J-Speaks: J-Speaks: All-Star Snubs

On Thursday night, the teams were announced the teams for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, where team captains LeBron James, and Stephen Curry under the new format selected their respective 11 other teammates. For the 24 players that were selected to play in the unofficial midseason classic on Sunday, Feb. 18 on TNT, there are those few that are deserving that did not get chosen.

One of those players that felt they were snubbed are Los Angeles Clippers’ guard Lou Williams, and starting center DeAndre Jordan, whose stellar season has kept the Clippers (24-24) in playoff contention despite a rash of injuries to key players like forward Blake Griffin, guards Milos Teodosic, Patrick Beverly, Austin Rivers, and Danilo Gallinari.

In his 13^th season, Williams, the 2015 Sixth Man of the Year is averaging career-highs in points (23.6), assists (5.2), and three-point percentage (40.0). He has really been spectacular over the past two months with averages of 25.2 points, and 5.8 assists on 42.7 percent from three-point range in December, when the Clippers were really struggling; and 29.3 points, 6.4 assists on 46.9 percent from the floor overall, including 38.5 percent from three-point land in January so far.

He has scored 20 points, or more in 11 straight games off the bench, the longest streak among active players, and his ninth consecutive occurrence tied the third longest streak since the 1983-84 NBA campaign. The 473 points he authored prior to the team’s 113-102 setback to the Eastern Conference leading Boston Celtics (35-14) on Wednesday night, on ESPN were the most in “The Association,” since Dec. 22, 2017.

In the team’s 125-106 win on Jan. 10, at the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors (39-10), Williams scored 27 of his career-high 50 points in the third quarter, as the undermanned Clippers, who ended a 14-game losing streak to their Pacific Division rivals, and an 11-game slide at Oracle Arena.

Williams was 16 for 27 from the floor, including 8 for 16 from three-point range, and a perfect 10 for 10 from the foul line.

“Obviously 50 is a huge number. It’s a great accomplishment,” Williams, whose effort moved the Clippers’ to 19-21 said after the game. “For me, it was more important to get a win, try to close that gap to get back to .500, especially with the injuries, with guys in, and out of the lineup, for us to still have that opportunity, to be in the playoff fold. So, I’ve been playing with confidence for the past month, or so.”

Clippers head coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers concurred when he said to FOX Sports Prime Ticket’s play-by-play announcer Ralph Lawler about him not making the All-Star team as a reserve prior to the Clippers 109-100 win at the Memphis Grizzlies (17-31), “You got to earn it. I thought Lou earned it, to be honest.”

“Had Blake been healthy, he probably would have been on it, but Blake did not have health. Lou did not have a big enough name.”

Another All-Star who did not make the cut this time around was Oklahoma City Thunder swingman Paul George, who came over in the mega deal from the Indiana Pacers for Victor Oladipo, who was selected as an All-Star for the first time as a reserve, and forward Domantas Sabonis over the summer.

The additions of George, and Carmelo Anthony, joining Russell Westbrook, who was chosen to his seventh All-Star appearance earlier this week were supposed to vault the Thunder (28-20) into serious contention for the West with the Warriors.

Inconsistency, and an inability to find offensive continuity between the three All-Stars, and the rest of the team put the Thunder behind the eight ball in the early going. The Thunder have regrouped, and have gone 20-8 since Dec. 1, 2017, and the normal starting lineup of Anthony, Westbrook, George, Steven Adams, and Andre Roberson has gone 15-0 during this stretch.

While his shooting overall from the field is down from 46.3 percent, to 43.3 percent this season, and his scoring average has decreased from 23.7 to 20.9, George has come on with averages of 21.5, 5.9 rebounds on 45.5 percent from the floor in the last 10 games. His three point is up this season to 41.7 percent compared to his career average of 37.6, and he is second in the league this season in steals per game at 2.2.

When George, who had 18 points, and four steals in the Thunder’s 121-112 victory versus the Washington Wizards (26-22) Thursday night on TNT was left out of being named an All-Star reserve, the reigning league MVP, and All-Star reserve Russell Westbrook, came to his defense calling it, “Unbelievable.”

“I think it’s just outrageous, in my opinion. I don’t know who else made the team, but four people from one team (Warriors), you’ve got guys complaining about getting snubbed until they get in, you’ve got guys just talking about it all the time.”

“But the guys that deserve it—should be in—are not. I just don’t understand. Doesn’t make sense.”

