VOTE NOW via ballot, or by tweeting a player's name as a hashtag (#JaylenBrown), his handle (@fchwpo), or his name fully written out (Jaylen Brown), plus #NBAAllStar.
Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker represented the Celtics as All-Stars last season. Boston should get at least two members onto the All-Star team yet again this season, and if they don’t, Weird Celtics Twitter should revolt.
There’s no doubt that Tatum is primed for his second consecutive All-Star berth. Jaylen Brown is an absolute no-brainer given what he has accomplished this season. Walker has been an All-Star for the past four years, so he already has a built-in voting base. Lastly, Marcus Smart has thrown his name into the hat with his elite defense and playmaking ability.
If anyone out there in cyberspace is wondering about why they should cast a vote for any or all of these Celtics, their individual arguments are outlined below.
Jayson Tatum
As great as Tatum was last season when he made his first All-Star team and was chosen as an All-NBA Third Team performer, he has been even better this season.
Tatum’s scoring average of 26.5 points per game ranks 11th in the entire league. He leads the league in 3-point percentage above the break, at 45.5 percent, and he’s shooting 42.7 percent overall from long range, which ranks 10th in the league among bulk shooters (minimum five attempts per game). Tatum’s total of 27 clutch points rank 12th in the league, even though he missed five games due to COVID-19. And he is also tied for second in the league in points per possession on post-ups with a mark of 1.33.
Boston has outscored opponents by 72 points while Tatum has been on the floor this season, and it is 8-4 during games in which he has appeared. Those facts are thanks in large part to Tatum’s career-best shooting numbers of 47.1 percent from the field, 42.7 percent from 3-point range, and 85.7 percent from the free-throw line. His shooting, combined with his career-best average of 3.8 assists per game, has boosted his player efficiency rating to 22.58 – by far the best mark of his career.
Tatum is a bona fide star who is playing some of the best ball in the league.
Jaylen Brown
To the surprise of many, Jaylen Brown is right by Tatum’s side in playing some of the best basketball in the league. Brown has been nothing short of magnificent this season while taking on a leading role in the offense for the first time in his career.
Brown ranks fourth in the league - in the league - in points per 36 minutes with an average of 29.7. He’s scoring a career-best 27.1 PPG this season.
These electric scoring numbers have been poured in thanks to Brown’s superstar shooting ability. He ranks second in the league among guards in field goal percentage at 52.2 percent, he ranks seventh in the league in 3-point percentage at 44.1 percent (minimum five attempts per game), and he leads the league in mid-range shooting at 56.8 percent (minimum two attempts per game). Brown has also been feasting in transition, as he leads the league in fast-break points (91) and fast-break points per game (5.4).
All of these numbers have legitimately thrown Brown’s name into the early MVP conversation. Need more evidence as to why? Brown owns a player efficiency rating of 25.86, which ranks ninth in the league – right behind two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokoummpo’s mark of 25.93.
For added voting motivation, also consider the fact that Brown is dishing out a career-high 3.5 assists per game to go along with 1.5 steals per game, which ranks fifth in the league.
Kemba Walker
Kemba Walker’s case is far less about what he’s accomplished so far this season and far more about his reputation as an All-Star.
Walker missed the first 11 games of Boston’s season as he continued to strengthen his left knee but recently returned to play five contests on a minute restriction. Despite averaging only 24.2 minutes per game during those matchups, Walker has poured in an average of 24.4 points per 36 minutes, a mark that ranks in the top 20 among all NBA players. Walker’s mark of 6.3 assists per 36 minutes also ranks within the top 18 leaguewide.
Walker may have missed some time, but he has put up All-Star-level numbers during his return, all while being saddled with a minute restriction.
Marcus Smart
Smart continues to defend like the All-Defensive First Teamer that he is, as he ranks fifth in the league in loose balls recovered per game (0.9), sixth in the league in steals per game (1.8), ninth in the league in steal percentage (2.7), and ninth in the league in deflections per game (3.4).
Smart has also made significant contributions offensively, as his average of 6.0 assists per game ranks among the top 17 averages in the league. His assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.31 ranks sixth among the top 40 assist men in the league.
Many of those assists have played a role in Brown and Tatum reaching their new heights. Smart has been the assist man on 46.7 percent and 42.9 percent of Brown and Tatum’s assisted baskets, respectively.
Lastly, from an efficiency standpoint, Smart has so far logged the second-best true shooting percentage of his career at 52.3 percent, and he is on pace to set a new career high in player efficiency rating at 15.05. So don’t scoff at his name being on this list. Smart deserves consideration for votes.
"all" - Google News
January 29, 2021 at 05:25AM
https://ift.tt/2NMowaw
The Case for Celtics All-Stars on Day 1 of Voting | Boston Celtics - Celtics.com
"all" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2vcMBhz
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "The Case for Celtics All-Stars on Day 1 of Voting | Boston Celtics - Celtics.com"
Post a Comment