Better Team: Golden State Warriors or Houston Rockets?

Sixth Man

May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson (11) reacts during the fourth quarter in game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle Arena. The Spurs defeated the Warriors 94-82. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Warriors unfortunately lost arguably the best backup point guard in the league during this offseason, but with the acquisition of Iguodala, a new sixth man has emerged: Harrison Barnes. Barnes displayed skill beyond his years during the playoffs and showed that his ceiling is potentially higher than anyone the Warriors have on the team currently.

The Rockets lost their sixth man as well, three-point threat Carlos Delfino, to the Bucks so the position is vacant for them. Assuming that they do comply with Omer Asik’s request to be traded, a new sixth man for the Rocket’s will emerge, and I believe that man is Patrick Beverley. Although both play different positions, let’s compare what each could accomplish by coming off the bench.

Barnes, like Beverley, really demonstrated his skill during the playoffs. The rookie averaged 16.1 points on an efficient 44.4 percent from the field on an average of 13.5 attempts. He also displayed his range by shooting 36.5 from beyond the arc on an average of 4.3 attempts. Barnes showed that he could rack up boards as well, averaging 6.4 rebounds per game. His stepping-up on the largest stage imaginable is a testament to his cool demeanour, even in the face of extreme pressure. Who can forget the play that Barnes violently hit the floor, had to go get stitches and then re-entered the game.

Barnes would likely come in for Iguodala and displays the same ability to deliver explosive dunks. The great thing about Barnes is his versatility, as he has demonstrated a polished face-up game at the four. In fact, his play at the power forward position was one of the deciding factors in the series against the Denver Nuggets.

Beverley, like Barnes, is playing his first season in the NBA. After being drafted by the Lakers in 2009, Beverley bounced around a little in the D-League and was unable to find a home in the NBA until this season. His NBA debut came on January 15, 2013, nearly four years after he was drafted in the second round in 2009. Beverely’s best performance came during the playoffs, where he averaged 11.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in just 33.3 minutes of play. He also managed to average 1.2 steals.

Though his assist numbers were a little low, his true purpose was not as an offensive spark plug, but as an instant defensive force. Although he lacks the court vision and floor-general talents of Jeremy Lin, Beverley has carved out his niche as “instant defense” and is a better defender than starter Lin.

While Barnes is indeed the better player between the two, Beverley demonstrates more skills that would lead me to conclude he is the better sixth man. By playing with a chip on his shoulder, he knows that he has to make every minute of play count, and that is why we see his intensity on the court in his short stints of playtime.

Edge: Rockets