The reality of the situation is the Thunder were expected to be better, and they were not. Also, there is more talented players in the West, and while George has been solid, he was not over the top, and that is why he was left out of the All-Star shuffle.

“I just think that wen you talk about the 12 best players in the West, I have a hard time believing he’s not one of those guys,” Thunder head coach Billy Donovan said leading up the Thunder’s win versus the Wizards. “He’s playing consistently enough. He’s arguably the best two-way player in the league—if not one of them. No question.”

The one thing that Westbrook’s expression of how he felt about PG-13 getting snubbed says that he cares about his teammate, which is no surprise. Also, that he is letting the free agent to be at season’s end know that he is a very important part of the Thunder’s present, and hopefully future.

Perhaps the biggest snub All-Star snub in the West is nine-timer Chris Paul, who is averaging 19.5 points, 8.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds for the Houston Rockets, who are the No. 2 Seed in the West currently at 34-13.

When the Rockets acquired him from the Clippers this summer, there were a lot of people who came out, and said that he, and All-Star James Harden could not, and will not co-exist together in the same backcourt.

They have co-existed very well together as a backcourt tandem, and the Rockets have reaped the rewards because of that.

To bring this point into clearer context, Harden, and Paul are averaging 9.0, and 8.8 assists respectably, and if Paul had not missed 17 games because of injury, the Rockets would have two people in the Top-5 in assists per contest in the league.

In the 30 games Paul has played in, the Rockets are 24-6, including a 15-0 in Paul’s first starts as a Rockets. When Paul, Harden, and Most Improved Player candidate Clint Capela are in the lineup, the Rockets have lost just once this season in 19 tries, and they are 15-1 when the starting quintet includes sharp shooting forwards Ryan Anderson, and Trevor Ariza.

“People that should be watching the games don’t watch the games, and see how important a guy is,” Rockets’ head coach Mike D’Antoni, last season’s Coach of the Year recipient said before the Rockets 104-97 victory at the Dallas Mavericks (16-32) on ESPN Wednesday night.

The other thing that Paul has done for the Rockets is at least in the regular season given the defending champions something to think about down the road as they have beaten the Warriors two out of their three matchups this season.

Their second win came a week ago on ABC 116-108, where Paul was magnificent with 33 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, going 10 for 20 from the floor, 6 for 11 from three-point range, and 7 for 8 from the foul line.

In the East, the biggest snub was Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond, who after a subpar year by the standard he set the year prior where he was named an All-Star has gotten back to that level in the 2017-18 season.

His scoring average of 14.7 points so far is the second highest of his six-year career. Drummond’s 15.3 rebound average is also a career-best, and leads the NBA, and only DeMarcus Cousins, who was named an All-Star starter for the first time a week ago yesterday is averaging more steals per game amongst centers at 1.62 than the 1.57 per contest by Drummond. On top of that, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2012 draft is shooting a career-best 63.1 percent from the foul line this season. While that may not be the kind of number to write home about, it is way better than the 40.8 percent he shot from the charity stripe in his career, and an unthinkable 38.6 percent a season ago.

Drummond tweeted after not being named an All-Star reserve on Tuesday afternoon, “Guess I gotta start doing back flips after every point I score to get attention around here!” “Lmao on to the next one.”

“He’s playing unbelievable basketball,” Charlotte Hornets Dwight Howard, and eight-time All-Star said about Drummond play this season, and him not being named to the All-Star team.

“Fifteen rebounds is a lot of rebounds. When I came into the league, 13 was the highest, and for a guy to have 15 or (more) rebounds every night, and not be in the All-Star game was disappointing.”

What has worked against Drummond not being named to the All-Star team this season is the fact that the Pistons (22-24) after a 14-6 start have gone 8-16 since, which includes six straight losses.

A prime example of this was the fact that he had his 31^st double-double of 30 points, and 24 rebounds, with four assists, six blocks, and three steals, but the Pistons lost at Little Caesars Arena versus the Utah Jazz 98-95 in overtime on Wednesday night. He was 11 for 17 from the field, and 8 for 12 from the free throw line.

By the numbers, Drummond should be playing in the 67 Annual Unofficial Midseason Classic on Feb. 18 on TNT. His play has been beyond words better than those of center Al Horford, who was selected to his 5^th in 11 seasons.

