Hardaway Jr. Sixth Man push

Tim Hardaway Jr. has produced 13 games of 20-plus points this season, and the Nuggets are 10-3 in those contests, a marker analysts cite for his impact off the bench. (si.com) His shooting has been unusually efficient for a volume reserve: Basketball-Reference lists a 3-point percentage of 40.9% and an effective field-goal percentage of 59.4% for 2025-26. (basketball-reference.com) Denver signed Hardaway in the offseason as part of a depth-driven push and then deliberately kept him in the first-player-off-the-bench role despite his history of starting: the team’s official offseason notes highlighted the signing and role fit. (nba.com) Hardaway’s March 20 performance against Toronto—seven made threes on 7-of-10 from deep for 23 points in a fourth-quarter comeback—served as a recent, high-profile example of his scoring punch when the starters rest. (espn.com) Head coach David Adelman singled out Hardaway’s unshakable confidence and veteran leadership after that game, calling his mentality “all things great and crazy at the same time” when describing big reserve moments. (si.com) Betting markets and odds trackers currently list Hardaway as a longer-shot candidate for Sixth Man of the Year compared with frontrunners like Naz Reid and Keldon Johnson, with some sportsbooks placing Hardaway well down the board. (sports.betmgm.com)