It's a good time to be Brandon Bass. First, you get traded from the Orlando Magic to the Boston Celtics in exchange for a childhood friend (and general goof ball) Glen Davis. Then, you get off to a tremendous start and win the hearts of Celtics fans everywhere. Now, you're one of five Celtics listed on the NBA All-Star Ballot.
And to top it all off, Bass might just be the best sixth man in the NBA. Again, a good time to be Bass.
"Energy, play good defense, rebound, score when I get good opportunities," Bass said when asked about being the Celtics' sixth man and changing the game's pace. "That's what I think my role is and that's what I'm going to try to bring every night."
Bass is averaging 14.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in seven games with the Celtics this season. Bass is certainly a talented play on his own, but he credits Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett with putting him in position, at least against the Nets on Wednesday.
"Rondo, Paul and KG all put me in a position to shoot, swing and go into pick and roll so I don't think it's my job to be a play maker, but I will make a play if I get the opportunity to."
Bass certainly wasn't kidding about not being a play maker. His career high for assists in a game is four. Just four. On the season, he has three assists - including one against New Jersey. Still, with the ball in his hands, Bass is deadly.
But is Bass the league's best sixth man? He is certainly making a very strong case, but he is only seven games into a 66-game season. That being the case, Bass will have to keep up his current level of play. If he does, he may very well walk away with the Sixth Man of the Year hardware from the NBA at the year's end.
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