Sixth Man Rankings: Reggie Jackson takes the lead

The Sixth Man Award is a complicated one. Historically, the winner has been a super scorer who provides a needed offensive boost to a winning team.

But this season might be different. No top team has a true standout scorer off the bench who fits the mold of winners from seasons past.

The one exception could be Ryan Anderson of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Sure, New Orleans is only 9-9 and has been wildly inconsistent this season. Still, since Anderson’s return to the team, the Pelicans have gone 5-2 and looked very strong.

And with Anthony Davis out indefinitely, Anderson’s role will only increase. He is averaging 28.3 points in three December games – two wins – and has carried the Pelicans since Davis went down. He has started the past two games in place of Davis but likely will fall back to a bench role when The Brow returns.

Oh, yeah – Anderson is shooting 53 percent from 3-point range on nearly eight attempts per game and is second in the NBA in pulling down contested rebounds. The scariest part? He is only 25 years old and has room for even more growth.

Still, I felt it unfair to put Anderson into these rankings just yet. He missed the first nine games due to a broken toe, has logged just seven games off the bench and will be starting for the foreseeable future. He would also be bumping off Isaiah Thomas, who has played more than twice as many games and still leads the league in bench scoring.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference continues to struggle with worthy Sixth Man candidates. Dion Waiters has averaged 15.1 points since his demotion from Cleveland’s starting lineup, but the Cavaliers are just 2-5 in that span. Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey deserves some recognition for having the best start of his career; his 16.2 points place him fourth among all qualified bench scorers. But the Pistons are just 9-10.

Neither player has done enough to sneak into the top five. It looks as though it will come down to a four- or five-man race based on early season results. Topping the list are four guards who represent contending teams out West.

Now, on to the rankings.