VSM’s 2019-2020 NBA All-Star Reserves

The 2019-2020 NBA All-Star reserves were named earlier this week. These always create contention, and who doesn’t love a bit of controversy! In that spirit, let’s name my All-Star Reserves for 2020.

Last week, I named my All-Star starters. Let’s recap:

Eastern Conference:

• Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
• Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors)
• Jimmy Butler (Chicago Bulls)
• Kemba Walker (Boston Celtics)
• Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)

The eagle eyed amongst you will notice that there are some differences between my selections and the leagues. You can read about those in detail here, but to summarise I have Butler and Simmons in ahead of Joel Embiid and Trae Young.

Western Conference:

• LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers)
• Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
• James Harden (Houston Rockets)

No controversy here. These are as selected by the NBA’s process.

So onto the reserves. Let’s start by going East.

The NBA’s official list of All-Star Reserves is as follows:

• Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat)
• Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)
• Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors)
• Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks)
• Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)
• Domantas Sabonis (Indiana Pacers)
• Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)

Given I’ve stumped for Butler and Simmons to be in my All-Star starting lineups, I think it’s safe to say I’m happy that they’ve made the official reserves list. The two that they’ve replaced in my starting lineup (Embiid and Young) get the nod for my bench.

Trae Young, like Simmons, is an immensely talented young player who is elite at what he does well, and sub NBA standard at the things he doesn’t. The holes in their game – defense for Young, shooting for Simmons – are very real issues. But, Young’s stats (29.8 points, 9.2 assists, 1.2 steals per game) are simply overwhelming. Just as Simmons lack of an outside game hasn’t deterred me from naming him a starter, Young’s ‘defense’ doesn’t stop me from giving him the nod as an All-Star.

Embiid is the anchor of a fearsome defense. Sure his team is maddeningly inconsistent, and he himself has missed 16 games, which is right around the tipping point of not having played enough to earn your spot. Embiid has All-Star money in the bank. In a weaker Eastern field, the big Cameroonian is an automatic for our All-Star bench.

In discussing my All-Star starters last week, I was open about the dilemma of picking Simmons over Kyle Lowry. If he’s a starter in your mind, I won’t argue with you. The veteran is an All Star for the 6^th time, either way.

The Bucks, being on track for 70 wins, simply have to have a 2^nd All-Star alongside Giannis. That’s not to say Khris Middleton doesn’t deserve his place. The former 2^nd round pick is again right around his All-Star worthy number from last season, averaging 20.2 points, 5.8 boards and 4 assists, whilst shooting a blistering 43.8% from deep. He’s a mere two missed free throws off a 50/40/90 season. Middleton’s performances often get lost in the rush to praise Giannis – that’s fair. He can also get overlooked by people wanting to laud Brook Lopez’s evolution into Dennis Scott, or Eric Bledsoe’s magnificent defense. Middleton’s versatility is the conduit that links everything together for Milwaukee. Even without Milwaukee’s dominance, he’s an All-Star.

I’ve been at the wheel of the Bam Adebayo Bandwagon (Bamwagon?) since preseason. The 22 year old’s breakout campaign is making me look far smarter than I actually am. His versatility at both ends of the floor allows the Heat to do what they do. Bam controls the defensive paint and is extremely active, claiming over 10 boards and a block per game. He has lightning quick hands, as evidenced by his 1.2 steals, and his feet aren’t that much slower. Adebayo’s ability to stay in front of guards makes the Miami defense a versatile, switchable nightmare for opponents. Bam’s offensive game has flourished since he became a full time starter. He doesn’t have range on his jumper at this stage, but his floater game is elite. Throw in an ability to thread the needle – he has 3 double digit assist games this season – that belies his relative inexperience, and Bam’s 1^st All-Star berth is more than deserved.

Domantas Sabonis is the pick that appears to have been the most maligned. That is utterly perplexing to me. DoMo has emerged as the Pacers best and most important player with Victor Oladipo on the sidelines. The raw numbers (18 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists) are great but they don’t tell the full story. Like Adebayo, Sabonis’ passing unlocks so much for Indiana’s offense – only Bam and Jokic average more assists amongst big men – which has been humming along nicely without their superstar. He also has the added bonus of being able to pulverise defenders on the low block. Although he’s passable on the perimeter, he doesn’t possess Bam’s switchability on defense, but he is a cinder block inside.

