7 NBA Benchwarmers with the Best Celebration Game in the League

A team is only as good as its worst player, or so the saying goes. While the old mantra's validity can be debated, one thing is certain: An NBA team is infinitely funner when its worst player is its best cheerleader.

The scenes from the end of the bench that had previously gone by the wayside after a given play now live on infinitely, thanks to the Internet, YouTube and Vine. With these tools, it's now easier than ever to go back and enjoy a mean celebration game after witnessing a vicious dunk or impossible three.

in the slides ahead, we take advantage of our online assets and rattle off the league's biggest hype men.

Honorable Mention: Steve Ballmer

Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer doesn't technically qualify, but oh, we wish he did.

Long before he was in charge of his own NBA franchise, Ballmer made a living going ballistic whenever the opportunity presented itself.

He introduced the Clippers faithful to his amazing antics during a preseason pep rally, when he so curiously pondered aloud, "Do we have any Clippers fans here?!" More recently, he's taken his acts courtside, providing for great Vines.

There are no two ways about it: The man is insane—in the best ways possible.

Steve Novak

Moving from one Steve to another, Steve Novak has laid low for a few seasons when it comes to breaking out the championship belt. But rest assured, should he drill a key triple for Oklahoma City in the postseason, the Discount Triple Check will be strapped and ready.

Novak last busted out the belt with the New York Knicks in 2012-13, when the team went 54-28.

He was then shipped to the Toronto Raptors and later the Utah Jazz, where he rarely had the chance to do what he does best.

Now on a contending team in a fired-up Western Conference, Novak may be headed for the national spotlight once again.

And maybe—just maybe—he'll do some flexing from the sideline.

After he heals from his appendectomy, of course. Get well soon, Steve.

Patty Mills

Patty Mills' increased role with the San Antonio Spurs has left him with less time to dedicate toward towel-waving, but we're still calling him the best in the league.

I mean, take a look at the video above. Mills is a rare breed to fully understand the intricacies of towel waving, along with so many different techniques. An acquired taste? Some would say. But with just a few wags, Patty could surely sway even the most passionate towel-waving critic.

Averaging nearly 19 minutes per game over the last pair of seasons, Mills hasn't been as devoted to his craft lately. But deep down, he still has it in him.

Mike Muscala

It's hard not to credit the entire Atlanta Hawks bench for its performances this season, but we'll do our best to single out the all-stars.

Second-year man Mike Muscala has appeared in 19 games for the Hawks this season but has manned the sideline all year long. Oftentimes you'll find him sporting three-point goggles—sometimes even preemptively, like in the Vine above. Here's more preemptive goggling.

Moose's goggles have caught on inside Philips Arena, and while they may not be a prime motivator behind Atlanta's East-leading 45-12 record, they remain a small factor nonetheless.

Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones

It's been a down season for the Thunder to this point, but their pregame ritual game has been strong for sure.

Chiefly pertaining to Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones, who are averaging just 30 minutes per game combined but put on an astounding exhibition that veers more toward choreography than companionship.

These two have dethroned the previous Thunder pregame kings, Steven Adams and Nick Collison, who captivated social media with their solemn approach to sportsmanship last month.

OKC has true contenders on the roster, but to this point, Lamb and Jones have the trophy locked up.

Joel Embiid

How could we forget about Joel Embiid? Still yet to log an NBA minute, the third overall pick in 2014 has held down the Sixers' constantly morphing bench in his finest attire, occasionally hitting the Shmoney Dance when he deems it utterly necessary.

During games, he's typically the first one up to go bananas in the event Philly makes a highlight-reel play.

Much has been made of his Twitter dominance since entering the league, and he's taken his celebration game to the timeline as well. Peep his (altered) photo from his postgame meal after Philly notched its first win of the season.

Hopefully, Embiid is as active on the court next season as he is on the sideline in 2015.

Robert Sacre

There are few in today's NBA who can safely say they can out-hype Robert Sacre. It's not always pretty—in fact, it's rarely pretty—but you can always count on Bobby Sac to be there for his team with some positive reinforcements.

Averaging 17 minutes per game for the lowly Los Angeles Lakers over the last two years, Sacre has had slightly less time to go hard on the sideline than he did in 2012-13, when the above video surfaced. Still, the 25-year-old hardly lets the L.A. faithful down when there's a moment to be celebrated.

He's kept fans so entertained over his brief Lakers tenure that he's even been on the receiving end of MVP chants at the free-throw line.

Maybe not the MVP these Lakers want, but the MVP these Lakers deserve.

Kent Bazemore

Simply put, Kent Bazemore is an inspiration. Only 25 years old, the current Atlanta Hawk has put on more electrifying shows from the sideline than ones on the court over his first few NBA years.

Last season with the Lakers, though, Bazemore was able to move his talents from the bench to the hardwood under Mike D'Antoni. He flourished over his 23 games, averaging 13 points, but his Golden State Warriors-era sideline sideshows will forever be missed.

He's now part of the Hawks' entertaining reserve unit that has more opportunities to celebrate than any other in the league.

He's averaging 15 minutes a night—or 33 benched minutes a night—leaving him more opportunities to solidify his spot as the league's premier bench turn-up artist, leading the charge in Atlanta.

Though his Warriors days will never be matched, the Bazed God could go down as this generation's Michael Jordan—from the sidelines.