Good things are happening in hardcourt New York, they are hoping awards come in threes.

 

The Knicks already have the NBA’s scoring champion in Carmelo Anthony. Now, they have the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in JR Smith. Next, they hope to be hanging a new banner hanging from the rafters.

 

As with every award, there are those who will debate the validity of the winner and, with this, there is no exception. While the Knicks are riding high, the Los Angeles Clippers and Jamal Crawford are fuming. Crawford helped lead the Clippers to their best record in franchise history and their first division title as well as home-court in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. 

 

I want to be clear; JR Smith is a worthy Sixth Man. His production made him a candidate for the award, but there was someone in the league doing better. Of course there was! There always is. 

 

Smith ended the season strong, averaging better than 23 points a game over his last 15 games. But taking into consideration the fact that Crawford played four minutes less a game with a higher percentage, then the scales should be tipped in his favor. After all, we are always reminded that the award is about more than points but overall influence for the better of the team, meaning Jamal got ripped off.

 

Well what else is new? Everyone is always robbed when it comes to these matters. They're first and foremost bonus incentives in contracts and publicity vehicles, but that's about it.

 

Hoisting a banner makes a much more definitive statement.