Stars und Sternchen! » Associated Press on condition of anonymity

LOS ANGELES -- Clippers guard Jamal Crawford will be named the NBAs Sixth Man of the Year for the second time in his career, a league official with knowledge of the award said. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the league hasnt announced the award. Crawford was the Clippers third-leading scorer and the NBAs top-scoring reserve with 18.6 points per game. He added 3.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game for the two-time Pacific Division champions. "Hes deserving of it," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "I dont know that theres a more lethal weapon in the league that you could bring off the bench." While starting just 24 of his 69 games this season, the shifty veteran guard had his highest scoring average since the 2009-10 season with Atlanta, where he won his first Sixth Man award. Crawford is the Clippers top perimeter threat, setting a franchise record with 161 3-pointers while making at least one 3-pointer in 63 games. The 6-foot-5 guard also finished ninth in the NBA by making 86.6 per cent of his free throws. Rivers believes Crawford will win the award for his all-around game, not just his shooting acumen. "Hes done this in the past, over the past couple years, where hes been so good offensively," Rivers said. "But I actually think he won it because I think voters saw him doing other things for the team -- playing defence, running the team at the point guard position when Chris Paul was out at times. Hes been the perfect utility player for a team. Hes been awesome." The 34-year-old Crawford has spent 14 NBA seasons with six teams, including lengthy stints with the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks. Although he once scored 52 points in a game and averaged more than 20 points per game during a season in New York, Crawford has carved out a career as a dependable rotation member with the Clippers for the last two years, delivering steady bench scoring and veteran leadership. Crawford likely would have received the award Tuesday night before the Clippers fifth playoff game against the Golden State Warriors, but the trouble surrounding Clippers owner Donald Sterling prevented it. Los Angeles leads the series 3-2 heading into Game 6 in Oakland on Thursday night. The Clippers are one win away from just their third playoff series victory in 33 years. Crawford is the fourth player to win the Sixth Man award twice in his career, joining Kevin McHale, Ricky Pierce and Detlef Schrempf. Crawford is the first to win it with two different teams. Saucony Shoes Sale . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Watch the 2014 NBA Draft on TSN, Thursday at 7pm et/4pm pt. Buy Saucony Shoes . The defending champions’ roller coaster season included trading offensive star Percy Harvin in the midst of the team’s 3-3 start. 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At least that is what they said the day after. "Its gone now," goalie Henrik Lundqvist proclaimed Saturday of the 2-1 defeat that tied the series 2-2. "On the way home it was disappointing, and you try to learn something and come up with something that will help you moving forward, but then you let it go." The Metropolitan Division rivals will get right back at it Sunday at noon in the pivotal Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, where the clubs split the opening two games. They split again in Philadelphia, and neither team has won two straight. Someone will be facing elimination on Tuesday in Game 6 back in Philadelphia. If the series is stretched to the limit, the deciding game will be Wednesday in New York. "You try not to think too much about the consequences," Lundqvist said. "You just try to focus on your game and what you have to do, and enjoy it, tell yourself that its fun, because it is -- when youre winning." While the Rangers have lost 11 straight games when leading a series, they have come out OK recently in series that were tied 2-2. Four of New Yorks previous five matchups have been squared after four games, but although the Rangers went only 1-3 in those Game 5s they won three of four series. The Rangers have also come out on top in six of the past nine series in which they were tied 2-2, dating to the 1992 Patrick Division semifinals against New Jersey. "Its a pivotal game regardless of the outcome," forward Brian Boyle said. New York was stymied on Friday by Steve Mason, who made 37 saves in his first start in 13 days following what was believed to be a concussion. He played the final 7-plus minutes in relief of Ray Emery in the Rangers Game 3 win before getting the starting nod from coach Craig Berube. It was Masons first NHL playoff victory, and the Rangers expect to test him even more Sunday. "The teams that win Cups are the teams that have that urgency all the time," New York forward Brad Richards said. "Its impossible to have Game 1 like a Game 7. I have never seen it. "I dont think we went out and laid an egg (Friday) ... but we didnt win, so its not goodd enough.dddddddddddd. We get right back (Sunday). We dont have too much time to think about it, so thats good." The Rangers pressured Mason early, and took a brief 1-0 lead in the first period when they held a 16-6 edge in shots. But that was the only scoring for New York, which failed on all four power plays. "We can dissect this all we want," Richards said. "We played a pretty good hockey game. Thats good for us. Our 5-on-5 game is coming, and I thought we controlled a lot of play. There has got to be more. There are 100 ways to lose a hockey game." Richards said the team spent a large portion of Saturday morning before an optional on-ice practice working on ways to improve the power play that went 3-for-12 in the first two games but is 0-for-8 since. He credited the Flyers for making improvements to their penalty-killing and changing things up. "Weve definitely got to get some different things, different looks," Richards said. "They are blocking more shots, their lanes are a lot different. Now its our turn to up that and make them adjust again and try to score a goal." The Flyers will have a new look on defence on Sunday when defenceman Nick Grossmann sits out because of a right knee injury sustained in Game 4. Berube didnt announce who would play in his place, but veteran Hal Gill was alongside defenceman Mark Streit throughout practice Saturday. The 39-year-old Gill played in only six games this season and has yet to appear in this series. "This is what Ive been working to do," said Gill, who has played in 110 career playoff games in 16 NHL seasons. "Ive had it in my head over and over again. It will be nice to have it come to fruition on Sunday. "Weve got a guy banged up. If he cant play, thats what Ive been working for." The team that has scored first in the four games has lost three of them -- only the Rangers in Game 3 bucked the trend. The Flyers came back from an 0-2 deficit to win Game 2, the only time in four tries this season they have won in New York. Philadelphia rallied in the third period to win 11 times during the season. "Its not the ideal situation," Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds said. "Ideally, youd like to play with the lead. Its a best-of-three series now, so weve got to make sure were smart and were coming out strong." ' ' '