1110302316282949638&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fheatnation.com%2Fmedia%2Fdwyane-wade-responds-sixth-man-award-talk%2F
People joked previously about renaming the Sixth Man Award to the Jamal Crawford Award and that’s rightful praise, but Williams passed Crawford and Dell Curry this season to sit number one in bench scoring and shows little to no signs that he is letting up.
Williams’ tough competition this year will lead to maybe a closer battle for the award than previous years with new bench players making a leap and really making a name for themselves and showing sixth man is nothing to frown at, especially when they are expected to help close out games or even score game winners.
Lou Williams has very similar numbers from last year but just in less time, keeping him fresh especially when trying to lead this Clipper team to the playoffs in hopes of upsetting a higher seeded team. Williams gives the Clippers a chance every night when the ball leaves his hands. He is a primary option on a playoff team while other sixth men are relied on but to a lesser extent.
Williams is ready to become the second person to win three, Sixth Man Awards, but don’t rule out four, five, six , or seven if he continues to make this imprint on games.