We all know the storylines surrounding the Celtics this season: Jayson Tatum is MVP-bound, Joe Mazzulla is the favorite to win the Coach of the Year – and most importantly Boston is well on its way to another NBA Finals appearance.
What’s seldom talked about, however, is Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon and his chances to win the Sixth Man of the Year award. He’s currently the second most likely player to win the award according to BetOnline.ag:
NBA Sixth Man of the Year – Odds to Win
Russell Westbrook +160
Malcolm Brogdon +400
Jordan Poole +400
Bennedict Mathurin +550
Christian Wood +900
Boston traded for Brogdon this past July in exchange for Aaron Nesmith, Daniel Theis, Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, and a 2023 first-round draft pick. The thought was that the Celtics would then have the wiggle room to move off of Marcus Smart for more assets, however, they kept both guards in place.
They moved Brogdon to the bench, and the move has worked out tremendously for Boston. He’s averaging 13.9 points, 3.9 boards, and 3.5 assists per game as their sixth man, is second in the NBA in three-point percentage, and both his playmaking ability and stout defense have been paramount in Boston’s historic start.
He’s also fully bought into being a Celtic, doing what’s best for the organization, and supporting his teammates at every turn. Here’s what he had to say about star forward Jayson Tatum the other night: “He’s taken a giant step every year. To play the way he did last year, to being in the MVP race at times last year, and then to take the jump he’s taken this year has been pretty incredible to watch. Undoubtedly he should be leading the MVP race right now. He’s playing at a superstar level.”
Brogdon’s comfortability moving to the bench mixed with his unwavering support for teammates and the organization has been game-changing for the Celtics season. The race is tight, but he’s certainly deserving of the Sixth Man of the Year award.
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