For the seventh year in a row, the NBA asked me if I would be one of the media members who vote on which players should start in the NBA All-Star Game. For some incomprehensible reason, I said yes. This is how I use my ballot.
Quick reminder: Yes, the NBA has changed the All-Star Game format again — this time to a round-robin tournament with two American players and one “World” roster, ultimately selecting 16 American-born players and 8 international players…unless the vote turns out to be less More than 16 U.S.-born players or eight international players are selected, in which case NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will begin nominating American or international players to balance the sides. (Finding all this confusing? You’re not alone!)
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While the latest structural changes have breathed some life into the proceedings, the specifics of the voting remain the same: Five players are voted on in each conference, with fan votes accounting for 50% of the final result and player and media votes accounting for 25% each. What are the main feature differences this year? Instead of selecting three frontcourt players and two backcourt players in each conference, the vote went to no position at all. Just pick five people and move on.
Let’s start with the west side:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
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Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
Victor Wembanyama, Tottenham
Luka Doncic, Lakers
Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
All the stats and records heading into Thursday’s game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
If you’re reading this, I guess I don’t have to burn too many calories to convince you that Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic — the top two in MVP voting in each of the past two seasons, and likely the top two this season barring eligibility issues — are worthy of the starting vote.
Gilgeous-Alexander won his first MVP trophy and NBA championship and seemed to be better in every aspect. He ranks second in the NBA in scoring, averaging 31.9 points per game, shooting 55/39/89, scoring more efficiently and making fewer mistakes. He has been an excellent mover for the Thunder and started with a 24-1 record. Although the Thunder is currently “sluggish”, he still ranks first in the Western Conference and is on track to achieve 68 wins (and a net rating of 70 teams). According to Basketball Reference, the Thunder outscore opponents by 16.5 points per 100 possessions with SGA on the court, the largest advantage among NBA players.
Hey, here’s what I just looked up: There are only three guards in NBA history who averaged 30 points and 5 assists while shooting 50% from the field. Stephen Curry did just that in his unanimous MVP season in 2015-16. Michael Jordan did this five times. Eighth-grader Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off his fourth straight year.
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That said: This is a legitimately historic campaign that may finally engage the SGA in some extremely noble conversations before the dust settles. For now, though, it would earn him his fourth straight All-Star selection.
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
Jokic got off to the best start of the game before hyperextending his left knee his Profession. When you’ve won three MVPs, manthis sentence says too much.
Jokic averages 29.8 points per game, ranking fifth in the NBA. lead Leads league in rebounds and assists; he’s 12 years old all He is still far away from following Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook as the only players in NBA history to average a 30-point triple-double in a single season. On a per-minute and per-possession basis, Jokic has never scored as many points, in part because he’s averaging 4.8 three-pointers per game and shooting 43.5 percent from the field, both career highs.
Among players who use at least 25 percent of their team’s offensive possessions, he’s on pace to have the highest true shooting percentage in NBA history, surpassing…himself. He’s also on pace to set new all-time records in win shares per 48 minutes, rebounding plus-minus and player efficiency, and become the seventh player in history to assist on more than half of his teammates’ field goals; the Nuggets’ scoring is ridiculous 130.1 His points per 100 non-garbage time possessions during his playing time are light years ahead of what the best offenses in league history have accomplished. Missed games be damned: The roster of players with a more pronounced impact on the floor than Jokic this season either only has one name or doesn’t exist at all. An easy choice.
Victor Wembanyama, Tottenham
The same goes for Wembunyama, who was at the heart of the Spurs’ rise to third in the Western Conference and emerged as a true title contender on the strength of four three-time wins over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder and a trip to the NBA Cup Championship Game.
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With Wimby out due to injury, some voters may feel even more compelled to remove Wimby from the starting job: He was limited in playing time due to a calf strain early in the season, followed by a hyperextended knee, and he played in just 26 games and 753 minutes — well below other serious candidates for the starting job. I heard it. I don’t really care about it either.
I mean, hurry up: The 22-year-old is averaging 24 points, 11 rebounds and three assists per game while shooting 51.4 percent from the field — something no one has accomplished since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 56 years ago — while also being hailed as the most dangerous defensive force on the planet.
There’s a lot of credit for the San Antonio Spurs’ surge up the standings: Steph Castle taking a huge leap in year two; To De’Aaron Fox, reminding everyone why the Spurs went out, acquired him, and paid him; a roster filled with players (Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson, Luke Kornet, Julian Champany) who are stars in their respective roles; head coach Mitch Johnson Johnson has deftly inherited the mantle left by one of the greatest legends of all time in coaching; however, it all starts with the man in the middle – and his 750 recorded minutes are enough to earn my vote.
Luka Doncic, Lakers
Doncic leads the NBA with 33.4 points per game and a 0.606 true shooting percentage. In addition, he has 8.8 assists (fourth in the league) and 7.9 rebounds per night. He is the main defender of the Lakers, who are competing for the top four positions in the Western Conference.
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The Lakers also have some shortcomings, even though their performance is just Add -1 This season – no points scored per 100 items;a little period — and they outperformed their point differential and 23rd-ranked defense, thanks in large part to an NBA-best 13-1 record in “clutch” games. But Los Angeles relies on its offense to win, ranking seventh in points per possession and at its best with Luka leading the way: When he’s on the floor, the Lakers score like the Thunder, and when he doesn’t, the Lakers score like the Pelicans.
Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
The fifth starting spot comes down to a few candidates coming off outstanding seasons. Kevin Durant, Alperon Sengung keep Houston Rockets’ offense in top-five position and Despite losing starting point guard Fred VanVleet in the preseason, the defense is efficient and in contention for a top-four spot in the Western Conference. Despite an ongoing salary cap circumvention investigation, Kawhi Leonard hasn’t played in nearly two months — and since Thanksgiving, he’s turned the previously lifeless Clippers into one of the NBA’s hottest teams with 30.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.1 shares on 50/40/93 shooting. In the Bay Area, Curry is scoring as many points per minute and per possession as he did in his unanimous MVP season a decade ago, and he’s shooting incredibly efficiently against the Warriors, and as always, Curry can only do as much as he can.
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Ultimately, though, I went with Edwards, both because of his role in propelling Minnesota up the rankings — entering Thursday’s game just behind second in the Western Conference with the NBA’s best record and fourth-best net rating since Thanksgiving — and his stunning individual performance.
Edwards continues to add points and is impressive and That high efficiency has continued every year of his career. He’s averaging a career-high 28.9 points per game with a .626 true shooting percentage — a combination of volume and efficiency that represents incredible He’s a rarity among NBA scorers — despite playing Chris Finch’s point guard more often, he’s turning the ball over less frequently, getting to the free throw line more often and continuing to play a key ball-handling role for a Minnesota defense that’s tied for fifth in points per possession.
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He’s also been an absolute nail in the clutch — an area of ​​focus for Minnesota in recent years — shooting at a high clip. 70.7% When the score was within five points in the final five minutes, 57.1% from the field (29-for-41), 57.1% from long range (8-for-14), and 83.3% from the free throw line (10-for-12):
A two-way offense, growth as a coordinator, continued improvement in scoring and efficiency and a strong performance down the stretch — all in an effort to keep the Wolves in the West hunt — earn Edwards the final spot on my ballot.
