NBA: Who actually deserves an All-Star spot?

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Oct 9, 2014; Lithonia, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford (15) and guard Jeff Teague (0) watch from the bench during their open practice at Miller Grove High School. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

Eastern Players On The Border:

Jeff Teague:
17.3 PPG, 7.0 APG, 2.7 RPG, 1.7 SPG, .482/.341/.871 shooting, 22.2 PER

This is the most well-rounded year we’ve seen yet from Jeff Teague. He’s shooting the ball extremely well and orchestrates the offense for a team with the best record in the East.

That being said, Paul Millsap and Al Horford are going to soak up most of the votes for Atlanta Hawks players and there are a few standout guards, even in the East, that will make it hard for Teague to avoid getting lost in the shuffle.

Al Horford:
14.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.5 BPG, .530/.333/.714 shooting, 19.2 PER

Last season, the Hawks struggled to even lock up the eighth seed in the East without Al Horford. This season, the Hawks sit atop the Eastern standings with Horford back in the lineup. It doesn’t take much in-depth analysis to see his return has transformed Atlanta.

From an individual standpoint, Horford’s numbers aren’t great. But in the East, merely being a great player on one of the conference’s best teams could be enough to get him in the All-Star Game.

Mar 14, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (4) drives to the basket as Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) defends during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Nikola Vucevic:
17.9 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, .523/—/.756 shooting, 21.0 PER

If big numbers are your thing, it doesn’t get much better than Nikola Vucevic, who is putting up an 18-11 stat line this season. Those numbers don’t have much substance when you consider his team is struggling so badly, but no one can deny this kid has talent.

Is it enough to garner him recognition among the bigger names ahead of him though? Probably not. You know guys like Kevin Love, Al Horford and Paul Millsap have the advantage here, as they should, since their teams are legitimate playoff squads. Still, Vucci Mane at least deserves to be in the conversation.

Brandon Knight:
18.1 PPG, 5.1 APG, 4.4 RPG, 1.4 SPG, .447/.401/.902 shooting, 18.4 PER

The toughest exclusion of the bunch. If it weren’t for Jimmy Butler, we’d be talking about Brandon Knight as a lock for the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year award. Consider it an added bonus he’s the best player on a Milwaukee Bucks team that should be in the lottery but is jostling for playoff seeding instead.

He’s got a well-rounded stat line, he’s shooting extremely well from downtown and with Milwaukee being such a pleasant surprise, it’d be a shame to not have anyone representing the Bucks this year. The problem is there are bigger names in front of him, much like Goran Dragic experienced last season.

Marcin Gortat:
12.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.4 BPG, 1.1 APG, .527/—/.756 shooting, 17.3 PER

This is merely a courtesy nod to what the Wizards are doing this year. Gortat’s mohawk and God of War imitation of Kratos are both All-Star-ready, but he’s not much more than a role player on a very good team.

That being said, we should also recognize that many people thought Gortat’s career was pretty much over once he stopped playing with Steve Nash. That hasn’t been the case at all, and it’s a big reason Washington looks like a formidable playoff foe.

Next: Eastern Bench