Does he? No Klay or KD. PG might be out for the first 6 weeks of the reg season according to Kevin O'Connor. I don't see Russell making it in the west. Kawhi might be on load management. Conley and Mitchell will take votes away from each other, and coaches aren't gonna put in either over Gobert. Devin Booker or Luka/Porzingis won't be winning enough. If we are on pace to win 50+, this might be CJ's best shot yet.
Just too many guards. I see Dame getting a nod again and if we are on pace for 54+ win season it will be due to Whiteside’s phenomenal contributions. And Bazemore (Im assuming Hood starts) while not an All Star, may be in line for 6th man of the year. Given the above, I suppose Neil would then be in the running for Exec of the year. Whiteside an All Star!
I think so too. As long as we're winning, this is the year. He'll be competing with Jamal Murray and Westbrook/Derozan for the final few spots. Dame is a lock.
I believe the NBA has made an effort to make All Star selection a little more “fair”, but as long as the fans are allowed to vote, it doesn’t really matter if a “top tier” star is injured, or playing on a crappy team. They will still in all likelihood get voted to the team. It’s been going on for years and I doubt it’s going to stop soon. Klay (for example) may not play in the 19/20 All Star game but I’d be willing to bet that he gets voted to the team. It’s still a giant popularity contest not necessarily based on current performances.
Fans only vote on the starters. Klay has never been voted a starter AFAIK. Coaches select the reserves. If CJ is ever to make the all star, it will be a coach's pick. Same with injured Klay.
Nope. He won't make it. Whiteside might make it if he puts up big enough numbers and we're top three in the west.
I'm going with hoping he does because it'll mean he's improved as a two way player and his assists go up. Go CJ! I hope he gets a nod with Dame and anybody in a Blazer uni...we also have no clue as to the decline of former allstar guards....that's a factor but as UCD stated....it's a popularity contest in the long run....Kobe made the team over Dame when he was on his last legs
No way both CJ and Dame make it. So the only way CJ makes it is if the Blazers have a great record and for whatever reason Dame does not make it. (i.e an injury for most of the first half of the season))
Curry, Dame, Harden, Westbrook, Kawhi, PG13, Holiday...that's 7 guards/wings right there, and 5 guards, all of whom are clearly better (CJ in a group with Jamal Murray, Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley, D'Angelo Russell, Buddy Heild, De'Aaron Fox, Chris Paul, Demar Derozan, Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Gallinari) or maybe start with who will very likely be an all-star (barring major injury): Kawhi, PG13, Lebron, AD, Curry, Draymond Green, Dame, Jokic, Harden, KAT. That's 10 and it doesn't include Westbrook (8 straight years an all-star), or Aldridge (7 of last 8 years an all-star), or Gobert (2 straight years as DPOY) you also could have the surprise factor. If Portland is on a pace for around 50 wins, it's only what they were expected to do; CJ won't get much credit. But if Sacramento (Heild, Fox), or Dallas (Doncic, Porzingas), or OKC (Paul, Gallinari), are quite a bit better than expected, players on those teams will get credit.
Honesr question, who cares? When has making an All-Star team been anything more than a popularity contest or market size comparison. Shit, look how Dame got on his first couple times.
If CJ stays in Dame's shadow, produces stats pretty much the way he has the past couple of years, and if the Blazers aren't leading the West by the time the coaches votes, he's got zero chance unless there are a ton of injuries to other guards. That's clearly the most likely scenario. If CJ ups his game this season close to Dame's numbers, and if the Blazers are tops in the West, there's a chance the coaches reward him, but it's a small one. If Dame were to get injured (whispered VERY quietly so the "universe" doesn't hear), CJ takes the reins and leads the Blazers to near the tops of the West, then I think he'd have a good shot at the AS Game. Let's hope that last one doesn't happen.
I agree, I’m sure it means something to the guys. That said, if they only let the players vote, he’d be chosen, they know.
Agreed. I wish they'd change the format up to make it actually interesting. Get rid of the dunk contest, 3-pt contest and all of the other crap. Make it a 2-day, 4 team mini-tournament so that more deserving players get a chance and so that there's something to play for. That would actually be fun.
I have trouble with the idea that CJ isn't better, or more impactful for wins than the guys bolded. Ain't no way KAT or Booker should be making the team with their < 0.300 win percentage.