Nickel: Making a case for the Bucks' Bobby Portis as the NBA's sixth man of the year
Milwaukee Bucks big man Bobby Portis has put together another impressive case for the NBA’s sixth man of the year this season.
He's scored 963 points off the bench, second-most in the NBA, with 13 double-doubles off the bench, the best in the NBA.
But like his teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo – who is up for the MVP award – Portis has competition to win it, at least in some so-called predictions.
With two solid weeks left in the regular season, maybe Portis and the Bucks can change that. The award is usually announced around the start of the playoffs, and Portis should be re-evaluated for far more than his ability to score.
"I've wanted to win it. I've been talking about it for, like, five years," Portis said last week before the Bucks embarked on the current road trip. "Yeah. But they never vote for me though. Because I'm a big man and it is not cool; they told me it’s more of a guard award."
He's right. A shooting guard has won this award 11 of the last 12 years. It does seem a little crazy.
Portis has had, both statistically and anecdotally, another career year, for another championship-contending team, and he should be a strong candidate for the 2024 award – even with the bias here, from the advantage of having seen him play every game this season.
The case for Bobby Portis as the NBA's top sixth man
Here's the argument for Portis as the best sixth man:
Stats. 13.4 points per game, 7.2 rebounds, 50.1% field goal shooting and 39.1% from three-point range.
Status. He’s made his living off the bench this season with just one start. For the voters, this is often a point of contention, but this year he shouldn't be disqualified for this reason.
Portis also has played in all 74 games for the NBA Eastern Conference second-place Bucks (47-27). He has not been listed on the injury report once all season. It's a career best.
Versatility: He can post up and score. He can run in transition and score, taking the ball on the move from Damian Lillard up high for a no-dribble drive, or down low for one dribble and drive to the basket. He can shoot from distance. He's made 86 three-pointers, but he's perfected that little hook shot from the blocks, too, with 53 makes, for the old school hoop lovers out there.
Who can argue with this? Portis has scored 139 times in the restricted area, 90 times in the rest of the paint, 90 times from midrange. He's hit the left corner three-pointer 20 times; the right corner, 19. Of all his buckets this year, 260 were assisted, mostly by Antetokounmpo and Lillard; 160 were not. Portis has worked exhaustively on his shot over the years, perfecting his balance, tweaking his form, working in the offseason on his own time making it smooth and a threat.
Defense: He can defend, whether he gets up in the pick and roll and shows presence, or he switches, comfortably challenging any position 1 through 5. He's not known for shot blocking but he will get a few and they seem timely.
Energy: He can match the team’s energy when he comes in. He can lift the team energy when he comes in.
Enforcer: He’s going to have his teammates’ backs when there’s a scuffle. But he’s a lot less likely to start that now, since he's a more mature version of the young Bobby Portis we met about a decade ago.
Leadership: He will speak up and speak out, fearless of how many ruffled feathers are the result. For example in November, he saw some red flags right away and didn't try to cover it. "I think just for the most part our camaraderie and chemistry is just not there at all," he said. A month later, a reporter leaked the news that Portis confronted former coach Adrian Griffin in the locker room, challenging him for better direction, a point of emphasis that would later be followed up publicly by other Bucks.
Consistent: Also, Portis has played at this elite level for three coaches this year, Griffin, interim coach Joe Prunty and now current coach Doc Rivers, showing an astounding level of consistency and resilience.
Tapped for Team USA: After playing in the FIBA World Cup last summer, Portis is one of the finalists to make the final roster for representing Team USA in the Paris Olympics this summer.
Coming off the bench in the NBA takes a 'certain makeup,' Bucks coach Doc Rivers says
With everything he's done this season, Portis' willingness still to come off the bench, and not ask for or imply that he needs more playing time or a starting role, has impressed Rivers. He says only a few have that kind of selfless quality.
"Those guys are rare, honestly, and they have to have a certain makeup," Rivers said March 21. "You know, it's funny. I was an average player, but I started my whole career. My last year I came off the bench with the Spurs. I was like man, this is hard ... really hard to, like, get in the game."
