After about a month into the season one thing should be clear to everyone that follows the NBA, Devin Booker should be in the All-Star game.
It’s never too early to start looking forward to the NBA All-Star game. It’s when the best of the best come together and compete in various competitions. Nobody that follows the NBA doubts that the Western Conference is loaded with talent. If the best of the best are suppose to be participating then regardless of the Phoenix Suns‘ record, Devin Booker should be an All-Star in February.
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Booker will have a tough time becoming an All-Star with quality guards throughout the West. There are only four spots that are guaranteed for guards where there are two more spots that could go to either back court or front court players. For the sake of argument let’s say those other two spots go to guard positions because the league is guard oriented in this age of the NBA. Unless injury prevails, there are several guards that will most likely get the nod to become All-Stars before Booker. James Harden, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Russell Westbrook are almost assured the four guaranteed guard spots. Booker will have to, most likely, have to fight for the last two spots between Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. Between Lillard and McCollum, Booker definitely has an advantage over one of the Portland Trail Blazers guards.
| Rk | Player | Season | Age | G | GS | MP | FG% | 3P% | 2P% | eFG% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Devin Booker | 2017-18 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 33.4 | .451 | .373 | .495 | .518 | .854 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 23.0 |
| 2 | Damian Lillard | 2017-18 | 27 | 16 | 16 | 36.1 | .405 | .317 | .464 | .469 | .924 | 5.4 | 6.4 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 24.6 |
| 3 | C.J. McCollum | 2017-18 | 26 | 15 | 15 | 36.1 | .477 | .511 | .458 | .567 | .857 | 3.9 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 22.5 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/20/2017.
Lillard will probably get one of the remaining spots based on the fact that he has already been an All-Star twice in his career. That would leave seasoned veteran McCollum and third year player Booker for the final spot, but what Booker lacks in experience, he makes up in averages and the records. Booker scores, rebounds and assists more than McCollum in less minutes per game. McCollum has Lillard to make his game easier, where as Booker doesn’t have another proven star by his side. Booker’s 70 point game last season and the fact that he’s the fourth youngest player to score 3,000 points this season are reasons why voters should choose him over McCollum. The only major advantage that McCollum has over Booker is that the Blazers are currently ranked in the top half of the West where as the Suns are a lottery team. That could effect how votes are cast, but it shouldn’t if the best of the best are suppose to be in the All-Star game.
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If voters cast their selections purely on skill and don’t factor team records into their voting process, then Devin Booker will be an All-Star this season. Disregarding the Phoenix Suns’ record, Booker checks all the boxes to become an All-Star and should be one this February.