What must be remembered though is the reserves are selected by the 30 NBA head coaches, and the fact that they saw that beautiful 35-14 mark by the East leading Celtics might have made all the difference.

Another player in the East that has a major case to make about being snubbed is unofficial rookie guard of the Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons, who has separated himself from the pack as the leader for Rookie of the Year.

The 6’10” lead guard who missed all last season because of injury is third on the team in scoring at 16.5; second in rebounding at 8.0; and leads the team in assists at 7.4, and steals at 1.8, which is also No. 8 in the league.

On top of that, he leads all rookies with 19 double-doubles, and his five triple-doubles, with the latest of 19 points, 17 rebounds, and 14 assists in the Sixers (24-21) 115-101 win versus the Chicago Bulls (18-31).

“I wish I did make it,” Simmons said after the game, “but hopefully there will be plenty more years.”

Simmons’ latest triple-double tied him for No. 3 in NBA history by rookies with former Philadelphia/San Francisco Warrior, and New York Knick Hall of Famer Tom Gola, and All-Star with the Phoenix Suns, who won Rookie of the Year in 1976 Alvan Adams who garnered their triple-doubles in the 1955-56, and 1975-76 seasons respectably.

While it is hard to fathom Simmons equaling, or surpassing the 26 triple-doubles authored by Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson in his rookie season of 1960-61, the seven by Hall of Famer, five-time champion, and current President of Basketball Operations for the Los Angeles Lakers Earvin “Magic” Johnson has a good chance of being surpassed.

Simmons is doing all of this without a consistent jump shot, or free throw stroke. While he is shooting 51.7 percent from the floor, he has missed all 10 of his three-point attempts in his rookie season and is shooting just 56.0 percent from the charity stripe.

Seeing him with fellow Sixer Joel Embiid, who was chosen as an All-Star for the first time as a starter would have been special for a team that has waited a long four years to be relevant in the NBA again.

If these two can stay healthy, and that is a big if considering their availability to the start of their respective careers, they will have plenty of chances to play in hopefully multiple All-Star Games. Also, when Simmons really adds a jump shot to his game, as well as the ability to make free throws, the NBA will be in a heap of trouble trying to stop him, as well as Embiid.

“He was focused. He just wanted it, Embiid,” who had 22 points on the evening, on 10 for 17 shooting.

What took place in the NBA over the past couple of days after the 24 players chosen for the 67^th Annual NBA All-Star Game was announced was spectacular. We saw players who felt slighted that they were not named reserves, and while they, along with their teammates, and coaches expressed their disappointment, the likes of Simmons, Drummond, and Paul took out their frustrations on their opponents.

Seeing someone with a chip on their shoulder go out and prove their detractors wrong is what makes great theater, as well as what every great sports movie from Rocky I, II, III, IV, and V,” to “Angels in the Outfield,” is based on.

It also reminded us, which “NBA: The Jump” host Rachel Nichols has been screaming to the roof tops the past week of what the NBA dropped the ball on when it did not televise the first NBA All-Star draft on Thursday night.

If players put on display the kind of chips on their shoulder just from an All-Star snub, imagine the kind of saltiness we would have on display from the players if they felt they got snubbed by where they were chosen during the selection process by team captains, in this case LeBron James, and Stephen Curry.

“I think it would have been a good idea to probably put it on TV,” Portland Trail Blazers All-Star guard Damian Lillard, who was selected for the third time said earlier this week.

Clippers head coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers said that the All-Star draft, “should definitely be live.”

Warriors All-Star guard Klay Thompson said having the announcement publicly because he thought it would have been “hilarious.”

The best line came from James himself when he said at his presser at the Cavs facility that, “We’re all grown men.”

If there is one thing that can be taken away from this is that no matter how much money you may make in your career, or how many All-Star games you have made before, being chosen is special, and when you are snubbed, especially when your chances of making it are once in a blue moon, like Lou Williams, or Damian Lillard the past couple of seasons, you feel like an opportunity just passed you by.

What it can also do is give you motivation to take the proverbial bull by the horns, and make your mark for yourself, and your team in the second half of this season.

Williams, Paul, George, Simmons, and Drummond will have that chance, and if their performances throughout this season, and in recent days is any indication, were in for one incredible second half of this season, with each trying to help their teams have a chance to make it to the postseason and make some serious noise.

J-Speaks

Friday, January 26, 2018

J-Speaks: All-Star Snubs

No comments:

Post a Comment