New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.
Smith will be presented the award Monday in New York after edging the likes of Jamal Crawford (Clippers), Manu Ginobili (Spurs) and Jarrett Jack (Warriors).
Smith averaged 18.1 points per game, shooting 35.6 percent from 3-point range and averaged 33.5 minutes per game, all off the bench. He also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
The 6-6, 220-pounder scored 15 points with five rebounds and two steals in Game 1 of the Knicks’ Eastern Conference playoff series with the Boston Celtics Saturday.
Smith re-signed with the Knicks as a free agent in July, when he said “despite my other options, New York is the best situation for me.”
Smith earns $2.8 million this season and the same salary next season on the terms of the two-year agreement signed last summer, when the Knicks allowed part-time starters Landry Fields and Jeremy Lin to leave as restricted free agents. Fields (three years, $20 million) and Lin (four years, $28.8 million) left for Toronto and Houston, respectively.