Halftime Heroes: Picking All-NBA Teams At The Season’s Halfway Point
Second Team All-NBA
G – Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
Although his backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan was the one chosen as an All-Star starter, Kyle Lowry has not only been the better player on his team, but the best guard in the Eastern Conference overall.
On the macro level, the Toronto Raptors have one of the league’s best offenses and a record to match, just three games behind the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. Lowry has been their best player at both ends of the court, an accolade handed out to only a select few across the league.
On the micro level, Lowry is putting up stellar numbers. He ranks second in the league in RPM, and first in RPM-wins. Five of the top six players in three-pointers made suit up for Houston or Golden State; Lowry alone cracks the list, and with an elite 43.8 percent shooting percentage.
Kyle Lowry is putting up 22.3 points, 7.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game as the engine for the Raptors. Although the voting system for the All-Star game denied him a high honor, the All-NBA teams will see his stellar play and declare it to the basketball world.
G – Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Curry beat out Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook for the All-Star start, and by season’s end his team’s success may eclipse Westbrook for First Team All-NBA. But at the midway point Westbrook is averaging a triple-double for a playoff team, and with Curry taking a backseat to Kevin Durant this season that’s enough to slot Curry on the Second Team.
That is not meant to be a slight, as the two-time defending MVP is having another stellar season. He again leads the league in three-pointers made with 163, on pace to drop in 310 — which would be the second-highest total in league history, behind only last year’s version of Chef Curry.
The Western Conference’s most marketable star is averaging 24.6 points, 1.8 steals, and a league-best 91.9 percent free throw percentage. Those numbers somehow represent a step down. Curry may be ceding some spotlight and some shots to Kevin Durant, but behind the “good teammate” facade is last season’s killer ready to step up when it’s needed.
F – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
The season’s breakout star plays not in New York or California, but in Wisconsin. Giannis Antetokounmpo built on his strong finish last season to become an All-Star starter and near-lock to make an All-NBA team. The 6’11” athletic marvel runs the point on offense and guards bigs on defense.
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The “Greek Freak” is dropping 23.5 points per game, up 6.8 points per game from last season. But that isn’t all he has improved, as nearly every box score stat has increased: Antetokounmpo is averaging career highs in rebounds, assists, free throws made, steals and blocks. Not only that, but he is leading his team in each category as well.
If the nebulous Most Improved Player of the Year Award has ever been a lock this early in the season, the Bucks’ multi-faceted forward has thrown away the key.
There are holes to his candidacy, such as the lack of a consistent outside shot and the fact that Milwaukee is just 20-22 halfway through the season. But the sheer impact of his play has Milwaukee relevant despite missing Khris Middleton, and has the Bucks’ future as bright as any team’s in the league.
F – Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Someone has forgotten to tell basketball media that the San Antonio Spurs are 33-9, on pace for 65 wins, and just three games behind the Golden State Warriors. Despite losing four of their top five big men, they have continued to win basketball games – and the largest portion of credit from that goes to Kawhi Leonard.
Although the two-time defending Defensive Player of the Year has increased his scoring load yet again, he has not cracked under the pressure. He is yet again averaging a career-high in points at 25.1, adding in just under two steals (1.9) and just over two threes (2.1) per game. He has kept up his scorching efficiency even with the increase in usage, as he is putting up .490/.414/.909 shooting percentages.
Leonard may not have the most points, the best metrics or the shiniest game. But he is killing opposing offensive players and then lighting up the box score at the other end. For a Spurs team that refuses to die, Leonard is the best of the bunch.
C – Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
Rudy Gobert is a hard player to slot in on the All-NBA teams, specifically because he doesn’t score many points. His 12.8 points per game is by far the lowest of any player making this list, and only Chris Paul scores less than 20. But his efficiency and contributions on defense guarantee Gobert a spot among the greats.
On defense the “Stifle Tower” is engulfing players who drive to the rim, averaging a league-leading 2.5 blocks per game. His 12.8 rebounds ranks fifth in the league, and his adjusted field goal percentage is second to only DeAndre Jordan. His 27 points and 25 rebounds Friday night were the first 25-25 game in the league this season.
