MASON REDD VAN EXEL KIRILENKO WILLIAMSON PPG - SEASON 13.9 14.6 11.7 12.9 11.6 RPG 6.5 4.5 2.9 5.4 4.3 APG 1.3 1.5 4.6 2.2 1.4 MPG 33.5 29.0 26.6 27.1 24.8 FG % .443 .462 .395 .537 .428 PPG - WEEK 10.0 9.3 8.7 9.7 10.0 RPG 5.7 2.3 2.3 5.0 5.5 APG 1.0 1.3 3.3 3.0 1.0

Nick Van Exel was the lone bright spot for Dallas on Wendesday. Jed Jacobsohn/NBAE

THE SKINNY
It was a down week across the board for top Sixth Man Award candidates. Only two of the five reached double-figures with their scoring averages, and those two by the slimmest of margins. Is there any explanation for this trend? With the All-Star break nearing, perhaps Desmond Mason, who plays more than thirty minutes a night, is tiring a little. The rest of the candidates, however, are not used nearly as much as Mason. Probably just one of those things.

What many of the candidates did do was play well in nationally-televised games. His Dallas team was embarrassed in front of America, but Nick Van Exel played well against the Sacramento Kings. He kept the Mavericks reasonably close during the first half, and finished the night with 20 points. A night later, Mason and Utah’s Andrei Kirilenko squared off on TNT. Not only did Kirilenko’s team win the war, he won the individual matchup with Mason. Kirilenko had 13 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, while Mason could muster only a quiet 11-point effort. For both Kirilenko and Van Exel, the performances salvaged weeks which were otherwise poor.

Corliss Williamson played three solid games, but was not so effective in his fourth game in five nights at Miami. He shot 2-for-6 and had three turnovers as the Heat upset Detroit, 88-85. Williamson’s six points marked the first time in 2003 he’s failed to score double-figures. Streaky Michael Redd continued his on-again, off-again play for the Bucks. After back-to-back seven-point efforts, he came through with 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting on Wednesday as Milwaukee beat Toronto, 99-87.

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