Can you believe the All-Star game is only a few weeks away? We’re talking Madison Square Garden, wicked throwback jerseys, celebrities and the best players the NBA has to offer! Well, everyone except Damian Lillard that is…but that’s a conversation for another day. Nonetheless this year’s All-Star weekend should be a blast. The only thing that could make it better is if Lillard organized a team of ‘snubbed players’ and crashed the All-Star game – ‘Space Jam’ style!
Wouldn’t that be amazing? I’ll make a few calls and see what I can do, but until then why not check out this week’s By The Numbers: All-Star Reserves edition.
15 : Straight years Tim Duncan has been selected as an All-Star
I, for one, was glad to see that Duncan got picked again this year. Some may disagree, but Duncan is a legend, and legends warrant special consideration. That being said it’s not like the ‘old man’ is playing poorly, he’s averaging 14.8 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and 1.9 blocks per game on .490 shooting from the field this season. Being that Duncan is 38 years old and still putting up these numbers he is clearly special. In his 17-year career Duncan has been named an All-Star 15 times, ranking him third behind only Kobe (17) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19) for most selections in NBA history.
.872 : LaMarcus Aldridge’s free throw percentage this season
Honestly, LaMarcus Aldridge is so good it’s almost scary! Playing a total of 43 games this season, Aldridge has averaged 23.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 blocks per game while connecting on .467 from the field and .481 from three. Although Lillard is clutch, I don’t think many would argue that Aldridge is the Trail Blazers’ captain. This is the fourth All-Star Selection for the 29-year-old native of Dallas. Health permitting, I can only imagine that ‘LA’ will continue to make All-Star teams for years to come.
22 : The amount of games Kevin Durant has played this season
At first I felt that Durant just hadn’t played enough games to deserve an All-Star nod this year, but after thinking about it, I changed my mind. I know he’s only suited up for 22 contests, but the guy is the former MVP. There may not be a more lethal player in the league. Even with all the injuries he’s had to endure this season, Durant is still averaging an impressive 25.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and one block per game. Oh and did I mention he is also shooting .511 from the field, .377 from three and .857 from the free throw this season. Not too shabby Mr. Durant. Is there anything you can’t do?
27 : James Harden’s PPG average this year
I’ve never been a Rockets fan in my life. To be honest I think they have some of the ‘ugliest’ jerseys in the league. The funny thing is, with the way Harden has played this season, I’d proudly purchase and dawn the number 13. This season Harden is averaging 27 points, 6.8 assists, 5.6 rebounds and two steals per game while shooting .452 from the field and .387 from three. Harden also leads the league in FTM this season, averaging roughly eight points per game from the charity stripe on .885 shooting. I know how great Kobe Bryant is, but Harden really deserved the starting nod this year. At the end of the day Harden is still doing the ‘dance’ and could very well end up starting in place of Kobe Bryant anyways. It’s more than Damian Lillard can say he’ll be doing next weekend!
145 : The amount of threes Klay Thompson has sunk this season
Watching highlights of Thompson’s 37-point third quarter still gives me goose bumps. It was one of the greatest performances I’ve ever watched, right up there with Kobe’s 82-point night. I find that Thompson often doesn’t get the respect he deserves playing alongside Steph Curry in the backcourt. Which is why it’s nice to see that he’s broken out of Curry’s shadow and become an All-Star this season. Thompson is averaging 22.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, three assists and 1.2 steals per game this year. There is no question that his play warranted a selection, even in a guard-heavy conference. Thompson has proven he can score among the best in the league while still focusing on defense. Congrats Thompson, you deserved it.
73 : Chris Paul’s assist total in All-Star competition
Chris Paul is so consistent year in and year out that he often gets overlooked, much like Duncan does at times. The thing is, CP3 is one of the greatest point guards I’ve ever watched. Although I would love to see him win a championship, I don’t think Paul has to in order to become one of the greats – he already is one. This season CP3 is averaging 17.7 points, 9.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.9 steals on .474 shooting from the field. With the help of fellow All-Star Blake Griffin, the Clippers have a 33-16 record, which is good for fifth in the West. Taking into consideration the Clippers’ record and his individual production, it’s difficult to find a reason not to vote for him. I would bet there isn’t a coach in the league that wouldn’t want CP3 running their squad!
2 : The amount of triple-doubles Russell Westbrook has this season
Maybe it’s just me, but does it not seem like the media secretly wants Westbrook to fail? I know it’s not true, but with the way he is portrayed, you would think so. It’s a good thing Westbrook isn’t bothered by it, as he appears to use it on the court. This season Westbrook is averaging 25.4 points, 7.5 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game while shooting .431 from the field and .812 from the free-throw line. Just try and tell me that doesn’t impress you. The guy is simply amazing, which is why I don’t understand all the criticism. I mean, is Durant the better player? Yes he is, but the gap is getting a lot smaller year-to-year.
Enjoy the upcoming All-Star Weekend, and check out the rest of Riley’s series!
NBA BY THE NUMBERS: WESTERN ALL-STAR STARTERS
NBA BY THE NUMBERS: EASTERN ALL-STAR STARTERS
NBA BY THE NUMBERS: EASTERN ALL-STAR RESERVES
Riley Jones is a correspondent and NBA editor at FantasyPros. To read more from Riley, check out his archive and follow him @RyJones4.