Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk finishes second for NBA Sixth Man of the Year award

Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid was announced as the winner of the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award Wednesday after edging Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk by a narrow margin.

A global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters picked Reid over Monk and Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis. Reid finished with 352 points and 45 first-place votes. Monk had 342 points and 43 first-place votes. Reid and Monk both received 39 second-place votes and 10 third-place votes.

The 10-point difference between the first- and second-place finishers is the smallest margin in Sixth Man of the Year balloting under the current voting format, which began with the 2002-03 season.

Reid averaged career highs of 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists to help the Timberwolves finish third in the Western Conference. He shot 47.7% from the field and a career-best 41.4% from beyond the arc.

Reid is the first member of the Timberwolves to win the Sixth Man of the Year award. He is the third undrafted player to win the award, joining John Starks (1996-97) and Darrell Armstrong (1998-99).

Monk averaged career highs of 15.4 points and 5.1 assists in his second season for the Kings. He shot 44.3% from the field and 35% from 3-point range over 72 games before suffering a right MCL sprain.

Portis appeared in all 82 games for Milwaukee, averaging 13.8 points and 7.4 rebounds to help the Bucks finish third in the Eastern Conference. Portis shot 50.8% from the field and 40.7% from long distance.