Houston Rockets’ shooting guard Eric Gordon put together a terrific season and received some hardware for it. At the 2017 NBA Award Show Gordon received the ultimate accolade for a reserve player, the Sixth-Man of the Year Award. He played in 75 of the Rockets’ games, starting in only 15 of them. The 75 games is the second-highest of his career and most since his rookie season with the Los Angeles Clippers. He beat out teammate Lou Williams and Golden State Warriors’ veteran Andre Iguodala for the award.
Eric Gordon accepts his 2016-17 Sixth Man of the Year award pic.twitter.com/BNUgxdfzjp
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) June 27, 2017
Gordon averaged 16.2 points per game, his highest total since the 2012-2013 season when he was a member of the New Orleans Hornets. His 31 minutes per game is the lowest since that same season with the Hornets, but he only played in 42 games. As an integral part of the Rockets’ rotation Gordon provided potent scoring off the bench, particularly from behind the three-point line. He was such a sniper from behind the arc, he was invited to participate in the Three-Point Shootout during All-Star Weekend and ended up winning the contest over Kyrie Irving.
Gordon becomes the first Houston Rocket to take home the award. Gordon signed a four-year contract with Houston this past offseason and fit right in to coach Mike D’Antoni’s offensive system. Gordon nailed 256 three-pointers this season, good for fourth in the NBA.
