From what we’ve seen from Terrence Ross off the Orlando Magic bench this season, it’s easy to say that Ross is one of the most consistent role players in the NBA. It’s no secret that Ross has been putting together one of his best seasons as a pro off the bench, averaging 15.2 PPG and 3.4 RPG in 29.5 MPG. Ross has become a household name from downtown, too, making 34.0% of his six three-point attempts he’s taking per game. Ross has been playing well enough to find himself in the running for the Sixth Man of the Year Award. Unfortunately, he isn’t the favorite, as Jordan Clarkson and Eric Gordon seem to lead the race. On the other hand, if Ross gets on a hot streak with his play, he will improve his chance for the Sixth Man of the Year Award.
The Case for Terrence Ross winning the Award
Simply put, two things will propel Terrence Ross to the Award. It will have to be his shooting and his impact on the Magic. Starting will Ross’s shooting, the solid numbers are already there. Ross will just need to sustain them throughout the season. In addition to making 34.0% of his three-point attempts, Ross is also connecting on 40.5% of his field-goal attempts and 89.3% from the free-throw line, which ranks 14th in the NBA. Ross has been particularly effective shooting inside five feet from the rim, making 58.7% of his shots and from 25-29 feet away, making 36.1% of his shots. If Ross’s shooting production starts to dip, his chances to win the sixth-man award will also dip. Ross hasn’t had great defensive play, at 1.1 SPG and 0.5 BPG, which is why the Magic’s success and Ross’ chances of winning this award lie so heavily on his shooting.
The Case Against Terrence Ross winning the Award
Yes, Ross has been good, but has he been good enough? Here is a quick comparison of Ross’ stats and Clarkson’s:
- Ross’ 2020-2021 Stats: 35 Games, 29.5 MPG, 15.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 40.5% FG, 34.0% Three-Point.
- Clarkson’s 2020-2021 Stats: 36 Games, 26.0 MPG, 17.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 44.7% FG, 37.0% Three-Point.
In most stats, Clarkson has been more efficient, besides Steals and Blocks per game. Let’s see how Ross stacks up against Boucher, however:
- Ross’ 2020-2021 Stats: 35 Games, 29.5 MPG, 15.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 40.5% FG, 34.0% Three-Point.
- Boucher’s 2020-2021 Stats: 35 Games, 23.3 MPG, 13.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.0 BPG, 52.4% FG, 43.8% Three-Point.
Unlike his comparison with Clarkson, Ross boasts a better stat line across the board, but Boucher plays an average of six minutes less per game, so this should also be taken into consideration. Considering that many of the NBA’s prestigious awards are overwhelmingly based on stats, Ross will need to continue to increase his production in the second half of the NBA Season.