Clippers’ Jamal Crawford is third in NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting

Toronto Raptors guard Lou Williams has been named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year, receiving 78 first-place votes. Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas finished second in the voting with 33 first-place votes, and Clippers guard Jamal Crawford was third with eight first-place votes.

Williams, a 28-year-old, 10-year veteran in the league, averaged a career-high 15.5 points a game, helping lead the Raptors to an Atlantic Division title and a record of 49-33.

Crawford, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, averaged 15.8 points a game for the Clippers, who finished as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with a record of 56-26. Last season, when Crawford won the award, he averaged 18.6 points.

The Clippers’ reserve guard missed five weeks because of a severe right calf bruise that he sustained in a game on March 2, and that sidelined him until April 7.

Crawford said that he finally felt like himself in the Clippers’ playoff opener against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, a 107-92 win for the Clippers.

Crawford had 17 points on seven-for-10 shooting in 22 minutes and 34 seconds, including making three of his four three-point attempts.

“I thought the days in between the last game and this game I was able to get some work in, get my conditioning right ... and it just felt normal,” Crawford said.