Key Keldon Johnson change that's unlocking his undeniable Sixth Man award case

It's hard to talk about the San Antonio Spurs' success this season and not mention the play of one Keldon Johnson. Johnson has been with the Spurs long enough to bridge three eras: the LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan era, the rebuild years, and now the reign of Victor Wembanyama.

That makes him the backbone of the Spurs, and he is now playing like it. His difference in play this season compared to last year has been subtle but important.

Last season, his shooting within three feet improved dramatically, going from 63.6% the year before to 70.3%. That big leap paved the way for his success this season, since most of his shots come from that area, and he's shooting nearly as well at the rim this season.

However, he is quietly shooting 42.7% from three, with most of his 3-point attempts coming from the right corner. He has also been a beast on the glass, snatching 2.1 offensive boards per game. That has added an interesting facet to his game that has only helped both him and the team.

Those major developments have transformed him into a potential Sixth Man of the Year candidate and made him far more reliable than in recent seasons.

Keldon Johnson's Sixth Man of the Year case is undeniable

While not the end-all be-all, Johnson ranks second in the NBA in bench scoring, behind only Ajay Mitchell of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He is likely Johnson's biggest competition, though Big Body might have the better Sixth Man of the Year case.

For one, Mitchell has played fewer than 75 career games and is still a relatively new name around the NBA. That's not to say that Johnson is a household name, but he's been around for a lot longer and also coming off the bench for longer too.

Normally, experience doesn't factor into consideration, but a second-year player winning a major award is pretty rare, aside from Most Improved Player. Another factor is that Johnson is playing fewer minutes

Keldon Johnson may beat out a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder

He is arguably putting up better numbers, averaging 13.2 points and 6.5 rebounds in 23.3 minutes while shooting a shocking 57.1% from the field.

Compare that to Mitchell's 13.9 points and 3.4 rebounds in 25.7 minutes, and that would seemingly favor our guy. Team success may also play a role, with the Thunder on pace to have the best record in the NBA, but the Spurs are following close behind.

How great would it be for the Spurs to get another win over the Thunder, this time by having Johnson beat out a member of OKC? Victor Wembanyama is teetering on the brink of being ineligible for Defensive Player of the Year or All-NBA.

Meanwhile, with Chet Holmgren being the next most likely candidate for those honors, it's possible the Spurs and OKC could end up splitting those two awards.

If Shai-Gigeous Alexander wins MVP, that would obviously be the tiebreaker. But with the two teams hopefully on a collision course for a playoff series, that would give both teams and players such as Johnson the chance to prove who is ultimately better.