WASHINGTON, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Miller
captured the NBA's Sixth Man Award on Friday.
The honor is given annually to the league's top reserve player. A player
must come off the bench in at least half of their games to be considered for the
award.
Miller received 88 first-place votes and a total of 501 points from a panel
of 123 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada.
He outdistanced Hornets guard Speedy Claxton and Dallas swingman Jerry
Stackhouse for the award.
Claxton finished second in the balloting with 14 first-place votes and 205
points, while Stackhouse garnered 12 first-place tallies and 162 points.
Detroit's Antonio McDyess was fourth and Denver's Earl Boykins finished fifth.
The multi-talented Miller contributed for the Grizzlies on bothends of the
floor, averaging 13.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest. The
Florida product played in 74 games -- 65 as a reserve -- and shot a team-best
40.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Miller cemented his candidacy after pouring in a career-high 41 points, including
a 6-for-6 effort from three-point range, during a March 17 victory against
Denver. He also became the third player in the last 10 years to record a
triple-double in a game he did not start, posting 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10
assists in a January 10 win over Sacramento.
Miller, the 2001 Rookie of the Year with the Orlando Magic, is the first
member of the Grizzlies to take home the award. Enditem