NBA Week 12 Power Rankings: Questions for each team after the break

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Previous: 23rd. Oklahoma City Thunder. 21. team. 149. . 16-22

Last Week: Beat Dallas Mavericks 116-108, Lost to New York Knicks 119-97

This Week: 3/14 vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 3/16 at Chicago Bulls, 3/18 at Atlanta Hawks

Question: Is Shai Gilgeous- Alexander the next young guard to miss an All-Star game and then go on a tear?

Truthfully, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a better case to make the All-Star game this season than Mike Conley, who made it as an injury replacement at the last minute. Conley had the narrative and the emotional ties that made many (myself included) lean toward him getting the nod. But even before considering that, Gilgeous-Alexander was a snub.

In his first season as the number one option, SGA has blossomed. He’s averaging 23.5 points, 6.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game. He is boasting a 57.3 effective field goal percentage, highlighted by 40.5 percent on 4.9 3-point attempts per game. SGA is becoming a star in front of our eyes.

The main reason he did not make it to the All-Star game, by most accounts, is that the Oklahoma City Thunder have not been a winning team this season. In a year like this that should carry even less weight, especially when Domantas Sabonis, Bradley Beal, Nikola Vucevic, Zach LaVine and Zion Williamson made the roster. This is not to say that he has been better than all of these men, but the argument can be made. For the Thunder, this may be for the best. We have seen for years guys who just missed the accolade explode over the course of the next season. Given Gilgeous-Alexander’s trajectory, he may be next.