Picking the first half All-NBA teams

FIRST TEAM

Guard – Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors – As the frontrunner for the 2015-2016 NBA MVP award, