NBA Swing: Nass' All-NBA Team. Time for the Ballots

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The time has come for media voters to cast their ballots in for their All-NBA rosters. The top 15 players this season arranged amongst three teams in a regulated starting five by position. Nominated players are measured off of individual statistical seasons and quality contributions to their respective organizations. This season has been a lot trickier than in years past on who’ll make what team and why. There was an insane 31 players in the association that averaged 20 or more points this year. Scoring solely doesn’t define a season, but being amongst that company sure does validate your overall production and separate yourself over the course of the season. All-NBA nominations have never held so much at stake for players than it does nowadays. Especially with all these max contracts containing incentives and bonuses for players’ outstanding play. All-NBA teams have huge implications on players’ pockets.

First Team

– G Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors

– G Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets

– G/F Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

– F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

– C Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Leading off the first team is the two-time MVP and this year’s scoring champion (32.0 ppg) Stephen Curry. Inevitably, Curry was going to have the opportunity to put up the video game numbers that were going to mirror his 2016 MVP campaign, and not shockingly, he outdid those as well. The Warriors had their ups and downs all season but without the nuclear scoring ability, marksmanship, and leadership of the Chef himself, their playoff aspirations would have disappeared in seconds.

At the opposite guard position is the Nets’ Kyrie Irving. Irving, who faced numerous questions about how he’ll fit next to co-running mates’ James Harden and Kevin Durant, delivered the best year of his career. He played the most games of the “Big 3” this season and became the ninth player in NBA history to average 50% from the field, 40% from the three-point line, and 90% from the free throw line. Doing it while becoming the fourth player to do so while averaging 25+ points per game (Durant, Curry, Bird). Against the NBA’s elite teams Irving’s play only reached greater heights. The Duke product averaged 30 ppg vs the Celtics, 33.5 ppg vs the Clippers, 29 ppg vs the Bucks, and also poured in 45 vs the Mavs, 31 vs the Nuggets, and 37 vs the 76ers. The Nets led the league with the most different starting lineups used this season. The combination of that, Harden/Durant health, lack of depth, and a first-year head coach created immense pressure for Irving to go out and perform at that superstar level on a nightly basis. Doing so while keeping the Nets afloat at the 2nd seed is why he has the slight edge over other popular first-team candidates like Chris Paul and Damian Lillard.

At the first forward position is Luka Doncic who’s been entirely responsible for the fluidity of the Mavericks offense. The third-year Slovenian sensation finished off his second straight season of averaging at least 27/8/8 becoming the second player to do so in back-to-back seasons (Lebron James 2017-19). Moving Luka to the three, which is a position he guards and plays at times especially when he, Trey Burke, and Timmy Hardaway Jr., for example, share the floor, justifies opening up a guard position while still crediting Luka for playing like a top-five player all season.

At the other forward position is Giannis Antetokounmpo. A fairly easy decision as the Greek Freak was an MVP candidate all year, the anchor of an elite Bucks defense, and helped lead the Bucks to the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Giannis was also second in the NBA in PER. The Greek Freak continues to show year in and year out why he’s one of the best two-way superstars in the world.

To round out the first team is the favorite to win MVP this season, Nikola Jokic. The Joker led the league in PER and posted averages of 26 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists a night. Jokic got the slight edge for MVP and first-team center over Embiid just off of the fact he played every game this season and kept the Nuggets afloat after Jamal Murray’s season-ending ACL injury.

Second Team

– PG Damian Lillard, Portland Trailblazers

– SG Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards

– SG/F Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers

– SF Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers

– C Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

The second team backcourt is led by Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard. Despite being banged up with off and on nagging minor rib, ankle, knee injuries, Lillard was third in the NBA in scoring (28.8 ppg). Dame Dolla continued to prove how much heart he has for a Portland team that had dealt with substantial absences from two of their best players in CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic throughout the season. Lillard’s soldier-like stellar play kept Portland’s playoff hopes alive as he became the only other player besides Lebron James to put up at least 25/4/6 each season dating back to 2017-18. Dolla was also 6th in the NBA in PER.

