Indiana Pacers: Domantas Sabonis named to NBA All-Star game
By Evan Graham
The NBA announced the reserves for the upcoming 2020 NBA All-Star game on February 16 in Chicago, IL. For the first time in his career, Domantas Sabonis has been selected to the all-star game as a member of the Indiana Pacers
The All-Star’s Stats
During the 2019-20 season, Indiana Pacers’ big man Domantas Sabonis has been tearing up the league. According to NBA.com, Sabonis is averaging 18 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game.
Each of these statistics has risen since last season when he averaged 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while coming off the bench.
Just this season, Sabonis had the first triple-double of his career. So far, the power forward has recorded two triple-doubles with the last one against the Trailblazers in Portland.
Sabonis is also third in the league this year in double-doubles with 37; only one behind Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Sabonis is in his fourth season in the league and third with the Pacers. He has been, hands down, one of the best Indiana Pacers big men in quite some time.
Sabonis is the first Pacer all-star since Victor Oladipo in 2017-2018, but the first frontcourt player since Roy Hibbert in the 2013-14 season.
Others Playing from the Eastern Conference
Last week, the NBA announced the starters for both conferences. For the Eastern Conference, the starters will be Antetokounmpo of the Bucks, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors, Kemba Walker of the Boston Celtics, and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks.
Antetokounmpo led the Eastern Conference in fan voting, which makes him a captain for the game. The other captain will be LeBron James from the Los Angeles Lakers. The captains have the responsibility of drafting their respective teams.
The reserves from the Eastern Conference are Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo from the Miami Heat, Kyle Lowry from the Raptors, Ben Simmons from the 76ers, Khris Middleton from the Bucks, and Jayson Tatum from the Celtics.
There is an interesting fact with the All-Star game selections. Sabonis and Young are the only two players from the Eastern Conference that will not have a teammate joining them in the game.
Also, Young will be the only player from the Eastern Conference that is on a team that has not won more than 50 percent of its regular-season games.
The Western Conference
In the Western Conference, the starters will be James and Anthony Davis from the Lakers, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Lakers, and James Harden from the Houston Rockets.
The reserves for the Western Conference are Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz, Nikola Jokic from the Denver Nuggets, Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans, Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Russell Westbrook from the Rockets.
Sabonis has come along way and Pacers fans should be proud. The Pacers’ front office has tremendous pride in Sabonis and has allowed the all-star to flourish over his time in Indiana.
Next. Indiana Pacers: Three players that will benefit from Victor Oladipo being back. dark
The best is yet to come for Sabonis and the Pacers. In this second half of the season, expect things to come full circle as Victor Oladipo adds his talent and the Pacers climb the Eastern Conference ladder.