Orlando Magic: Nikola Vucevic’s All-Star case in 2018-19

In posting career-best numbers for a potential playoff team in the Orlando Magic, Nikola Vucevic is setting himself up for an All-Star berth this season.

When it comes to the starting lineup for the 2019 NBA All-Star Game, we have a pretty good indication as to who will get the nod in Charlotte.

Picking the reserves — more specifically the end of the bench guys — is a thankless job that will always leave at least one guy feeling disrespected. It’s difficult to balance out the weight of both team wins and individual statistics, especially when a selection may give one team two All-Stars while leaving another with none.

Unfortunately, there isn’t an exact science to it. Sometimes the coaches simply have to go with their gut, and this year will be no exception.

Since becoming a member of the Orlando Magic prior to the 2012-13 season, Nikola Vucevic has always been a productive inside player. He’d amass large quantities of both points and rebounds, but without many wins to his ledger, nobody really seemed to pay much attention. After all, it’s easy to stuff the stat sheet on a losing team. The true test of a player is production leading directly to victories.

As the NBA continues to break any and all 3-point records, we’ve seen more and more big men step out beyond the arc, with Vucevic being no exception. Last season, Vooch experimented with the outside shot to the tune of a career-high 3.6 attempts per game. This season, that number is down to 3.1, but his efficiency has sky-rocketed to 38.3 percent, tops among centers and higher than certified snipers such as J.J. Redick and Damian Lillard.

It’s this newfound dimension to his repertoire that has made Vucevic even more difficult to cover, and it’s led to a 20.3 points per game average — the highest of his seven-year career — to go along with 11.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists a night, also a career-best mark.

Unlike in past seasons, the Switzerland native’s production is actually helping Orlando compete for a playoff berth. The Magic sit at an unimpressive 19-27, but due to the weakness of the Eastern Conference outside the top five teams, they sit just three games out of the eighth and final postseason spot.

The Magic’s offensive rating jumps a staggering 11.2 points with Vucevic on the floor compared to off. Out West, the team’s win/loss total would have them 14th in the conference, but given just how much value their big man brings to the table, it’s terrifying to wonder just how bad they’d be without him.

As great as he’s been playing, Vucevic won’t be a lock to make the team when the coaches sit down and make their selections. The talent level out East doesn’t compare to the West, but it still has more than 12 worthy candidates.

Pascal Siakam is having a breakout campaign on the team with the most wins in the NBA. Khris Middleton is the second-best player on the team with the best winning percentage in the conference. Who knows if the Philadelphia 76ers will be able to send both Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons to join Joel Embiid?

A likely factor in Vucevic’s candidacy is where his competition will lie. Among those fighting for one of the three forward spots, his production and value may be all it takes, but if he finds himself up against all forwards, wings and guards for a wild-card selection, Orlando’s abysmal record may sink him despite his All-Star worthy numbers.