Top 50 NBA players: #45 — Mike Conley
At long last, Mike Conley made his first All-Star appearance this season. The Jazz have been a two-way buzzsaw from opening night, and Conley deserves a lot of credit for Utah’s ascent to first place. He’s averaging 16.6 points and 5.4 assists on 45.2 percent shooting, looking significantly better-adjusted to the Jazz system than the season prior.
Top 50 NBA players: #44 — Kristaps Porzingis
One of the NBA’s more confounding stars, Kristaps Porzingis’ reputation would benefit from a hint of reliability on the injury front. Unfortunately, he still struggles to stay on the floor, and his time on the floor is often riddled with inconsistency. That said, the Unicorn lives, and he’s averaging 20.7 points and 9.7 rebounds on 48.0 percent shooting. Not many 7-footers can do what Porzingis can.
Top 50 NBA players: #43 — Julius Randle
Julius Randle made his well-earned All-Star debut this season, averaging 22.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists on 45.9 percent shooting. He has bolstered his 3-point shooting and become a real playmaking fulcrum in the Knicks’ offense. Once a bloated contract, he may now have a cornerstone role in New York’s future.
Top 50 NBA players: #42 — Russell Westbrook
The Russell Westbrook conversation is a challenging and complex one. The 32-year-old has shown his age this season, and the Wizards aren’t very good. It’s more fair than ever to question Westbrook’s ability to win at the highest level. Even so, he’s still putting up monster numbers — 21.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 10.8 assists on 43.5 percent shooting — and Washington is putting together a late-season surge. We can’t write off Westbrook just yet.
Top 50 NBA players: #41 — Malcolm Brogdon
The Pacers have underwhelmed all season, but Malcolm Brogdon is not the reason why. He was arguably this season’s biggest All-Star snub, averaging 21.2 points and 5.9 assists on efficient 45.5 percent shooting. Brogdon is a sound decision-maker and a legitimate top scorer, not to mention a tough, physical defender.