NBA Sixth Man of the Year: December 10th, 2021 | Latest Power Rankings by Sportskeeda
The 2021-22 NBA season continues to heat up and there are a number of teams throughout the league who have impressed with their play on the court early on. With each passing week that goes by across the league, a new slate of teams are starting to make their case as they move up the standings in their respective conferences.
Teams such as the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors have put the rest of the NBA on notice with their impressive start to the season in the Western Conference. In the East, fans have been in awe of recent play from the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls. As the year continues to march on, it also means that the race for some of the top end-of-season awards is going to get even more competitive as well. Let's take a look at this week's updated Sixth Man of the Year power rankings.
No. 5: Jalen Brunson
Previous week’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year Power Ranking - N/A
Last Week: Games played - 4; Games won - 1; Games lost - 3
Overall: Games played - 23; Games won - 12; Games lost - 11
Last Week: PPG - 13.3, APG - 3.5, RPG - 1.8
Overall: PPG - 14.3, APG - 5.0, RPG - 3.8
Last Week: FG% - 47.9%, 3P% - 33.3%, FT% - 66.7%
Overall: FG% - 48.7%, 3P% - 32.9%, FT% - 76.7%
After falling out of the Sixth Man of the Year power rankings last week, Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson is back in the fifth overall spot. Brunson continues to be a solid asset off the bench for the Mavericks this year. Considered to be one of the more underrated players in the league, Brunson stands out on the court with his feel for the game and basketball IQ.
With the Mavericks currently finding themselves with a 12-12 record this year, the team is going to need someone to step up and get them back up in the standings in the Western Conference. Brunson could be that player, as he has become a crucial part of the team's success with his contributions as a sixth man. In his last week, Brunson went on to average 13.3 points and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 47.9% from the field.
No. 4: Jordan Clarkson
Previous week’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year Power Ranking - #3
Last Week: Games played - 3; Games won - 3; Games lost - 0
Overall: Games played - 25; Games won - 18; Games lost - 7
Last Week: PPG - 13.3, APG - 1.7, RPG - 3.3
Overall: PPG - 14.8, APG - 2.0, RPG - 3.1
Last Week: FG% - 33.3%, 3P% - 37.0%, FT% - 66.7%
Overall: FG% - 37.1%, 3P% - 30.4%, FT% - 80.9%
After winning the Sixth Man of the Year award last year, many thought that Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson could be a favorite to repeat this year as well. Although Clarkson hasn't been as efficient as the previous year, he's still been an important part of the team's success this season. Clarkson continues to find himself right in the middle of discussions when it comes to the top bench assets in the entire NBA.
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He's still struggling to find his shot, but Clarkson has put up a number of impressive performances to help the Jazz climb the rankings in the West. Utah currently finds itself with an 18-7 record and they will continue to be dangerous, especially if Clarkson starts to find his rhythm on a more consistent level. In his last week of play, Clarkson went on to average 13.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting just 33.3% from the field.