At the next guard position is Washington’s very own Bradley Beal. For the second consecutive season, Beal finished second in the NBA in scoring. One of the league’s deadliest bucket getters helped the Wizards turn around a dreadful 17-32 start to the season to clinching the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. Beal was only second to Steph Curry in 40+ point games this season with eight. After becoming the first player ever to average 30 points and six assists and not make an All-NBA team last year, Beal’s efforts will be rewarded.

At both forward positions on the second team are the Clippers’ skilled wings Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. For someone who had his fair share of playoff hiccups last year, PG rebounded beautifully this season. The 7x All-Star averaged 23 points a night while setting career highs in field goal percentage (46%) and assists (5.2). Kawhi Leonard followed up last year with another solid campaign, posting 24.8 points a night while also displaying his playmaking skills this year also averaging a career-high 5.2 assists per. Though no longer the athletic mutants they used to be wreaking havoc for the opposing player’s best offensive player, PG and Kawhi, two of this generations’ best defensive wings, can still get a stop when need be. Both George and Leonard are 50/40/90 caliber wings that can score at all three levels of the floor and help boast the contending Clips to the third seed in the always competitive Western Conference.

Finishing out the second team is superstar big man Joel Embiid. This may be the first time we’ve seen arguably the most dominant player this season come short of the MVP and 1st team All-NBA. The lack of games played plagued Embiid’s remarkable year. A two-way monster that was the focal point of a 76ers offense and averaged career-high marks in points (28.5), free throw attempts/game (10.7), free throws made/game (9.2), and free throw percentage (85%). If the All-NBA teams were as positionless as actual lineups have evolved to be on the court today, Embiid would without a doubt have made the team but this is just how the history of the game plays out, five positions, two guards, two forwards, one center. Just as an attempt to dodge the guilt of not picking between Embiid and MVP favorite Jokic as your 1st team NBA center voter officials made both big men flexible to be voted in at the forward position.

On the flip side, I do understand someone like Jokic who’s really a point guard trapped in a power forward’s body frame would be flexible at a point forward position similar to Sixers star Ben Simmons because that’s a position he plays on the court and that’s really how we really measure things like this. But just like the glory power forward years that endured in the early 2000s with the likes of Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Chris Webber sometimes you can’t reward everyone the same, and at the end of the day, it’s a game of splitting hairs by bolstering players’ cases by their team records, amount of games played, impact, etc.

Third Team

– PG Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns

– G/SF Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat

– SF/PG Lebron James, Los Angeles Lakers

– F Julius Randle, New York Knicks

– C Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz

The All-NBA third team starts out with popular MVP candidate Chris Paul. Chris Paul’s impact on a franchise can never just be measured by a simple stat sheet. His track record of improving each organization he goes to is what has kept him in the superstar room for as long as can be, even at the age of 36. The Phoenix Suns had their best regular season in ages going 51-21 and landing the second seed in the West. Chris Paul was undoubtedly the catalyst and main reason the Suns were able to have the type of year they had. Paul’s stat line this season wasn’t exactly overwhelming statically compared to other former All-NBA nominations but his impact and leadership made up for the lack of superstar caliber stats. Paul continued to display why he’s one of the greatest floor generals to lace them up. CP3 dished out 8.9 assists a night, his highest since 2016 his last season as a Clipper, and was just hairs from being a 50/40/90 guy (49/39/93) this year as well. Chris Paul’s overall MVP case was entirely boosted by the ascendance of Suns’ young guns.