The Utah Jazz are 12 games above .500, with the seventh-best point differential in the league. Despite a wash of injuries to major rotation pieces, the Jazz are 10th in the league in offense and second in defense, and Gobert has been the only starter to play in every game. Their success lies on his shoulders more than any other’s, and therefore this honor belongs to him as well.
First Team All-NBA
G – Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
When Kevin Durant announced he was signing with the Golden State Warriors, the basketball community immediately zeroed in on Russell Westbrook. What terror would he unleash on the league in response to this great slight done to him? How magnificent would Westbrook the One-Man Show be?
It has been everything expected and more, ranging from rim-destroying tomahawk slams to quirky, passive-aggressive costumes. The box score has suffered as well, weighed down by a plethora of stats. Westbrook is currently averaging a triple-double, something that has allowed him to dominate the headlines even when the Thunder have struggled to keep pace in a strong Western Conference top-seven.
Westbrook’s 30.6 points lead the league, and his 10.4 assists slot in behind only James Harden (more on him below). Just 13 players average double-digit rebounds, and Westbrook is the only guard among them.
His insane usage and boxscore stats are partially weighed out by his team’s record or his inability to provide consistent defense (most likely due to the immense offensive workload). But no weakness can overshadow the sorts of numbers he is accruing, and that should have earned him a starting spot in the All-Star Game, and it will earn him a First Team nod for the All-NBA team.
G – James Harden, Houston Rockets
Whether Harden is still a shooting guard or officially a point guard, the final results are clear. Not only can James Harden be the engine of a successful offense, but when he is on the court he makes magic happen.
The league’s leader in assists (11.9 per game), Harden’s 8.3 rebounds put him in the discussion for triple-doubles on a nightly basis. He is pouring in points — third in the league — and third again in three-pointers made.
Houston is winning games, too, which makes this run even more impressive. The Rockets are well-positioned to be the third seed in the Western Conference, and the reason is 6’5” and has a thick, bushy beard.
F – Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant often took a backseat to Russell Westbrook’s ball-dominant style of play. In Golden State, Durant is still learning how to fully integrate into the floor of the offense, but there is no doubt that his numbers are phenomenal and need to be recognized.
Kevin Durant is a scoring machine, pouring in 26.3 points per game on just 17 shots, good for a 66 percent true shooting percentage that is tops among players with at least 20 percent usage (Durant is at 27.5 percent with the Warriors; Westbrook is currently first in usage at 41 percent).
His 2.0 three-pointers per game, 1.7 blocks, and his presence on the best team in basketball all work in his favor. If he continues this pace he will be a shoo-in for this spot, and be well deserving of it.
F – LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
The longtime rivals Kevin Durant and LeBron James meet on the All-NBA First Team. James is at the helm for the best team in the Eastern Conference, and despite clearly pacing himself for the playoffs he is playing excellent basketball as the All-Star break approaches.
His 25.5 points is a good but not excellent total, and his 16 combined rebounds and assists per game show his versatility on the court. Sixth in the league in RPM, LeBron is once again crucial to the Cavaliers’ survival. Although the defending Finals MVP has no incentive to lay out all of his chips during the regular season, he has come out swinging and spurred his team to new heights.
Without LeBron, the Cavaliers have once again been inept, losing all three of the games in which he sat earlier this season. If Tyronn Lue wishes to rest James down the stretch he must do so carefully, because James is crucial to their success at both ends of the court. That key role has elevated him to First Team All-NBA.
C – Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
Deciding deserving centers was difficult, and all had worthy cases. But Davis combines the offensive firepower with defensive acumen that gives him in the edge. Since moving Anthony Davis to the starting lineup as a full-time center, the Pelicans are lighting up the scoreboard and opening up defensive versatility on the second.
Points? Davis has them, and in abundance, putting up 28.6 per game on 50 percent shooting. He is drawing in 12.0 rebounds, snatching 1.3 steals, and swatting away 2.4 blocks per game. The defensive impact he struggled to have at the 4 has blossomed with his transition to the 5.
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The Pelicans are fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot, and making the postseason will be a boon to Davis’ All-NBA credentials. Even if they miss the cut, the numbers Davis is putting together are monumental and deserve the highest recognition. Although his rise to excellence has come a year behind schedule, “The Brow” is putting everything together on his way to the league’s very best.