The NBA All-Star Game is looming upon us. This year, it is on February 18th in LA. There is a new format this year, with the highest vote receiver from each conference picking his team from the available pool of eleven Eastern Conference All-Stars and eleven Western Conference All-Stars. Here is my unofficial ballot for the game. For the East, my starters are: Victor Oladipo, DeMar DeRozan, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Andre Drummond. Oladipo has had a breakout season, experiencing an eight point jump in PER, as the first option for the Indiana Pacers. When the Pacers traded away Paul George for Oladipo and Sabonis, many pundits thought that they got robbed in the trade, but instead, they found what may just be their new franchise player. In the preseason, many analysts predicted the Pacers to tank in hopes of picking a player like Luka Doncic in the 2018 NBA Draft; however, Oladipo has led them to a playoff spot. DeMar DeRozan has also improved this season, finally learning how to shoot threes, just as sportswriters deemed him the last true mid-range shooter in the NBA. His Toronto Raptors currently hold the two-seed in the East. As for LeBron, no explanation is needed. He is the best basketball player of this generation, and is putting together yet another MVP-caliber season. As is Giannis, also known as the Greek Freak, due to his breathtaking athleticism that garners him 30 points a game. Andre Drummond is the choice that many of you must be wondering about. He is quietly having a great season, averaging 14 points and 15 rebounds a game, while finally fixing his woes at the charity stripe. Gone are the days of Hack-a-Drummond, when teams would intentionally foul him to gain possession of the ball. Now, onto the reserves. They are: Kyrie Irving, Bradley Beal, Al Horford, Kevin Love, Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Kristaps Porzingis. Kyrie Irving and Al Horford have led the young Boston Celtics to the top seed in the East, no small feat, considering the youth on their roster. For the Wizards, another top team in the East, Bradley Beal has stepped up on both ends of the floor in the absence of John Wall. Meanwhile, Kevin Love is fitting perfectly into his new role as the Cavs’ starting center, creating mismatch nightmares for non-shooting centers around the league. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, now that they are healthy, have lead the 76ers back into respectability after a prolonged tanking period. The same goes for Porzingis, the sweet shooting unicorn, and his Knicks. As for the Western Conference, I have: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Karl-Anthony Towns, and DeMarcus Cousins starting. This year, Stephen Curry’s true shooting percentage has matched the levels of his 2016 unanimous MVP season. As for Harden, he leads the league in scoring (32.3 ppg), while he is third in assists per game (9.1 apg). Harden and LeBron are considered to be this year’s front runners for MVP. Kevin Durant is having another phenomenal season, both offensively and defensively. Karl-Anthony Towns is emerging as an offensive anchor for a young Minnesota Timberwolves team, while DeMarcus Cousins continues to stuff the stats sheets on his New Orleans team. Now onto reserves. Off the bench will be: Russell Westbrook, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Anthony Davis, LaMarcus Aldridge, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Jordan. Westbrook, although his stats have dropped from his historic 2016-17 season, is still the reigning MVP, and is within striking distance of averaging yet another triple-double, even with the addition of two more franchise players to the Thunder. At the same time, Jimmy Butler is a stabilizing veteran presence, in addition to clutch shooter and defensive stud, for the Timberwolves. Draymond Green… is Draymond Green. He continues to be the glue guy for the Warriors, doing whatever dirty work is needed to help his team get wins, whether that is playing aggressive defense or handling the ball. His impact emcompasses all aspects of the ballgame, even if his emotions do get out of control. In regards to Anthony Davis, he serves as the second twin tower for the New Orleans Pelicans, alongside DeMarcus Cousins. He is much of the reason why the Pelicans are still in the playoff race. Next up, we have LaMarcus Aldridge. He is also putting up great numbers in Kawhi Leonard’s absence for the ever-so-steady San Antonio Spurs, despite trade rumors after his poor showing in last year’s Western Conference Finals. And, Chris Paul, despite his age, has showed very few signs of slowing down on either end of the floor, as he averages 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Finally, DeAndre Jordan, although he is no longer blessed with the opportunity to play as Paul’s teammate, still averages 11.8 points, 14.9 rebounds, and 66.1% shooting, keeping in line with his stats of years past. Overall, this All Star Game is shaping up to be a very exciting one.
Sunday, December 22, 2024
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