After a two-week stint on the injured reserve list due to a right knee injury, Jeremy Lin, one of the hottest sixth men in the NBA this season, will make his return to the court for the Houston Rockets Thursday.
After colliding with Atlanta's Paul Millsap in a Nov. 27 game, Lin, who sprained his right knee, will return presumably to resume his role as the sixth man for the Rockets (15-7), and it's a timely return as they face off against the sensational Western Conference-leading Portland Trail Blazers (18-4) led by last year's Rookie of the Year Damien Lillard and NBA All-star LaMarcus Aldridge.
The Rockets have been hitting on all cylinders, having won 7 of their last 10 games, but the returning Lin, who was catching fire through November with stellar numbers off the bench (15.4 points, 4.5 assists, 1.3 steals in 16 games), will be a big help as Houston regains support off the bench for All-Stars Dwight Howard and James Harden.
This season, Lin has reinvented, or depending on who you ask, rediscovered himself after refining his shooting in the offseason and working on his ball movement. The result? Lin was shooting at 50 percent or higher for much of November, his three-point shot was much more accurate, and he has become more aggressive on offense, even posting back-to-back 30-point games at one point prior to his injury. Added to that, his coming off the bench has allowed him to get more touches with the ball instead of settling for whatever scraps are left behind in Houston's blistering offense (No.1 in the NBA with 107.5 points per game), allowing Lin to combine his talent for driving to the lane with his newly improved shot, making Lin one of the NBA's deadliest sixth men. If this continues through the season, Lin could even be a favorite to win the NBA's prestigious Sixth Man of the Year trophy.
But before Lin starts clearing out space on his mantle, he'll have to go through a crop of extremely talented subs and sixth men extraordinaire, some of which have been vital components in helping their teams climb up the NBA standings this season.
Jamal Crawford, Shooting Guard, L.A. Clippers
Crawford is no stranger to winning the Sixth Man trophy, having won it in 2010 with the playoff-bound Atlanta Hawks after scoring 18.0 points off the bench. Three years later, he's at it again as he looks to help the Chris Paul and Blake Griffin-powered Clippers take their game to the next level. Averaging 15.4 points on 43.0 percent shooting for the Pacific Division champions, Crawford adds depth to the already dangerous Clippers. He knows the kind of playing level it takes to be the NBA's top sixth man, and he remains a big favorite to walk away with the award for the second time in his 13-year career.
Nick Young, Small Forward, L.A. Lakers
Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni has given his vote to Young, the six-year small forward out of USC, to be the Sixth Man of the Year. And based off of the numbers, it's not hard to see why. Young has been on fire off of the bench for the Lakers, averaging 14.3 points this season, including 16.4 for the Lakers over his last 10 games. However, offense is not the only tool Young has in his bag of tricks. His recent commitment to defense on the other end of the floor has drawn the attention of D'Antoni and sports writers alike. With that kind of versatility on his side, Young is a very bright spot sorely needed in a Lakers season that's still murky, even with the recent return of Kobe Bryant.
Markieff Morris, Power Forward, Phoenix Suns
A lottery-bound team last year, the Suns are showing signs of life this season with an 11-9 record, and the production of Morris off the bench may have more than a little bit to do with their recent good fortune. In his last 10 games, Markoff has put up 14.0 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Suns. He's talented and adds depth, but his scoring is also somewhat streaky, and he needs to be more consistent with a sense of better shot selection to become more consistent.
J.R. Smith, Shooting Guard, New York Knicks
Last year's Sixth Man of the Year winner--who nearly earned NBA All-Star consideration for his electrifying 18.1 points per game season off the bench for New York--has noticeably cooled in production this season, averaging only 11.4 points on 39.1 percent shooting. A sore knee that has plagued Smith this season may be the culprit, however. That means once he heals, Smith--who has made his intentions of wanting to crack the Knicks' starting lineup known--could get back on track towards being the game-changing scoring machine he was for the Knicks, something the defending, embattled Atlantic Division champions need desperately to save their own season.
Manu Ginobili, Shooting Guard, San Antonio Spurs
Much like fine wine, the 36-year-old Ginobili seems to get better with age. The career-long Spurs guard has been hitting on the mark this season with 45.9 percent shooting from the floor, including an effective 38.6 percent from three-point range. Adding depth, experience and uncanny marksmanship to the defending Western Conference Champion San Antonio Spurs, the 2008 Sixth Man of the Year winner has shown in the last two games just how deadly he can be, sinking four three-pointers for 16 points in both games off the bench. If Ginobili can keep up his deadly shooting from beyond the arc, he could not only lock up his second sixth man trophy, but help the Spurs return to the NBA Finals once again.