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Could Jamal Crawford be a Sixth Man of the Year candidate again?

By Christian Anton

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 14: Jamal Crawford #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves speaks to the media after the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 14, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 14: Jamal Crawford #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves speaks to the media after the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 14, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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As the NBA season reaches it’s midway point, Jamal Crawford has set himself apart from other Sixth Man of the Year candidates once again.

It’s a bit cliché, but Jamal Crawford has aged like a fine wine.

And now that that painful analogy is out of the way, let me tell you why Crawford should once again be considered for the Sixth Man of the Year award.

Although the Timberwolves’ bench scoring as a whole ranks towards the bottom of the league in average points per game, Crawford has still found a way to make his mark on the No. 3 team in the Western Conference.

Up to this point, his effective field goal percentage is actually better than the last time he won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award with the Los Angeles Clippers. This is important, because in the limited amount of time he has gotten off the bench he has made the best of his opportunities. As always, he lights it up and brings the energy.

In fact, his per-36-minute numbers have Crawford averaging 18.2 points per game. Despite a nearly career-low average in minutes played, he is still filling it up at a high rate when he gets onto the court.

Beyond the statistics, let’s talk about the impact he has had on the team overall.

Crawford has been arguably one of the best pickups the Timberwolves have ever had in terms of value. The man is being paid just over $8 million for two years — an absolute steal for a guy who scores the way he does and is the only reliable and consistent scorer off the Wolves bench.

How many times this year alone have we watched as the pair of Jimmy Butler and Crawford take over a game in the fourth quarter to secure a victory.

The veteran leadership of Crawford has rubbed off on his teammates both starters and reserves. It’s easy to see why he has so many loyal fans, the man is simply amazing at doing his job. He embraced the role of sixth man early in his career and has continued to add more lines to his long resume when it comes to basketball greatness.

Although the raw numbers may not point to him being a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, one only needs to watch the way this team operates to see his importance to this team.

Next: 3 trade ideas to send Kemba Walker to the Timberwolves

Once again, Jamal Crawford deserves to be in consideration for an award that one day could be named after him.

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