WESTERN CONFERENCE RESERVES
Despite the early-season injury and missed time, Paul George is on track for another All-Star bid. He didn’t take long to get into rhythm as Leonard’s right-hand man in L.A., even if his production pales in comparison to last season’s top-three MVP finish.
George is an elite defender on the wing, in a class similar to his aforementioned star teammate. He can defend across positions at 6-foot-8, and his versatility gives impressive range to the Clippers defense. Both L.A. teams deserve two All-Stars.
Depending on who you ask, Karl-Anthony Towns has earned the qualification of basketball’s top offensive center. I’ve always thought the ‘soft’ label was unfair to Towns, and he has done plenty to rise above it this season. Now he’s a more accomplished defender than ever before.
The Wolves have plummeted into a rocky abyss after starting the season strong, but Towns bears no fault. He’s the lone stabilizer in a wayward offense, and his ability to score at all three levels — step-backs, face-ups, spot-ups, post-ups, whatever — is unique to him at 6-foot-11.
Rarely do you find a guard in the Devin Booker mold who shoots 50 percent from the field. The Suns have gone dormant after an explosive start to the season, but Booker deserves praise for his best campaign to date. He’s blending volume and efficiency better than most can.
Booker has more help this season — Ricky Rubio is a bonafide set-up man, Deandre Ayton and Aron Baynes are imposing forces, and Kelly Oubre is comfortable as a No. 2 scorer. It’s still Booker, though, who makes the engine turn. His growth as a playmaker and defender cement an All-Star bid.
After a pompous 2018-19 season, Nikola Jokic somehow managed to make fans question his conditioning even more. This season has marked a decisive step back for Jokic — his scoring is down, his assists are down, and his percentages are down. Something feels off.
Even so, there’s little in the way of Jokic returning to the All-Star game. The Nuggets are a genuine contender deserving of All-Star recognition, and despite his regression, Jokic remains a dynamic and uniquely impactful presence on offense.
The Blazers are struggling to keep their collective heads above water. Injuries have plagued Portland all season, and Damian Lillard has done everything in his power to keep the Blazers within striking distance of the eighth seed, with limited success.
On talent and production alone, it’s impossible to deny Lillard’s belonging on this list. He’s the most vicious shooter in basketball sans Curry, and his playmaking has elevated a subpar supporting cast.
What a fourth season for Brandon Ingram, who’s due for a shiny new extension (or a max contract somewhere else) this summer. Ingram has taken over the mantle of lead scorer in NOLA, coming into his own as a shooter and a secondary creator.
A wiry mass of arms and skill, Ingram has always maintained intrigue from pundits. That intrigue has officially turned into admiration. His free throw shooting is up nearly 20 ticks — it feels much more substantial than a flash-in-the-pan hot streak. This is No. 2 pick production.
You could go several directions here, but Chris Paul has quietly outperformed partner-in-trade Russell Westbrook all season. Seriously! The Thunder are in the playoff hunt, and Paul’s contributions have kept OKC afloat despite sweeping offseason changes.
The numbers don’t pop, but when has Paul’s impact boiled down to box score highlights. He’s a meticulous playmaker, an endlessly smart manipulator of defenses, and a clutch late-game scorer. After looking dead in the water for stretches last season, it’s nice to see such a strong reminder of Paul’s brilliance.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Russell Westbrook, Andrew Wiggins, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, CJ McCollum, LaMarcus Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan, Jamal Murray