First Team All-NBA
G: Chris Paul - He hasn’t played healthy at all this season but he has been sensational ever since his return to the line-up. 20 points, 11 assists and two steals a game with percentages of 52/46/85. If he can keep those numbers up and can increase his assists and steals to where he is leading the league in those categories, this will be one of the best statistical seasons in the history of basketball.
G: Kobe Bryant – The best player in the game keeps getting better with age. It’s pretty incredible. Now with a lowpost game and the same unquenchable thirst Bryant is looking to capture his second straight title and his fifth overall.
F: LeBron James – Every year he waits to take over as the best in the game but every year Kobe comes out with something LeBron doesn’t have. He’s the most impressive physical specimen in the history of the earth, though.
F: Carmelo Anthony – This will be a pretty small line-up but that doesn’t really matter because this team never plays a game. Melo deserves the recognition. He’s got a good shot to lead the league in scoring once the Lakers start playing as a team and Kobe’s role lightens.
C: Dwight Howard – I said earlier that he can be even better but he’s still the most dominant post player in the game.
Second Team All-NBA
G: Brandon Roy – He’s making a super star like jump just like KD is. He’s become a crunch time option, is rebounding and passing and is leading a team that is very short handed.
G: Dwyane Wade – Flash hasn’t looked great this season and he’s been missing with his jumper more than I have even seen but he is still one of the best penetrating guards in the league and he is getting to the line at a good clip.
F: Kevin Durant – There’s a chance he makes it to the first-team by years end. He might lead the league in scoring come playoff time, too.
F: Dirk Nowitzki - What an excellent year Dirk is having. He’s expanded his game to keep him outside the paint and is showing up huge in the fourth quarter for the second place Mavs.
C: Chris Kaman – The most unlikely all-NBAer by far. He’s getting the ball in the hoop and it’s not like he’s dominating no names to get his points. Kaman has legit post moves and a mid-range game.
Third Team All-NBA
G: Tyreke Evans – Maybe this is too much credit but I love this kid. He’s amazing.
G: Joe Johnson – The perennial overlooked star. Joe will be a free agent next off-season too, you know. I’ll take his 20/5/5 any day of the week, especially if he is hot.
F: Rudy Gay - Maybe I’m bias because I met him but I just didn’t want to take Amare here. He’s the 12th best scorer in the league and he is doing a good job of picking his shots.
F: Chris Bosh – Like I said, is this a contract year player wanting a max deal or a guy who has an all-around offensive game? I think Bosh is legit but can he be the #1 option on a championship team? I say no.
C: David Lee – A double-double machine that is playing his heart out on a bad Knicks team. If only someone else could have signed this guy in the off-season.
[...] Power rankings from But The Game Is On: “Durant’s only flaw this season is the same as Kobe’s: three-point shooting. He shot an incredible 42% last season but he is down to 32% this year. Russell Westbrook is improving alongside of Durant. Russ has kept his scoring about the same and has increased his assist to turnover ratio. And I didn’t mention it when it happened but that Eric Maynor trade was an absolute steal. Maynor will now be the fifth piece in the Durant-Green-Westbrook-Harden core. Yeah, I think he’s that good. He’s a great decision maker and a great leader for a second unit. The Thunder are 5-0 with Maynor on the team. In those games, Maynor has 14 assists and just two turnovers.” Share: [...]
Note: Gerald Wallace will take over for Rudy Gay in my next Power Rankings.