Basketball fans will want to stay tuned this week, as the NBA is set to reveal the winners of four key postseason awards – one per day – starting Tuesday, according to an official announcement from NBA Communications.
The league will kick things off with the Sixth Man of the Year award on Tuesday.
The finalists for this honor, which goes to the league’s top-performing bench player, are Payton Pritchard of the Boston Celtics, Malik Beasley of the Detroit Pistons, and Ty Jerome of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Among the three, Pritchard is widely expected to take home the trophy after a strong season providing energy and scoring off the bench for the Eastern Conference’s top seed.
On Wednesday, attention turns to the Clutch Player of the Year award, given to the player who most consistently delivers in high-pressure, late-game situations.
The finalists include Denver Nuggets superstar and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, rising Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, and New York Knicks floor general Jalen Brunson.
Thursday will spotlight the NBA’s best defensive talent with the Defensive Player of the Year award.
This year’s finalists are veteran Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors, young standout Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks, and Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, who has quickly developed into one of the league’s most feared rim protectors.
Finally, the week wraps up on Friday with the announcement of the Hustle Award winner, which recognizes the player who consistently demonstrates effort and intensity through metrics like deflections, loose ball recoveries, and charges drawn.
Unlike the other awards, no finalists were announced in advance for the Hustle Award, and it will be revealed via the NBA’s social media channels on Friday afternoon rather than during TNT’s nightly coverage.
Each of the first three awards – Sixth Man, Clutch Player, and Defensive Player – will be unveiled during TNT’s live broadcasts throughout the week, continuing the network’s tradition of hosting key moments in the NBA’s award season.
Sixth Man Award, Three Others, To Be Announced This Week https://t.co/kxZcLlA10A pic.twitter.com/b34qDgXvhv
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) April 22, 2025
