Nugg Love Roundtalk: All-Star Reserves Selection Special

Kyle (@KyleStandfield):

Russell Westbrook-

• Not much justification has to be done here, the guy is averaging a triple double and his team is on pace to make the playoffs despite not necessarily being that talented or deep. He should be a lock on 100% of basketball fans’ reserve selections. While we are talking about Westbrook, him not starting isn’t really an issue to me. Fans never count the amount of times a player started an All-Star game when looking back at a player’s career, just that they made the team. He is my pick for All-Star game MVP, again.

Mike Conley-

• Chris Paul going down with a thumb injury a few weeks back has opened the door up for Mike Conley to make his long-awaited All-Star game debut. Conley has been in the discussion for a number of years now but has ultimately been left on the outer thanks to the incredible guard depth in the Western Conference. He is averaging a career best 18.9 points per game to go along with 6.2 assists and is a defensive stud. The fact that the Grizzlies are 26-20 also holds him over other candidates like Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.

DeMarcus Cousins-

• Draymond Green recently said that DeMarcus Cousins is the best big man in the game and it’s hard to argue against his claim. His 28 points per game are not only a career high, but also places him 5th in the entire league in that category. We all know the rebounding numbers are there, but his 4.3 assists per game may take many by surprise as may his 3-point percentage of nearly 38%. The guy is near unstoppable when he gets going and is one of the few players destructive enough to win games single-handedly.

Marc Gasol-

• Two Grizzlies players on the All-Star team? Yes. Marc Gasol has been absolutely spectacular on both ends of the floor for David Fizdale this season. He is arguably the most consistent and reliable center in the entire league at the moment and his basketball IQ continues to be among the best. The addition of the 3-point shot has been a welcomed addition to Gasol’s already well-rounded game and he has been terrific down the stretch of close contests.

Draymond Green-

• There are so many things to love about Draymond Green’s game. His ability to legitimately guard every position is astounding, as is his leadership skills and willingness to get on every single teammate if they mess up. His averages of 10.8 points, 8.6 assists and 7.6 rebounds show he is the motor that makes this historic Warriors team run at full steam.

Klay Thompson-

• When Klay goes off on one of his major scoring outbursts, he is one of the most enjoyable players to watch. His 60 point game earlier this season was phenomenal and he continues to be one of the premier guards in the league. He is currently shooting 46% from the field including 39% from deep while averaging 21.1 points per contest. Klay continues to move excellently without the ball and his defense has always been an underappreciated part of his game. The Warriors deserve four players in the All-Star game.

Rudy Gobert-

• My final All-Star reserve slot came down to either Rudy Gobert or Gordon Hayward. Ultimately, I’ve gone with Gobert due to the fact he is the defensive anchor on the leagues best defensive team. The Jazz give up a league low 95.3 points per game, almost 3 points lower than the second placed Spurs. Gobert is an absolute menace in the paint and his 2.5 blocks per game leads the league. They don’t have a stat for altering shots in the paint, but if they did, I’m sure Gobert would lead that, too.