NBA Sixth Man of the Year Power Rankings: Austin Reaves rises, Malik Monk falls

1. Immanuel Quickley

Last week's rank: 1

The last iteration of the rankings praised Immanuel Quickley's defense. And the former Wildcat has continued to display fantastic defense. Despite his small statute, he's a difference-maker on the less glamorous end.

His opponents shoot nearly two percentage points worse when Quickley is the defender. Additionally, he's adept at defending in the pick-and-roll and causing havoc with his on-ball defense.

Conversely, his offensive impact is easily traceable when assessing advanced analytics. Quickley is one of the most efficient players in the league. He ranks top 50 in most advanced analytics, including player efficiency rating (PER) and value over replacement player, VORP for short.

Both metrics are indicators of quality contributors, on both ends of the court. For instance, Quickley's PER is just below Mikal Bridges and right above James Harden. His VORP is on par with Damian Lillard and Dejounte Murray.

In Quickley's last five games, he's done more than enough to keep his spot atop these rankings. The Knicks guard has scored 20 or more in three of the past five contests.

Two nights ago, against the Miami Heat, Quickley poured in 20 points, while knocking down four 3-pointers. In doing so, he led the Knicks with a plus/minus of plus-20.

Not only does Quickley provide efficient offense and defense, but he also adds value as a three-level scorer. The young guard gets to the line more than three times per game and shoots 89.4 percent from the charity stripe. He also possesses an uncanny ability to score in close range with a lethal floater.

The New York guard is the third most important player on the Knicks, behind Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. His spot in the second unit is essential for the Knicks' success.