Except (bad) surprise, the Cavaliers will be represented on February 20 on their floor, for the All-Star Game 2022 which will therefore take place in Cleveland. The question that remains is rather that of the identity of the lucky winner(s): of the two leaders of the club, which of Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen will win his first invitation to the star game? Can the two teammates invite themselves there together?
For the pivot, it is his teammate who is without any discussion the star of Cleveland this season. ” If you ask the question, it’s because you don’t watch our matches.” he claimed. ” It’s Darius Garland, no debate.”
For the Cavaliers coach, JB Bickerstaff, there is obviously no question of choosing. The tactician preaches for his parish and supports the two candidacies: “ I think they both deserve it. There is no doubt in my mind. We’ll see how the votes go, but when you see young players developing and being recognized, it makes you happy. I know how special this moment is for them because it is their goal. Whether it’s the vote of the fans or the selection of the coaches, it shows a level of respect and recognition that your peers have for you.“
A difficult casting in the Eastern Conference
In view of the classification, the competition and their performances, the two players from Cleveland could well go there both. In reality, it seems a bit more complicated. The All-Star Game roster consists of twelve players. Usually, there are four backs on the “backcourt”, six wingers and/or interiors and/or pivots on the “frontcourt”, and two “wild cards” whose position does not matter.
Although he is statistically the Cavs’ best player, Darius Garland leaves with a disadvantage, because the competition is more important on the positions 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference.
In Chicago, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan (strangely considered a back in the voting system) will no doubt be selected to reward the Bulls’ enormous first part of the season. Although the Hawks are particularly disappointing collectively this season, Trae Young should be among them. The same goes for James Harden who should accompany Kevin Durant, if he recovers from his knee injury.
So that’s already four potentially selected backs before Darius Garland, and that’s not counting the credible candidacies of Fred VanVleet, Bradley Beal, Jaylen Brown or even LaMelo Ball…
In the end, it is Jarrett Allen who seems to have the smoothest path to the stars: if Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant, if he is restored, will undoubtedly be the holders of the “frontcourt”, but the three substitute places are open. Despite Boston’s rocky season, Jayson Tatum is expected to be an All-Star. The same is probably true for Jimmy Butler, especially since the Heat are on the Eastern podium. That leaves a potential final spot for Allen, who would compete with the recently injured Domantas Sabonis, Bam Adebayo, who has missed more than 20 games, or even Pascal Siakam and Miles Bridges.
Puzzle to come for the coaches…
| Shots | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | bp | Int | CT | party | Points |
| Darius Garland | 39 | 34.5 | 46.8 | 37.0 | 91.8 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 7.9 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 19.7 |
| Jarrett Allen | 38 | 32.6 | 69.9 | 12.5 | 69.3 | 3.3 | 7.6 | 10.9 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 16.6 |
| Collin Sexton | 11 | 28.8 | 45.0 | 24.4 | 74.4 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 16.0 |
| Evan Mobley | 37 | 34.3 | 50.7 | 28.3 | 72.2 | 1.7 | 6.2 | 7.9 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 14.9 |
| Kevin Love | 37 | 21.3 | 43.2 | 40.5 | 89.2 | 1.1 | 6.0 | 7.1 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 14.0 |
| Lauri Markkanen | 36 | 30.6 | 42.6 | 32.5 | 86.6 | 1.1 | 4.2 | 5.4 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 13.3 |
| Ricky Rubio | 34 | 28.5 | 36.3 | 33.9 | 85.4 | 0.4 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 6.6 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 13.1 |
| Cedi Osman | 33 | 22.9 | 43.5 | 37.1 | 65.5 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 11.0 |
| Rajon Rondo | 3 | 21.7 | 41.7 | 42.9 | 83.3 | 0.3 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 10.3 |
| isaac okoro | 30 | 28.0 | 45.3 | 30.6 | 73.2 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 9.1 |
| Malik Newman | 1 | 7.7 | 60.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.0 |
| Brandon Goodwin | 7 | 16.5 | 40.5 | 30.8 | 30.0 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.7 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 5.9 |
| lamar stevens | 30 | 15.2 | 46.4 | 34.2 | 63.6 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 5.2 |
| Dean Wade | 30 | 19.2 | 42.9 | 32.9 | 76.9 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 4.8 |
| justin anderson | 3 | 15.5 | 50.0 | 33.3 | 75.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 4.3 |
| Dylan Windler | 29 | 10.5 | 44.9 | 40.8 | 83.3 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| Tre Scott | 2 | 5.7 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| Denzel Valentine | 22 | 9.3 | 37.1 | 40.9 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 2.9 |
| Kevin Pangos | 19 | 8.4 | 33.3 | 23.1 | 75.0 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 2.1 |
| Luke Kornet | 2 | 7.4 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 66.7 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2.0 |
| Rj Nembhard | 6 | 7.0 | 45.5 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.8 |
| Ed Davis | 12 | 9.3 | 75.0 | 0.0 | 16.7 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| Tacko Fall | 11 | 5.3 | 41.7 | 0.0 | 28.6 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.1 |
