Dallas Mavericks wing Tim Hardaway Jr. is clearly making an early argument for the 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year award, as the Mavs reserve is currently leading the league in three-pointers and points off the bench.
Hardaway is drawing inspiration to excel off the Mavs bench from a couple of the best sixth-men to ever do it – Lou Williams and Jamal Crawford – according to Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com:
“He thought back to other notable sixth men, including Jamal Crawford, who was a three-time winner of the NBA’s sixth-man of the year award and is up for induction into the hall of fame this year.
‘J-Cross, being a guy that went to Michigan, I’ve definitely watched and seen his career unfold,' said Hardaway, a proud Wolverine. ‘It’s magical. He (took) that role very serious.'”
Hardaway has clearly taken what the two players did to heart in his role with the Mavs:
‘I said before, first and foremost, in order for you to know that you’re going in that role, you have to embrace it and accept it. That’s what he did. That’s what Lou-Will (Williams) did. That’s what J.R. Smith did. And that’s what I’m trying to do is have that same mentality.'
It's certainly working for the Mavs, as Hardaway is averaging 18.2 points per game and hitting more than 40 percent from beyond the 3-point line. That’s on pace to be his career high from beyond the arc.
Despite having lost two in a row for the first time this season, the Mavericks still have put together a solid start this season. The Mavs kick off a road trip that includes both Los Angeles teams starting Wednesday at the Lakers.
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