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DETROIT — Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle continue to strongly build their respective cases to attend next month’s NBA All-Star Game. Eastern Conference.
With just 12 openings for each team, the East already has at least seven, possibly eight locks, and the Knicks duo will be competing with nearly a dozen other teams for the remaining four or five openings. There is a possibility.
Current leaders in fan polls — Nets’ Kyrie Irving and Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt. Nets’ Kevin Durant, Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and Celtics’ Jayson Tatum are up front. It’s all automatic whether or not he wins a spot in the voting process, but Durant’s current knee injury means he’ll be out with the Nets ahead of the All-Star Game in Utah on February 19. Never go back to your coat.
Sixers center Joel Embiid and Celtics guard Jaylen Brown are also likely to join the team, as they have seven locks. Also left behind is Pacers breakout his points guard Tyrese Halliburton (a 20-point scorer and league leader with his 10.2 assists per game on a winning team). It’s hard to imagine. , Fake All-Stars.
So who will Randle and Brunson legally compete with when the final spot is revealed on February 2? Here’s the breakdown of the rest of the contenders:
Julius Randle
The 2021 All-Stars regained a form that earned them the league’s Most Valuable Player Award and second-team All-NBA honors that season. In his last 19 games since Dec. 7, he has scored 27.9 points, rebounded 12.9 and recorded 38.2 minutes per game. His only two other players in the league have averaged at least 24 points and his 10 boards overall this season, and won league MVP twice. Winner Antetokounmpo and Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic.
Jalen Branson
The $104 million deal made a big impact on his first season in New York. For Randle, and for the Knicks now rising to his No. 6 playoff position in the East. Since returning from three games with a hip injury, Branson has scored more with 33.3 points per game, including four performances in which he scored at least 30 in six games, leading to an overall scoring of 22.2. Raised to points and 6.5 dimes over. 40 games.
Security guard
A four-time All-Defensive Team selection, Drew Holiday has made just one All-Star in a stellar career (with the Sixers in 2013). The team has been without three-time All-Star Kris Middleton in all but seven games this season. James Harden said he had only appeared in 26 games with the Sixers by Friday, but his 11.2 assists-per-game for the 10-time All-Star had played enough games to qualify. If they had, they were leading the league. Past All-Stars such as Trae Young (Hawks), Zach LaVine (Bulls) and Darius Garland (Cavaliers) are also not included.
forward
Durant’s possible absence puts forwards such as Randle, Pascal Siakam (Raptors), DeMar DeRozan (Bulls), Bam Adebayo (Heat), Jimmy Butler (Heat) and even former Knicks All-Star Kristaps Porzingis (Wizards). May create additional opportunities. The Knicks are ahead of all these teams in the standings, but this could work in Randle’s favor. They’ve won 14 of their last 20 games with his 24-19 record and are out on Sunday against the Pistons.
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