Sixth Man of the Year: Mario Chalmers
Apr 4, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers (15) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons forward Anthony Tolliver (43) during the first quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Wes (who went with Chris Andersen): I went with Chris Andersen because he was a calming presence for the Heat this season. His consistent hustle and defensive presence was a staple on Miami’s ever reserve rotation. He did everything we have grown to expect from the Birdman–grabbing rebounds, setting screens, diving on the pick-and-roll, getting put backs and posting on Instagram (okay, maybe not the last one)–and added a friggin 3-point shot because the Heat needed it.
David: While Chris Andersen was a deserving candidate, I think Mario’s ability to fill in however necessary was truly in the spirit of the award. When Wade first hurt his hamstring early in the season, Chalmers filled in admirably, giving many fans hope that he’d turned the corner. That wasn’t quite the case, as he was still prone to his shake-your-head moments of complete Chalmers-ness. But his good moments were better than expected and he played more games this year than any other Heat player (80 games; Deng was the next-highest with 72 games. Andersen played in just 60 games.). That’s in the true spirit of the award – being able to do whatever the team needs you to and being there to do it.
Allana (who voted for Goran Dragic): Okay, so I kind of cheated on this one. I know Goran Dragic should not actually count as a candidate for this category, but besides Whiteside’s performance on the whole, he was the only good news that came out of this season. Remember how excited fans were when president Pat Riley acquired him RIGHT before the trade deadline? And how effortless his connection with Wade was? He gave Miami that surge of positivity, especially since he was signed shortly after Chris Bosh’s blood clot was announced.
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