This is usually the NBA Hangover, when we jot down thoughts about the league from the previous night. It’s still tough to talk about basketball for me as I am going through my own personal issues. But I will talk about the all-star reserves a bit. No bullet passes for today.
Kyle Lowry Over Everything.
(PHOTO CREDIT: John Kuntz/Cleveland.Com.)
Still tough to move forward. It is great that some are able to do that but I have other things going on. Nevertheless, I’m going to talk about the all-star reserves. You’ll have your scoreboard and Play of the Day as well. No bullet passes today, though. Thank you.
Anyway, let’s refresh everyone the starters. First, the Eastern Conference:
And this is the Western Conference:
All right! Now let’s take a look at the reserves from the East!
Jimmy Butler (MIA, SG/SF): For some reason, he is listed as a frontcourt player. But Jimmy has transformed the Heat into a powerhouse team in the East. He’s having a banner season with 20.2 points per and career-bests with 6.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists. And we all know he’s a hell of a defender.
Khris Middleton (MIL, SG/SF): The Bucks deserve a second all-star. Middleton is averaging a career-high 20.2 points per game as well as 5.9 rebounds. He’s also looking to join the 50-40-90 club (that would be 50 percent on field goals, 40 percent on three-pointers, and 90 percent from the line); he’s currently at .503 FG%, .432 3FG%, and .900 FT%. Very good perimeter defender, too.
Bam Adebayo (MIA, C/PF): Bam is averaging a double-double at 16.0 points and 10.4 boards. He’s even been dishing them dimes at 4.7 per game! Probably the leading candidate for Most Improved Player and has helped the Heat into a threatening squad.
Ben Simmons (PHI, PG): Okay. So Ben Simmons can play like… all the positions but he’s mostly been the point man for the Sixers. He can do EVERYTHING but shoot from the perimeter. 16.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 2.2 steals. He can lock up ANYONE. But you probably can’t ask him to play Duck Hunt.
Kyle Lowry (TOR, PG): The defending champions also get a second all-star. Lowry has been as steady they come. It’s his 14th season but he has been picked to be an all-star for the 6th straight year. Talk about late bloomers. Lowry is averaging 19.9 points, 4.6 boards, and 7.3 assists. Still a hellish defender and you canNOT move him when he’s defending you on the post.
Domantas Sabonis (IND, PF/C): He did what his dad, Arvydas, couldn’t do and that’s to be an NBA all-star (although, to be fair, Arvydas was an easy pick had he come into the NBA a decade earlier). Sabonis the Younger is averaging 18.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in an old-school Pacers frontcourt attack. The Pacers are also in the playoff mix as they are 5th in the East and 3 games behind 2nd.
Jayson Tatum (BOS, SF/PF): Tatum‘s efficiency and overall play have improved this year. He basically made the leap in his third season and he was rewarded with an all-star berth. 21.5 points and 6.9 rebounds for the former Blue Devil. He joins his Boston teammate, Kemba Walker, in this midseason classic.
So snubs?
Bradley Beal (WAS, SG): The players’ favorite in the East didn’t make the cut. It’s really tough to ignore 28.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game but, apparently, the coaches did. Probably because of the team’s record. He was not happy about it.
Zach LaVine (CHI, SG/PG): LaVine has great numbers at 25.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. Like Beal, his team’s record probably came into play. But can you, at least, do the dunk contest?
Malcolm Brogdon (IND, PG/SG): Brogdon helped keep the Pacers afloat when Victor Oladipo was out. 17.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 7.4 assists. He is Mr. Consistency.
Spencer Dinwiddie (BRK, PG/SG): He’s had an incredible year in Kyrie Irving‘s place, averaging 21.4 points and 6.5 assists. And the Nets ARE in the playoff picture so I don’t know.
Nikola Vucevic (ORL, C): Another double-double machine. He averages 18.6 points and 11.0 rebounds and the Magic are in the playoffs. Oh, well.
Jaylen Brown (BOS, SF/SG): One spot was for probably either Tatum and Brown and the coaches chose Tatum. Brown is having an excellent year at 20.1 points and 6.6 rebounds.
Tobias Harris (PHI, PF/SF): Harris has been a bright spot for the Sixers at 19.4 points and 6.8 boards. The coaches could do worse than three Sixer all-stars.
Kyrie Irving (BRK, PG): The star power is there. The stats are there (26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists). But not enough games (18 out of a possible 46).
So here is the West:
Brandon Ingram (NO, PF/SF): Ingram has carried the load in New Orleans and has been capable as the #1 option. 25.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. He’s also shooting a career-best .404 from three and attempts more than 6 per game. Lakers fans know he’s capable of this and Ingram has proved them right this season.
Nikola Jokic (DEN, C): Jokic has recovered from a slow start and has led the Nuggets to contention once again this year. He has 9 triple-doubles this season. He’s currently averaging 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 7.6 assists. He is a handful. Well, Jokic being a handful is probably an underestimation.