The final spot on my All Star team goes to Jayson Tatum/Jaylen Brown. The young Celtic wing has emerged as an excellent defender, and a worthy 2^nd banana to Kemba Walker on offense. His play making has become a real weapon for the upstart Celtics. To be honest, it’s a dead set toss up between the two foundational Boston wings. Their statistical cases are incredibly similar. They are very much the 2A and 2B in the C’s system. I’m going to go with Brown, by the thinnest of margins. If Tatum is your guy, that’s fine.

There were some tough omissions.

Bradley Beal has been electric this season. His counting numbers are right in line with Trae Young’s, and whilst the Wizards are not exactly tearing up the NBA, they’re far more accomplished than the Hawks. Beal isn’t a great defender, and he – like his teammates, to be fair – hasn’t really bothered at that end of the floor this season. It was borderline between he and Young, but Trae gets the nod. Malcolm Brogdon’s early season form was certainly All Star worthy, but he has faded somewhat.

So my final Eastern Conference roster has only a single change from the NBA’s: Jaylen Brown in for his Boston teammate Jayson Tatum.

Vendetta Sports Eastern Conference All Stars:

• Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
• Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors)
• Jimmy Butler (Chicago Bulls)
• Kemba Walker (Boston Celtics)
• Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)
• Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
• Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)
• Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks)
• Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)
• Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors)
• Domantas Sabonis (Indiana Pacers)
• Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)

Now let’s head West.

Here’s the NBA coaches picks for the Western Conference reserves:

• Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
• Damian Lillard (Portland Trailblazers)
• Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz)
• Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)
• Chris Paul (Oklahoma City Thunder)
• Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans)
• Russell Westbrook (Houston Rockets)

Damian Lillard’s place on this team is the most certain certainty in the history of things that are certain. Despite his team faltering, Dollar Dame has been lighting it up all season and has stepped it up in the past couple of weeks. Since the Warriors game on January 20^th, Lillard has averaged 48.3 points, 10.2 assists, 7.2 boards, 1.2 steals and 8.2 three pointers and a ludicrous 55.58%. Those are beyond All-Star numbers – they’re video game numbers.

Jokic’s poor start to the season is perhaps the only reason as to why he’s not in the conversation for a starting berth in the All Star game. After a genuinely worrying November, regular service has been restored with Jokic giving the Nuggets a nightly 23 and 10, with close to 55/40/80 shooting splits. As Jokic has warmed up, so has his team’s offense. At the start of December, Denver ranked 19^th in points per 100 possessions – they’re 6^th since then. Jokic is this teams offense – they’re 3^rd in the NBA with him on the floor, 22^nd when he sits. Despite his heavy-footed reputation, Jokic is an excellent defender. He’s rarely out of position, plays his angles wonderfully and has incredible hands. That allows him to snag rebounds and swipe steals that other centres simply cant.

For the first time since Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur in 2007, the Jazz are sending multiple players to an All Start game (admit it, you thought it was going to be since Stockton and Malone). Both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell are worthy recipients of their 1^st All Star appearances. Gobert has doubled down on his defensive prowess, throwing out a pair of shots per game, and snaring a career high 14.5 rebounds. He looks a certainty to win his 3^rd Defensive Player of the Year award. Gobert is also vital to the Jazz’s offense, creating space for his shooters as an elite roll man. Yes, he needs his play makers to set him up, but the Frenchman’s ability to finish at the rim creates a Sophie’s Choice for the defense: stay with the shooters and give Gobert an automatic deuce, or crash the paint and let Ingles, Clarkson, Conley or Bogdanovic fire away. He and Mitchell dovetail wonderfully. The attention Gobert draws opens up the slivers of space that a lightning fast and slithery ball handler (11^th in the NBA in drives) like Mitchell thrives upon. In his 3^rd season, Mitchell continues to grow, averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists and all of his shooting percentages. The Jazz made a conscious offense-for-defense choice this offseason. Mitchell and Gobert have the Jazz sitting in the top 10 at that end of the floor – it’s fair to say the decision has paid off, so far.

