Over the span of 44 games this season, Oklahoma City PG Russell Westbrook is averaging 30.6 points, 10.4 assists, and 10.6 rebounds. Yet despite averaging a triple-double for the first half of the season, Westbrook did not receive an All-Star game bid for the New Orleans showdown. Instead, Stephen Curry of the Warriors, and James Harden of the Rockets, will join forces against the East along side Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, and Anthony Davis.
On Thursday, ESPN Senior Writer Brian Windhorst, wrote an article discussing how players starting this season and moving forward earn a roster spot for an All-Star game appearance. Windhorst's article stated that 50% of the votes come from the fans, along with 25% of the vote being decided by members of the media. The players then account for the final 25% of the overall vote.
Amazingly, Russell Westbrook finished third in fan voting, which quickly escalated to be the talk around the league given his success against nearly every opponent this season. Fans of the league gave Stephen Curry 1.85 million votes, James Harden 1.77 million votes, and Russell Westbrook with only 1.58 million votes. Finalized statistics such as these begs the question whether or not the current voting system best suites the league as a whole.
As it stands, the East will start two players from Cleveland (LeBron & Kyrie), while the West will start two players from Golden State (Curry & Durant). Given that, we can expect this year's All-Star game to look and feel similar to the probable Finals match-up we'll all witness this summer.
On a positive note, the talented Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks will make his first All-Star game appearance. So far, the 22-year-old point guard is averaging 23.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. His athleticism, both offensively and defensively has helped propel the Milwaukee franchise back to relevancy, as the Bucks currently sit 10th in the Eastern Conference, just two places shy of postseason contention. So while we're disappointed that we won't have the opportunity to watch Westbrook break more ankles, we'll have the pleasure of watching a young, and talented player with great promise, showcase his talents alongside super star opponents.