Rudy Gobert (UTA, C): This first-time all-star has deserved a spot for years now. 15.8 points and 14.5 boards per game. It’s tough to get a shot over him. Plus he’s shooting .692 for the season. He’s the core of Utah’s tough tough defense.
Donovan Mitchell (UTA, SG): This 6’1″ spitfire joins his teammate, Gobert, to the exhibition. 24.6 points, 4.2 rebounds. and 4.3 assists. He’s in his third season and he has improved his scoring, rebounding, and dime average every year thus far.
Damian Lillard (POR, PG): So there’s no ‘I Didn’t Make The All-Star Team’ Revenge Tour this season. But he’s had a spectacular season with averages of 29.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists. Lillard has also had MULTIPLE 60-POINT GAMES. Not one. MULTIPLE. Geez.
Russell Westbrook (HOU, PG): Westbrook’s season was quiet early because of James Harden‘s scoring explosion. But he’s gone on to have one of his usual fiery years. 26.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.4 assists. Westbrook also has 8 triple-doubles. These are still incredible even though this campaign somehow pales in comparison to his previous three triple-double seasons.
Chris Paul (OKC, PG): The man that the Rockets traded away for Westbrook has had a redemption season of some sort. Paul is an all-star for the first time in four seasons. 17.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. And he’s got OKC in the thick of the playoff race. He’s still got it, man.
So. Snubs!
Devin Booker (PHX, SG/PG): I feel like he continues to be underrated. He’s getting more pub now and his stats are getting harder to ignore as the Suns get a little better. 27.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. Man.
Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN, C): Maybe him getting hurt and that long Wolves losing streak hurt him. Either way, 26.9 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists? REALLY good.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC, PG/SG): Some would argue that SGA should be in Paul’s spot. 19.5 points and 6.1 rebounds. Shai is as smooth as they come and he’s only in his soph year. He’ll have plenty of time to make the team.
Ja Morant (MEM, PG): Morant has been outstanding this season. He’ll probably win Rookie of the Year with averages of 17.5 points and 7.2 dimes. Plus he’s accelerated that rebuild for the Grizzlies by fighting for a playoff spot. One of the most exciting players in the league today.
Will Barton (DEN, SG): It was probably not wise for coach Mike Malone to publicly say that Barton should be a second all-star for the team when they have Jamal Murray there. But Barton has been incredible all season, especially defensively. His stats don’t stand out as much (14.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists) but it’s clear that the team plays better when he’s on the court.
LaMarcus Aldridge (SA, C/PF): Look! LaMarcus is shooting more threes! He is still a potent scorer and rebounder at 19.1 points and 7.5 boards.
DeMar DeRozan (SA, SG): But DeRozan should probably get the all-star nod if the Spurs were getting a player on the team. 23.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. He is having his best shooting season ever at .535!
Lou Williams (LAC, SG/PG): 19.7 points and 6.0 assists off the bench this season (he did start 6 games). I’m amazed that he has gotten so much better (like Kyle Lowry) in his later years in the NBA.
Paul George (LAC, SF/SG): I’m not sure if it’s the lack of games but I felt like he played enough (27 out of 48 games). 22.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. And we KNOW he’s one of the best defenders in the league.
Also, these are the new rules of the All-Star game with a Kobe Bryant tribute:
They made it sound way more complicated than it should. The quarters will be games in themselves; the winner of each quarter gets to donate $100,000 to a charity of their choosing. The overall score will still be kept up. There will be a target score; that target is basically adding 24 points to the cumulative score of whoever is leading after three quarters. They explained the 100-95 total score after three. Add 24 to the score for the team that is LEADING and it becomes a FIRST TO 124 WINS. Math is hard.
And as another tribute to Kobe, Gianna, and the other victims:
The NBA says the 2020 NBA All-Star Game will feature Team LeBron wearing the No. 2 and Team Giannis wearing the No. 24 – Gianna and Kobe’s basketball jersey numbers. Both teams will wear jersey patches displaying nine stars, representing those who lost their lives in the crash.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) January 31, 2020
I wrote way more than I thought. It was very therapeutic but also didn’t feel very right. I’ll see how I feel in the next few days.
Here’s your scoreboard and play:
The Scoreboard
TOR 115 (34-14) @ CLE 109 (13-36)
CHA 107 (16-32) @ WAS 121 (16-31)
PHI 117 (31-18) @ ATL 127 (13-36)
GS 104 (10-39) @ BOS 119 (32-15)
UTA 100 (32-16) @ DEN 106 (33-15)
SAC 124 (18-30) @ LAC 103 (33-15)
Watch This Play
Darius Garland dime. Larry Nance, Jr. facial.
An absolute dime.@dariusgarland22 | #BeTheFight pic.twitter.com/FN6Q3injfA
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) January 31, 2020
GG.
Rey-Rey is on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
TNLP on FaceBook.
For the rest of the season, I will sign off with GG, which usually means “Good Game.” But we also know “Gigi” is Gianna Bryant’s nickname. This will be my tribute to her.