Last week, the NBA announced who will start in February's All-Star Game in New Orleans, The Windy City.
The fans are great (that's you, you're great!), but Adam Silver got it right this year by splitting the vote 50 percent fans, 25 percent players and 25 percent media members.
While I'm sure Zaza Pachulia is a nice person and we'd get along famously, he should not be starting in the 2017 All-Star Game. Or probably any All-Star game that isn't at your local YMCA for that matter. And he would probably agree with me. He's starting at center for the best team in the NBA. He's doing just fine without an All-Star start.
Let's take a look at the 2017 All-Star starters and what I would change even though my opinion literally means nothing. Silver did not give me any percentage in the voting process.
Actual starters: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis
I'm not going to sit here and tell you how Durant has taken over the Warriors and how it's no longer Curry's team and Curry isn't an alpha anymore. We are 43 games into the season and Curry led the team to a title two seasons ago. Let's pump the brakes a bit here. And I'm also not going to tell you that Curry has been miserable this season, because he hasn't been. He's averaging 24.6 points per game while shooting 39.9 percent from the 3-point line. Sure, numbers that are “down” for him, but it's like saying “Pearl Harbor” was a down movie for Ben Affleck. He made $10 million making it. He's fine. Curry is still a top-10 player in the NBA. He just happens to have a top-5 player on his team, too.
With all of that being said, I think that Russell Westbrook should start instead of Curry. Westbrook plays basketball like he's on fire which makes him my favorite player to watch in the league. He runs 100 miles per hour and acts like he has the armor of Iron Man even though I'm pretty sure he's a human. He is a human, right?
Westbrook is averaging a league-high 30.6 points per game to go with 10.6 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game. You've heard this 2,387 times now, but Westbrook is AVERAGING A TRIPLE-DOUBLE! Plus, he has the Thunder off to a 25-19 start without Durant.
I'm good with Harden, Leonard, Durant and Davis. You could argue for DeMarcus Cousins and Karl-Anthony Towns instead of Davis (how doesn't Kentucky win the title every freaking season?).
Cousins is averaging a career-high 28.1 points to go with 10.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 37.5 percent from the 3-point line on 4.8 attempts per game.
And no, I'm not throwing Towns in here just because I'm a company man, even though I am a company man. If anyone from work is reading this, remember that. I'M A COMPANY MAN!
The 2015-16 Rookie of the Year is averaging 22.3 points, 12 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, all up from last season. He has 32 double-doubles this season. Only Westbrook and Harden – two MVP candidates – have more. And since Towns entered the league, only Westbrook and Andre Drummond have more double-doubles than his 83. HE'S 21 YEARS OLD! When I was 21 I walked three blocks the day after Halloween wearing a Flavor Flav clock on my neck. Towns wins. Slightly.
Actual starters: Kyrie Irving, DeMar DeRozan, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, LeBron James
I think I'm good with all of this and I say that somewhat blindly because I'm not able to watch the East as much as I'd like. You could make an argument for Kyle Lowry or Isaiah Thomas to start over Irving, but Irving plays on the best team in the East, so you take that into consideration. This is also your reminder that Thomas is averaging 29 points per game and he's 5-9. So kids, don't give up on your dreams. Unless you're 26 and your dream is to play in the NBA and you actually are just a writer. Then yes, probably give up on that dream.
The Greek Freak had a great point when he said he's at a disadvantage on fan voting because fans wouldn't take the time to learn to spell his name. And he's right! I just called him the Greek Freak because I was too lazy to just copy and paste his name from two paragraphs above. Never underestimate how lazy we are.
The position-less Antetokounmpo is averaging 23.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He deserves to be there.
Butler is clearly the alpha in Chicago and James continues to make me think he might actually be Iron Man.
It seems silly because he's only playing 25.3 minutes per game, but you could make an argument for Joel “The Process” Embiid. He's averaging 19.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, but per 36 minutes, those numbers go up to 28.3 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.5 blocks. That's unbelievable. Unfortunately, though, those aren't actually real minutes considering he hasn't played them. But when he does, probably next season, watch out.
The NBA will announce the reserves on Thursday. We'll update you accordingly with who makes the team.
As always, thanks for reading. Enjoy your week.
