The Indiana Pacers are a quarter of the way through the season and are in 6th place in the Eastern Conference. This is impressive for a team that had a problem with injuries for the first month. A few players have shown All-Star potential in the early part of the season.
Who Are The Possible All-Stars?
The Indiana Pacers have had success with all their newcomers from starters Malcolm Brogdon, Jeremy Lamb, and T.J. Warren to the bench guys in Justin Holiday, T.J. McConnell, and Goga Bitadze. They have all played well in their roles, but have any of them done enough to secure a spot during All-Star weekend?
Of the players on the team, only three players come to mind that could possibly make the roster: Brogdon, Warren, and Domantas Sabonis. Each of these players has key roles to the offense and are essential to winning games.
Why Malcolm Brogdon?
Brogdon has been one of the best scoring point guards the Pacers have had in recent years. He’s averaged 19.4 PPG, 8 APG, and 4.9 RPG in 17 games this season. He also is shooting 48 percent from the field and 32.9 percent behind the 3-point line. Then when you look at his league leading 95.5 percent from the line, it becomes more obvious how he’s already been in the 50/40/90 club.
The Indiana Pacers have relied on Brogdon this season due to his ball-handling skills and playmaking capability. With improvements in points, rebounds, assists, and steals from last season, it’s hard to imagine him not at least winning Most Improved Player award.
Why T.J. Warren?
The Phoenix Suns were done with Warren after last season due to his injury history over the first five seasons and the amount left on his contract. Last season in limited action, he did average 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
This season, Warren’s numbers have dipped slightly to 17.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. Now, why should he be on an All-Star roster if he’s averaging less on everything from a season ago?
Over the last 5 games, Warren has averaged 21.6 points, 1.2 assists, and 2.6 rebounds. Though the rebounds and assists won’t be the reason he makes the roster, the points he’s been scoring of late has been impressive. Ultimately, he is an unlikely option to make an All-Star lineup because of depth at his position in the East.
Why Domantas Sabonis?
Sabonis has had a great start to the season after getting an extension in October. Comparing this season to last, Sabonis has increased his points by 4.3, rebounds by 3.8, and assists by .9 per game. These are great numbers to see for Pacers fans. Indiana now has a good-sized center and a big man who can stretch the floor in Myles Turner each signed for years to come.
Sabonis is also putting up numbers this year that not very many others around the league are. He is top-5 in the league in rebounds per game and is top-30 in the league in shooting percentage with 51.2 percent. Since the NBA has switched the All-Star selection and team creating, Sabonis probably has the best chance of anyone on the team to make it to the All-Star game.