Hoops Habit
Fansided

2016 NBA All-Star Game: Selecting The Reserves

By Gerald Bourguet

January 11, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) dribbles the basketball against Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh (1) during the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Heat 111-103. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
January 11, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) dribbles the basketball against Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh (1) during the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Heat 111-103. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 9
Next
2016 NBA All-Star Game
Jan 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) is defended by Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during an NBA basketball game at Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Rockers 140-132 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

West Backcourt Spots

James Harden: 27.5 PPG, 6.9 APG, 6.3 RPG, 1.4 SPG, .425/.342/.869 shooting, 24.7 PER

Look, I get it: James Harden is not the most likable NBA superstar right now. His Houston Rockets sit at seventh in the conference standings with a 25-23 record, his shooting percentages are a lot worse than they were last season and even at his best, Harden’s knack for getting to the foul line and unkempt beard simply rub people the wrong way.

But guess what? Even with Houston’s inexplicable regression in effort on the defensive end, no one else in the league is averaging a 27-7-6 stat line this season. NOBODY. With a healthy Dwight Howard and Donatas Motiejunas, and without that disastrous Ty Lawson trade, who knows where the Rockets would be this season?

Harden is putting up prime Kobe Bryant numbers right now, and that’s not an exaggeration. He’s no longer playing at an MVP runner-up level like last year, but even Harden’s regression on the defensive end shouldn’t be enough to keep him out of the All-Star Game.

Chris Paul: 18.1 PPG, 9.6 APG, 3.9 APG, 2.1 SPG, .453/.385/.882 shooting, 25.0 PER

When healthy, Blake Griffin is the best player on the Los Angeles Clippers. But considering the fact that he’s been out for so long and the Clippers have kept rolling at 10-3 without him, Chris Paul is a surefire reserve for the Western Conference All-Stars.

At 30-16, the Clippers are one of just six teams to reach the 30-win mark at this point in the season, and though they’ll obviously need Griffin back to reach their ceiling (whatever THAT is in a league where the Warriors and Spurs are otherworldly superpowers), CP3 has done a superb job holding down the fort in the meantime.

Though he’s 30 years old and his burst is starting to wane, Paul is still ranked in the top five for both steals and assists. Plus, with Griffin out, the Clippers need some sort of representation at All-Star Weekend, so there’s no getting around one of the league’s best floor generals.

Next: West Frontcourt Spots