NBA Benchwarmers Who Provide the Ultimate Kickstart
Most bench players run with the reserves for a reason: They're not as good as the starters. But that's not always true.
Sometimes, guys are actually good enough to contribute in the starting lineup, but for strategic reasons, they end up as sixth, seventh or eighth men. That type is usually an "instant-offense" scorer. It's why the Jamal Crawfords and Isaiah Thomases of the world don't play at the beginning of games—that offensive jolt is too important to lose.
There are other ways to contribute off a bench, too. It's not just about scoring, even if Sixth Man of the Year voting does tend to slant in that direction.
I'd be willing to bet you're going to disagree with this list of the NBA's five best bench players (which isn't in any particular order).
New Orleans Pelicans fans will complain about Ryan Anderson being left out. Toronto Raptors fans will certainly mention the lack of Lou Williams. Houston Rockets fans might push for Corey Brewer or Josh Smith. But you can't put nine guys in a top five. Now for the guys who actually did make it...
Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers
1 of 5
Jamal Crawford is first sixth man anyone thinks of upon hearing the phrase "instant offense."
The two-time Sixth Man of the Year Award winner (he's one of two guys to hold that label along with Detlef Schrempf) is the model shoot-first, fancy-pants guard. He'll chuck up some ill-advised shots that make you want to look away, and then he'll reel you back in with the best crossover you've ever seen.
Even though Crawford hasn't been quite as dominant this season as in his first two with the Clippers, he's still leading all bench scorers in points per game. Of course, that's hardly the best way to judge a player, even if it's how we often give away sixth-man awards, but it is telling of the way Jamal plays.
He's going to get his points. Always.
Even during a season when he's had long-winded down stretches, he's been more efficient than his reputation might imply. Because he gets to the line at a decent rate, and because he attempts so many threes, he's posted a respectable 53.9 percent true shooting mark.
Crawford has taken more threes with the Clippers than he ever did before joining head coach Doc Rivers & Co. a few years back. That's part of the Chris Paul effect. Crawford spots up far more than people who aren't consistent Clippers-watchers realize. He's not just shimmying and Shammgodding the whole time.
In the end, you get an above-average scorer who has the ability to go for 30 on any given night. That's pretty darn valuable coming off the bench.
Taj Gibson, Chicago Bulls
2 of 5
It feels like Taj Gibson should have a Sixth Man of the Year Award at this point, right? He's basically been the best defensive big man coming off an NBA bench since the Roosevelt administration—the first one.
If there's anything that proves voters nowadays prioritize scoring more than anything else when voting for that particular award, it's Gibson's lack of a trophy. The Bulls' first man off the bench probably should've won Sixth Man of the Year a season ago when he finished second, but nope. Crawford and his NBA-leading 18.6 points per game off the bench had that locked up by midseason.
Gibson isn't having quite as good of a season this year as he did in 2013-14, but he's still an above-average player and one of the best reserves in the league.
The Bulls' big-man situation has been a little murky all season. The addition of Pau Gasol, who's having a tremendous year, has clearly made things a little uncomfortable for the other frontcourt players.
Joakim Noah has slid over to power forward more and doesn't always appear as decisive as he once did playing center. Gibson, meanwhile, is still learning how to work into a role of lesser priority.
Still, he remains one of the NBA's best defenders and a key cog in coach Tom Thibodeau's system on both sides of the ball, ripping teams apart in the pick-and-roll when he gets the opportunity, as well. Any team would be happy to have him, especially on that modest $8 million salary.
Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
3 of 5
Let's be real: There isn't a player in the NBA more adorable than Isaiah Thomas.
He's the type of guy your mother would see and think, "Oh, that's so cute! He wants to play with his big brother's friends!" Only about five seconds in, you see how darn dominant he is on the floor.
Thomas may stand at only 5'9", making him one of the shortest players in the NBA, but he's feistier than an untrained Maltese without a leash.
(By the by, we need a height-off, whatever that would be, between Nate Robinson and Thomas with Yuki Togashi stepping in as acting judge. It would be incredibly quick but also a life-changing experience.)
Thomas rests barely behind Crawford's number in bench scoring, averaging 16.2 points per game off the bench this season. He's so perfect with the second unit that the Celtics even kept him playing with the reserves after acquiring him from the Phoenix Suns right before February's trade deadline.
In 10 games, he hasn't let down, averaging 21.4 points on a 41-34-88 shooting-percentage line—not bad for someone who just got compared to a Maltese.
Dennis Schroder, Atlanta Hawks
4 of 5
You want to find underrated basketball players? Look no further than Atlanta, Georgia.
It's there where you can see Al Horford, who is finally starting to get the credit he's deserved for years. Or Kyle Korver, the main guy opposing teams talk about when they mend their game plans for the Eastern Conference's best team.
Paul Millsap: underrated. DeMarre Carroll: under-appreciated. Jeff Teague: under...actually, he's starting to get his props.
And then there's Dennis Schroder, the little German point guard who couldn't weigh more than 87 pounds.
Everyone loves to throw the Rajon Rondo comparison at the second-year 21-year-old, and it makes sense. They're both scrawny, pass-first point guards to whom distributing comes naturally. But part of the Rondo comp was because of Schroder's lack of shooting, a criticism which isn't all too valid anymore.
He's hitting 34 percent of his threes now. He's sinking a percentage from mid-range that's above league average.
At this point, the most Rondo-like abilities in Schroder's game come on the other end of the floor. The way he pressures, his ability to defend the ball and even his mannerisms all mimic Rondo circa 2010.
He's getting better and better each month. It'll be fun to see how far his game can go before he hits his prime in a half-decade.
Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
5 of 5
How could we ever forget about Manu Ginobili? The Spurs sixth man has been doing this forever.
Ginobili, like Gibson, actually isn't having as strong of a season as he did last year, when he scored more efficiently and looked about an eighth of a step more spry. He has, though, been coming on more of late, even if he's been sick and had some trouble playing this week.
He's shooting 51 percent from the field and 41 percent from three over that stretch, on par with his full-season numbers from three years ago, when he had one of the best seasons of his career. Granted, that's just six games, though the Spurs, in general, have started to play better over that stretch, garnering six straight victories before falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers last Thursday night.
Ginobili still has to be on this list, though. He's having a solid season and is a future Hall of Famer who's going to be remembered most for acting as the heart of the bench for four championship teams. There aren't many men in history who can copy that resume.
