Having a career year in: Ppg FgM Fg% TS% 2p% eFG% FT% FTM FTA Reb PER And he's improved his FG% (by a lot) from every distance from the hoop, besides 3 pointers. It would be an extreme snub for him to not make the all star team. He's also doing this with the worst team around him, compared to every other point guard. Even OKC has a better supporting cast. While curry and cp3 get to play with multiple all-NBA players and all-stars. I think this year it goes: RW JH Curry CP3 Dame I think those are the top pg's in the entire league, they just so happen to be in the western conference.
Not to be pedantic, but he just got outplayed head to head in 3 of the 4 games on this past road trip against Wall, Kemba, and Isaiah.
Russ W doesn't have a player as good as CJ with him in OKC. Dame is no shoe in especially since some coaches may be picking CJ instead of Dame as their Portland pick. That could kill Dame's chances. I think Dame will make it though.
I'd put Isaiah and Wall and Lowry ahead of Dame this year. Not as much Dame slipping as much as the other dudes ballin out of their minds. Wall's defense this season is back to where it was two seasons ago. Edit: It's funny I was arguing against this very notion about other guys passing Dame just a month ago. Crazy how fast this stuff changes.
He doesn't have a better player than Cj, but after him, okc has more talent, and better defensive players. Oladipo, Adams, kanter, etc. Oladipo may not be better than Cj offensively, but he's actually a really good defender, and he's a freak athletically.
And he has a career high in defensive rating (115). Oh wait . . . is that a bad thing? Career low in DWS and WS. Nobody is saying he isn't good on one end of the court. He is just much worse on the other end. Unfortunately, you kind of have to play on both ends.
I'm not denying him being a bad defender, a lot of top offensive players are. But those stats are also dependent upon who you're playing with, and the coach you're playing for, so... He's definitely not a worse defender this year. He's just playing with a horrible defensive team, with very little talent outside of an even worse defensive player in CJ. CP3 would have a career year in those stats too if he was on this team.
I could see Lowry for the defense. But I'm not sold on Wall, he has the same per, but lower ts% Thomas is like Damian-Lillard-light to me. If dame had that Boston team around him, I think we would be 3rd in the west. If Thomas had portlands roster around him, they would be even worse off than we are.
He's probably a top 8-10 PG. I'd go: Steph Curry (self explanatory) Russell Westbrook (triple double machine) James Harden (technically he is a PG) Chris Paul (point "god") John Wall (carrying Wiz roster that's just as bad as ours) Isaiah Thomas (clutch gene, almost 30 ppg) Michael Conley (two way grinder) Kyle Lowry Kyrie Irving/Damian Lillard/Kemba Walker/ - take your pick
I don't understand the Mike Conley love. Thomas is a worse defender, rebounder, passer, and scorer. He's also less athletic. Kyrie and Kemba are a tier below in my opinion. Thomas just has the benefit of being on a team where all they need/want him to do is score. He plays with great defenders at every position. And an amazing coach.
0:40 Isaiah Thomas makes driving layup 111 - 110 0:14 Isaiah Thomas misses 20-foot jumper 111 - 110 OT 3:31 Isaiah Thomas misses 12-foot step back jumpshot 115 - 113 1:23 Isaiah Thomas makes 25-foot three point jumper (Marcus Smart assists) 117 - 118 0:44 Isaiah Thomas makes free throw 1 of 2 122 - 119 0:44 Isaiah Thomas makes free throw 2 of 2 122 - 120 0:07 Isaiah Thomas makes 27-foot three pointer 125 - 123 You're kidding right? Did you watch the game? That was just a great basketball game. You're aware of Isaiah Thomas' 4th quarter stats this year right?
I think Irving and Lillard are almost identically valuable. I'd also put Antetokounmpo ahead of Lillard, as he's been playing point guard for Milwaukee this year (and since it's been a huge success, he's likely to keep doing so).
I was at the game and Thomas missed what would've been the game winner at the end of regulation. In fact, it's right there in your post.
