Picking All-Star Teams: How many Cavs make the cut?
Picking All-Star Teams: West Reserves
We are five players into picking the West All-Stars and haven’t mentioned some major MVP candidates; that’s how deep the league’s stars are this year.
Backcourt: Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies look like the team to beat in the Western Conference and Ja Morant is the straw that stirs the drink, especially with Desmond Bane sidelined for much of the year. He is a force of nature attacking the paint, putting up 26.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game. He will earn his second career All-Star appearance this year.
Backcourt: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Even though he plays for a losing team, the Thunder’s moderate success this season should be enough to earn Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a shot at the All-Star Game roster, and his production this season should seal the deal. 31.2 points is easily a career-high and he has a number of big shots already on his ledger for the season. He is getting to the free-throw line 10 times per game and hitting a league-leading 93 percent of those shots.
Frontcourt: Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz were supposed to be tanking this season, but instead they are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff mix with the West’s sixth-best point differential. They owe that success to a deep collection of solid players, but Lauri Markkanen is chief among them. 22.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 65.7 true-shooting percentage are All-Star numbers, and he should give the Cavs two former players on the All-Star rosters.
Frontcourt: Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
We don’t have to re-litigate the Kings’ trade for Sabonis to recognize that he is having a great season for a Sacramento team in fifth place in the West. His 17.7 points might seem pedestrian, but add in the 11.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 62.6 percent field goal percentage and his all-around offensive impact comes to the fore. He is 17th in the league in Estimated Plus-Minus and most other advanced metrics highlight the positive impact he is having on one of the league’s best offenses.
Frontcourt: LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Saying that LeBron James has lost a step is both true and completely missing the point, as that loss has only been marginal despite James’ age and NBA mileage. 27 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists leading into his 38th birthday this month is wildly impressive, the latest such accolade in basketball’s most decorated career. James will ultimately be voted in as a starter, but even if not he would be worthy of a spot on the team.
Wild Card 1: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are no longer in first place in the West, but they are still a robust 18-12 with a solid point differential despite not having Jae Crowder at all this season, and missing Cameron Johnson and Chris Paul for long stretches. Booker has been having another career year, with 28 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
Wild Card 2: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
We are now to our final spot on the All-Star team, and we haven’t mentioned Paul George, De’Aaron Fox, Anthony Edwards or Draymond Green. Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Grizzlies is having an excellent season. There are plenty of deserving candidates who will be left off the list.
Damian Lillard claims the final spot this time around, the best player on a 17-13 Portland Trail Blazers team. He has only played in 18 games, but as that total continues to go up his 28.3 points, 7.1 assists and 39.8 percent from 3-point range on a whopping 11.2 attempts per game will put him firmly in the discussion to make his seventh All-Star Game.