div align = "center" MASON REDD VAN EXEL KIRILENKO WILLIAMSON PPG - SEASON 14.2 15.1 12.0 13.4 11.8 RPG 6.6 4.7 3.0 5.4 4.1 APG 1.3 1.5 4.7 2.1 1.4 MPG 33.8 29.6 27.0 27.3 24.6 FG % .444 .460 .399 .536 .427 PPG - WEEK 19.3 12.7 10.7 15.0 12.0 RPG 5.0 3.7 3.0 5.5 2.0 APG 1.3 1.3 4.3 2.3 2.7

Desmond Mason has been hot as a starter. Catherine Steenkeste/NBAE

THE SKINNY
As a starter, Desmond Mason continued to improve his case for the Sixth Man Award last week. With Brent Barry sidelined by patella tendinitis in his left knee, Mason started all three games opposite Gary Payton. He was the most consistent scorer for the Sonics in a week that saw them drop all three games, and has scored at least 18 points in each of his last four games. An especially good sign for the team – and bad one for opponents – is that Mason is hitting from the perimeter. He has made his last four attempts from three and is now shooting a solid 35% from beyond the arc this season.

Moving down this week were Milwaukee’s Michael Redd and, for the third straight week, Nick Van Exel, who’s now in danger of being dropped from the list of tracked players. Redd had a big effort against Utah last Friday, putting up 21, but could not get into double figures his other two games. Van Exel showed signs of snapping out of a lengthy cold spell, netting double figures scoring twice. In the middle game, however, he shot a frigid 3-for-12.

Utah’s Andrei Kirilenko and Detroit’s Corliss Williamson had consistent weeks that allowed them to maintain or perhaps improve their positions. Kirilenko seems to be emerging as the best alternative to Mason for the Sixth Man Award after a week that saw him match Redd’s 21 when the two squared off and net double figures in each game. Kirilenko was also tabbed as a top candidate by TNT’s Danny Ainge during the network’s broadcast of Portland-San Antonio on Thursday. Williamson has now been in double figures scoring in his last seven games and has missed the mark only once since December 4. However, he may have to be more explosive to improve his still-low scoring average after topping out at 14 points last week.

MORE THAN SCORERS
The stereotype of sixth men is that of a gunner without a conscience, a swingman who comes off the bench to provide instant offense – and maybe not much else. In reality, however, sixth men are much more diverse and many make an impact with their rebounding and ballhandling. In order to spotlight those who might go unnoticed because of low scoring averages, Desmond Mason Sixth Man Central provides a look at some of the best rebounders and passers off the bench in the NBA.

TOP REBOUNDERS RPG Clarence Weatherspoon, NY 8.0 Vladimir Stepania, MIA 7.3 Desmond Mason, SEA 6.6 Kelvin Cato, HOU 6.6 Alan Henderson, ATL 6.1 Kwame Brown, WAS 5.9 Nene Hilario, DEN 5.8 Keon Clark, SAC 5.7 Joe Smith, MIN 5.7 Carlos Boozer, CLE 5.6

TOP ASSISTERS APG Mark Jackson, UTA 4.8 Charlie Ward, NY 4.8 Nick Van Exel, DAL 4.7 Brevin Knight, MEM 4.6 Rod Strickland, MIN 4.2 Earl Boykins, GS 4.2 Kevin Ollie, MIL 4.2 Anthony Carter, MIA 3.8 Chucky Atkins, DET 3.5 Earl Watson, MEM 3.3

Two guys named Earl. Who knew? Some of the players – Mason, Van Exel – score enough that they are known as two of the league’s top sixth men. Most of the others are much more anonymous, like the duo of Knicks (Clarence Weatherspoon and Charlie Ward) who have bounced back from tough 2001-02 seasons to play well off the bench for the team this year. While Weatherspoon has been a monster on the glass, he’s shooting just 38% and averaging 6.0 points per game. Ward, on the other hand, has been effective in all facets of the game. He’s shooting 40.8% from three-point range and is fourth on the Knicks in scoring with 8.1 points per game. Ward rightly deserves more recognition that he’s gotten.

New York’s Clarence Weatherspoon has been hitting the boards. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE

Three of the top rebounders have maintained low profiles this season and probably deserve more attention for their accomplishments. Ranking second on the list is former Sonics draft pick Vladimir Stepania. The last two years in Miami, Stepania has turned from an apparent bust into a valuable player who has done an admirable job filling in for Alonzo Mourning. Houston Rockets center Kelvin Cato is easy to overlook given the player he lost his job to – Yao Ming. As a result, Cato grabs his 6.6 boards in just 17.6 minutes per game. He also shoots a fine 52.6% and blocks a shot a night. Then there’s Alan Henderson, a former first-round pick who had seen his career in Atlanta derailed by injuries – before this season. Like Cato, Henderson is an efficient scorer (52.2%) and a force on the glass.

Many of the NBA’s top reserve passers are veterans whose games have fallen off enough that they are coming off the bench but not so much that they aren’t still effective. One interesting member of the list is Golden State’s Earl Boykins, a 5-5 player whom the Warriors picked up early this season. Not only is Boykins distributing the ball well (he is in the league’s top 10 with his 3.11 assist/turnover ratio), he’s also been hot shooting it. A career 42% shooter, Boykins is making 46% this season and nearly half of his threes. That’s added up to 10.2 points per game and an excellent find for Golden State.

ABOUT THE SIXTH MAN AWARD
Most recent winner: Corliss Williamson, Detroit (complete list of winners)

No Sonic has ever won the Sixth Man Award, though several honorees have played for the Sonics (Eddie Johnson, Ricky Pierce, and Detlef Schrempf). The best Sonic finish was by current Coach Nate McMillan, who placed second during the 1993-94 season to Charlotte’s Dell Curry.

Eligibility: In order to be eligible for Sixth Man voting, a player must come off the bench for more games than he starts in.

PAST SIXTH MAN CENTRALS