Chris Paul, in his age 34 season, continues to shine. There has been a lot of chatter that he’s playing in a diminished role in OKC. The New Car Sheen of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has surely contributed to that. Don’t make the mistake, however, of thinking that the Thunder are not Chris Paul’s team. The veteran is the man that makes this surprising side tick. His 17.1 points per game is actually up on his scoring last season in Houston, and he remains completely clutch, easily leading the NBA in FG% in the last five minutes of games. He has lost a step on defense, but he remains excellent. His hands are still elite, as is his positioning and anticipation. He’s also strong as an ox, which helps offset his short stature and diminishing foot speed.

Brandon Ingram deserves his inaugural All Star berth. He’s been the one constant in a whirlwind of a season in New Orleans. Considering that he’s moved to a new team, dealt with the Zion hype-injury-hype roller coaster, a constant stream of health related lineup changes and the inevitable growing pains that any young team will encounter, Ingram has been fantastic. It goes without saying that he’s achieving career highs across the board. However, a worrying trend for Ingram is that his scoring has dropped by about 6 points per game, from around 5 less shots, since Zion Williamson’s return. Luckily for Ingram, the All-Star game takes into account the first half of a season – 25 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and close to a steal and block per game are more than enough.

The final spot on the official roster has gone to Russell Westbrook. That’s OK. I guess. Westbrook’s scoring has increased from his last season on OKC from 22.9 to 26.5 points per game and – as expected – his efficiency has jumped considerably playing alongside the defense magnet that is James Harden. That jump brings Brodie up to 52.6% true shooting – still the single worst figure of any player who is in contention for an All-Star berth. He’s shooting a woeful 23.6% from deep. His defensive rating is at it’s lowest since his rookie campaign. In a crowded field, Westbrook isn’t a deserving All-Star this time around.

My final spot goes to Devin Booker. The 5^th year Sun is averaging 27.1 points per game, and has maintained his 6+ assists per game from last season, despite Ricky Rubio’s addition taking the ball out of Booker’s hands. Having Rubio as a teammate can’t be underestimated when assessing Booker’s improvements this season. He is now combining his best version of James Harden with the ball, as a heliocentric offensive fulcrum (he’s developed great chemistry with DeAndre Ayton), and channelling his best Ray Allen when sharing the floor with Rubio, darting around screens for catch and shoot opportunities, or attacking a scrambled defense.

Booker’s scoring ability draws inevitable double teams and traps; his passing out of those has improved immeasurably this season – maybe he’ll begrudgingly admit that his preseason work paid off. His defense is….not great, but it’s improved from the deplorable levels of the past few seasons. Booker is in.

As is customary, the Western Conference contains a lot of ‘nearly but not quite’ stories, and that’s still the case despite Curry, Thompson and Durant not being eligible this season.

Westbrook was close, but he has found his best form too late. It’s a similar case for Spurs pair DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge, who have both been on a tear since mid January. As good as their recent form is, you can’t overlook their tepid performances across the first 30 to 35 games this season. There was some Shai Gilgeous-Alexander buzz, but he’s the 2^nd best player on a low end playoff team – he’s not getting a berth.

Karl Anthony Towns and Paul George are the two most high profile omissions, but they’ve simply missed too much time to be seriously considered. PG would be a lock otherwise, and Towns All World offense eclipses his atrocious defense. If he’d played enough games, there would be a spot for him, here. Who would I leave out for them, if they had remained healthy? Probably Booker and Ingram.

So there we have it.

Vendetta Sports Western Conference All Stars:

• LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers)
• Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
• James Harden (Houston Rockets)
• Damian Lillard (Portland Trailblazers)
• Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
• Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)
• Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans)
• Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz)
• Chris Paul (Oklahoma City Thunder)
• Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)

Finally a quick comment on the NBA’s alterations to the actual All-Star game itself.

The Sunday showcase of All Star weekend has become somewhat unwatchable over the past few years. I sat down and watched the 1988 All Star game earlier this week. The pace was slower, there was less flash, fewer dunks….but at least it looked like actual basketball. The lack of competitiveness – culminating in Jimmy Butler getting the first DNP in All Star history – in recent games has been demoralising to watch. When you assemble the best talent in the world on a single court, you want to see them take it to each other. At least for a little while.

The biggest hurdle in achieving this was the ‘how’: the players earn tens of millions per year, so money won’t change anything. And they can’t risk injury because of that earning capacity. So the NBA has done the one thing that might get the players to put in an effort. Some might call it professional pride, but in assigning $500k prize money for charitable donations, I’d say the NBA is attempting the shame it’s players into making at least a token effort. Will it work? Time will tell.