Kevin Pelton, SUPERSONICS.COM | Mar. 9, 2005
"The definition of a sixth man is a player who changes the game, often dramatically, when he enters," wrote the
South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman in picking his mid-season NBA awards in January.
It's a definition that could probably be agreed on as one of the best ways to pick the NBA's Sixth Man Award winner. Traditionally, the league's top sixth men have been players good enough to be starters, but held in reserve so as to maximize the impact of their game-changing ability. Think Detlef Schrempf's versatility in Indiana, Kevin McHale's low-post potency in Boston or the perimeter punch provided by two more former Sonics, Ricky Pierce and Eddie Johnson.
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"He's ho-hum, just walks in and knocks down 3s."
Jeff Reinking/NBAE/Getty
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Winderman went on to select Sonics big man
Danny Fortson as his first-half Sixth Man, and that's certainly not a selection that the new SUPERSONICS.COM is going to quibble with. But as big of an impact as Fortson has had when he checks in for the Sonics, his game-changing ability has paled in comparison to that of
Vladimir Radmanovic, the true sixth man - he is virtually always
Nate McMillan's first substitution - and the leader of the NBA's best bench.
The most objective way to measure how well a reserve changes the game for their team is to look at their plus-minus statistics and see how well the team has fared with them on the court. By this measure, Radmanovic blows away the competition.
As of the most recent update by 82games.com on March 2, Radmanovic had a +10.4 Roland Rating, meaning the Sonics have been 10.4 points per 48 minutes better with him on the court than when he's watching from the bench. That ranks him 18th in the NBA and tops amongst all reserves.
In this case, the statistics only reinforce what is clear from watching Radmanovic play. While the Sonics have been successful with a traditional starting lineup, they've been at their most potent offensively with Radmanovic at power forward exploiting mismatches against lead-footed opposing big men unwilling or unable to defend him all the way out to 3-point line.
Again, the numbers match the qualitative observation. According to 82games.com, only Phoenix's MVP candidate Steve Nash has seen his team post a better Offensive Rating while he's been on the court than Radmanovic.
"He's ho-hum, just walks in and knocks down 3s," said New Orleans guard Dan Dickau after Radmanovic dropped 18 points and four 3-pointers on the Hornets to break open a 108-91 win in February.
"When you have Ray Allen dribbling to the line and shooting three pointers and when you have Radmanovic shooting wide open three pointers or just good shots in general … you know it’s going to be hard to beat a team like that," said Portland's Damon Stoudamire when Radmanovic scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half of a 99-89 win over the Trail Blazers in December.
As those games and countless others demonstrate, while 
Ray Allen and 
Rashard Lewis are the Sonics best players, Radmanovic might be the most important to the team.
"I think people come to see us as foregone conclusions, Rashard and myself, but they also want to see who's going to step up and play well," says Allen. "A team's scouting report is focused a lot on the two of us. But when we get production from 
Jerome (James) and Vlade, it's what they don't expect. It takes them by storm. It's a situation they can't stop, because they didn't prepare for it.
"He's our X-factor, I think."
Consider this statistic which speaks to Radmanovic's importance. When he scores at least 15 points in a game this season, the Sonics are 16-3. When he scores less than five points, they're 1-7.
"Let's just say when he's not going well … we're a very different team," says McMillan. "You kind of know what Ra (Lewis) and Ray are going to give you. You expect Vlade to give it you, but I think we have a hard time winning games when Vlade struggles more than when any other guy struggles. When his shooting is off, we seem to really have a hard time winning games."
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"There's no question in my mind that he's the Sixth Man of the Year."
Thearon Henderson/NBAE/Getty
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Days after McMillan made that comment, he unwittingly proved prophetic. Radmanovic has been bothered off and on by a sprained right wrist over the last three weeks, and posted one of his worst games of the season Sunday against the Phoenix Suns, shooting 2-for-13 from the field and missing all eight of his 3-point attempts as the Sonics lost to Phoenix 110-99.
During Radmanovic's first three seasons in the league, those kinds of games were somewhat commonplace, in no small part because he was struggling to find his role on the Sonics or accept that the best spot for him might be coming off the bench. This season, that kind of performance is the exception that proves the rule.
"The way I try to attack and the things we try and do, it's (Radmanovic's role) worked this season for us," says McMillan. "I think the big thing is he has accepted it this year, whereas in past years he has really fought coming off the bench and not starting. This year, he has accepted that role. I think he now knows how important, how valuable that role is, that his minutes really don't change and that he'll get opportunities. I think that's allowed him to play better."
The end result?
"There's no question in my mind that he's the Sixth Man of the Year," McMillan said after a game earlier this year.
If changing the game is the criteria, there is no other choice.
| SIXTH MAN CONTENDER COMPARISON |
| Player |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
TS% |
R48 |
Roland |
| Vladimir Radmanovic |
12.1 |
4.6 |
1.4 |
.543 |
7.4 |
9.4 |
| Ricky Davis |
15.4 |
2.9 |
2.8 |
.545 |
4.3 |
-3.1 |
| Ben Gordon |
14.7 |
2.6 |
1.9 |
.543 |
5.2 |
3.5 |
| Jerry Stackhouse |
15.5 |
3.6 |
2.2 |
.520 |
5.5 |
-3.5 |
| Hedo Turkoglu |
13.7 |
3.6 |
2.2 |
.531 |
6.7 |
1.5 |
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Key:
TS% - True Shooting Percentage
R48 - Rebounds per 48 minutes
Roland - Roland Rating
Sonics-Houston Gallery