Rivers, who actually played off the bench for San Antonio from 1994-'96, said that when he would sub in for starter Vinny Del Negro, he would have to defend Del Negro's guy and the timing always seemed rough.
"I started calling them flamethrowers – they would throw me in there right when he got that other guy hot. And you come in and have to try to put the fire out.
"Bobby could start on every team, most teams in the NBA, but I'm impressed with how efficient he is when he first walks on the floor. I just told him that's a certain makeup. I had Jamal Crawford. I've had Lou Williams, I've had a lot of sixth men on my team that have done well. But Bobby is amazing. He's been great.”
A season ago – under Portis' fourth different head coach, Mike Budenholzer – Portis was also in contention for the award, but Boston's Malcolm Brogdon beat out Portis and Immanuel Quickley of New York. Brogdon received 60 of 100 first-place votes; Quickley was second with 34 first-place votes. Portis had six first-place votes. But Portis had 22 starts last year while center Brook Lopez recovered from back surgery and Antetokounmpo missed a few games.
It's really Portis' superpower, to play well no matter if he's a starter, or off the bench, and proves he was true to his word years ago when he said he came to Milwaukee to win, and not to get his stats.
From 2021: Nickel: Bucks newcomer Bobby Portis has a motive, a role and an appreciation
"I mean, my whole career I came off the bench. It's nothing new to me. I come in and play with confidence," Portis said.
Is Bobby Portis an enforcer? An agitator?
Portis' teammates genuinely seem to love the guy, from Lopez and the other bigs down to the guards. The Milwaukee crowd cherishes him and he reciprocates often by looking at the stands and cheering after a big play. He's smart, breaks down the game, corrects a questioner if needed, is a little sassy and a lot of fun. He is part of a core group of players now – with Jae Crowder, Malik Beasley, Pat Beverley – who will step out of the shadows if anyone on the other team is taking cheap shots.
But don't call him an agitator ... right?
Portis grins.
"Ahh ... depends on the day."
Wait, he worked on this, controlling his emotions, channeling them. That double-overtime battle with the Los Angeles Lakers a week ago with Anthony Davis in the middle is a prime example. That's not easy for someone who plays with a lot of fire.
Portis nodded his head.
"I think it is more of a in-the-moment thing than me trying to start things," said Portis. "It's more, if something happens, then I step in. Or I'm talking a little crap. Yeah I kind of changed it over the years, kind of settled in, or take a step back."
Rivers added: "We have Bobby, a bunch of guys that are quote unquote enforcer in some ways. Agitators may be a bad word; can't use the word enforcer. So agitator, Pat Beverley, Jae. ... It's fine as long as they stay under control. You know what I'm saying? And that's what I always tell Bobby: 'I love when you are under the skin of someone else. I don't like when it's going both ways.' So, but I love his passion. I think that's what he has to play with.”
The Kings' Malik Monk and Timberwolves' Naz Reid are also contenders for the sixth man award
The only bad part of the NBA sixth man of the year award is what shows up during simple a Google search for favorites to win it. The results are all gambling odds. And it's all garbage. It misleads the fans, it's gross in its prevalence on the web and it does a disservice to the players in the game.
Thankfully the voters are NBA media; last year, 100 sportscasters and sports writers voted. And they will have to consider Portis, his résumé and the Bucks this season.
Unfortunately, top competitor Malik Monk, with 1,110 points this year, is out for a few weeks with an ankle injury, but he's been a force in 72 games for the 43-31 Sacramento Kings, in seventh place in the Western Conference. Naz Reid from Minnesota (51-23) is also a contender, efficient in his 24 minutes a game.
Portis was also up for the sixth man one other year – in 2021, when the Bucks won the NBA Finals. He came in ninth in voting. He's only gotten better and contributed more this year, and the Bucks arguably have more scorers and talent all fighting for minutes.
Portis has scored in double figures 15 times since the all-star break and has averaged 15.6 points and 8.3 rebounds since, in a time of great transition for the Bucks. He's been steady and reliable. He should take home the trophy this year.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis should be the NBA sixth man of the year
