NBA Sixth Man of the Year Power Rankings: Austin Reaves shoots up the board

2. Austin Reaves

Last week's rank: 5

Coming off the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament Championship, Austin Reaves now ranks second in these power rankings.

Saturday night, in the Championship, Reaves put up 28 points, two rebounds, and three assists in 28 minutes of action. Reaves knocked down nine of his 15 attempts and got to the free throw line 12 times, making 10.

The move to the bench has done wonders for Reaves. The Lakers guard started the first eight games of the season before moving to the second unit. And while he's playing less minutes, he's making the most of his time.

Off the pine, Reaves has upped both his counting stats and his shooting percentages. As a reserve, Reaves plus/minus is plus-7.3. If Reaves' starts were discounted, he'd rank seventh in the association in plus/minus.

The well-versed Lakers guard has taken advantage of his new role. Before his two-assist showing in the In-Season Tournament Championship, Reaves had recorded seven assists in the Semi-Final game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Reaves is an integral part of the Lakers, and probably the third-best player on the roster. He's top five on the team in points, rebounds, assists, field goals, 3-pointers, and steals.

The Los Angeles guard looks like a mainstay in the top five. His placement is stable due to a combination of offense, defense, and his vitalness to the Lakers' success.