Steve Kerr makes strong push for Andre Iguodala as Sixth Man of the Year

OAKLAND — With a torrid month of March, which has included 24 dunks, huge shots, great defense and needed production in Kevin Durant’s absence, Andre Iguodala is making a late push for the Sixth Man of the Year award.

Iguodala only averages 7.3 points per game, which isn’t among the NBA’s top 100 bench players in scoring per game. The award typically goes to one of the league’s highest scoring reserves. But during his pregame availability on Friday, Steve Kerr pleaded with award voters to consider Iguodala, who, he said, contributes to “winning” more than any other reserve in the league.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever really pushed any of our players for awards — Steph for MVP, Draymond for Defensive Player of the Year. Maybe I have,” Kerr said. “It’s not something I normally do. But I am sort of intrigued by the Sixth Man of the Year award. It seems like it should just say highest scoring player off the bench award. Depends on how people look at it. But if you want to look at the best Sixth Man in the game, in terms of winning, there’s no way anyone is better than Andre. He’s like a starter for us. He’s played backup point guard. He’s currently our backup power forward. He guards the best player every single night — Kawhi Leonard, James Harden. He comes in and automatically guards the best guy. I think he leads the league in assist to turnover ratio (he does: 4.58). This guy, he’s phenomenal.”

The Warriors are playing two of the league’s leading candidates for the award on Friday night: Houston’s Lou Williams and Eric Gordon. Williams is averaging an NBA-best 17.9 points per game off the bench this season with the Rockets and Lakers. Gordon is averaging the next most: 16.5 points in 57 games as a reserve.

Because of his pedestrian scoring numbers, Iguodala remains unlikely for the award. But Kerr’s push may help.

“People are going to look at the stats and go, well, he’s averaging six, seven points, however many,” Kerr said. “Then they’re going to find someone who averages 17 and say: ‘I’m going to vote for that guy.’ But those of you with votes, I’ll remind you that this game is about more than just scoring. There’s my push for Andre. He’ll probably cuss me out for it.”

via NAIJA Society
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