Superstar shooting guard Devin Booker poured in 25 points a night this year and became one of six players to average 25 points, four rebounds, and four assists each of the past three seasons. (Lebron James, James Harden, Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, Giannis Antetokounmpo). If the guard position wasn’t as deep as it’s ever been he would have easily made an All-NBA team himself. Former number one overall pick Deandre Ayton was suspended 25 games last year for violating the NBA’s substance abuse policy which eventually drained the premature playoff hopes of the Suns last year. When it was time for the bubble, Ayton was a key component of a young Suns team that went 8-0 before acquiring Paul in the off-season. 3-D wings Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and Jae Crowder have been under the radar but sensational all year for the Suns as well. Paul reuniting with Monty Williams, with who he already had playoff success dating back to his prime NOLA day,s went ways for that organization. Not saying Paul was not worthy of his well-deserved MVP recognition but the situation established was the perfect setting for him. He was one of the NBA’s fifteen best players this year and has continued to show his impact to an organization beyond the box score.

At the off guard position is three-time All-Star Jimmy Butler. Fresh off an impressive grueling marathon playoff run last year leading the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals, Jimmy Buckets was once again the engine for this Miami Heat team. Jimmy averaged his highest points per game total since 2017 (21.5), led the league in steals with 2.1 swipes a night, and averaged a career-high 7.1 dimes per. The Heat have been up and down all year with injury woes as starters and rotational players have been in and out of the lineup. Besides Bam Adebayo, Butler pretty much is responsible for getting this team to the playoffs as the Finals hangover and cut short offseason has had an effect on this team roster. Butler’s looking to make his fifth All-Defensive team and his prominence as one of the league’s premier two-way players and unattainable bulldog championship intangibles boasts what will be his fourth All-NBA selection.

At the first forward position is currently the best basketball player in the world, Lebron James. The three-time Finals MVP was the early on favorite to bring home the most valuable player award (shocker) but a lingering high-ankle sprain suffered back in March tainted his typical MVP stat stuffed regular season. But to be honest, when he was out there on the court, this was still arguably the greatest basketball player to ever live on your team. Lebron, in his sleep, is a walking 27/8/8 guy no matter what facet of his game he prioritizes as his team’s first need. He’s dominated in every phase of the game. At this point in Lebron’s career where he’s taken a dip athleticism and health-wise, and uber-talented Anthony Davis can play the superstar talent no.1 scoring option role and it’s given Lebron a lighter load on both ends of the floor overall. In year two with Anthony Davis, Lebron shot his highest field goal percentage since 2018 (.513) when he led the Kyrie-less Cavaliers to the NBA finals. James can now step back into his more natural state of mind as a player, the primary playmaker, and decision-maker. Davis has allowed James to conserve energy for other parts of his game such as defending and even though he’s no longer the same jump out the gym athlete as he was when he was a Top 3 defender in the league once upon a time. He’s still a vital backbone piece of a Lakers defense that’s been a top 10 defense each of the past two years. The Lakers’ drastic slip of the slope in the Western Conference to the 7th seed in just a matter of a month says a lot about how much the 36-year-old kid from Akron, Ohio still means to not just the Lakeshow but the league itself.

At the other forward position is Knicks do it all forward Julius Randle. Randle unlocked his newly enhanced perimeter shot showing the world different ranges we never imagined he’d become comfortable with when he was a one and done out of Kentucky. The Knicks clinched the fourth seed and Randle became the second player in NBA history to average 20/10/5 and shoot 40% from beyond the arc. (Larry Bird). Randle has solidified himself as a star in this league and may even find himself with a couple of MVP votes once results are revealed at the end of the year.

The final All-NBA selection belongs to Jazz center Rudy Gobert. The seven-foot giant and two-time Defensive Player of the Year once again had another fantastic season. The anchor of a solid Utah Jazz defense, Gobert scares slashers and volume playmakers from attacking the rim. His wingspan, block radius, and ability to play the passing lane is the reason why he’s made the NBA All-Defensive team. Gobert is still a respectable threat on offense as well. His screen and roll play is a vital component for playmakers like Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley, and Joe Ingles’ attacks at the rim. His stature and lengthy frame keep opposing defenders honest because he’s a constant alley-oop threat. Gobert has been Top 8 in NBA player defensive efficiency each year dating back to 2014-15. The Jazz are the number one seed in the NBA and Rudy Gobert, one of the best defensive big men and rim protectors of all time is a huge part of their success this season.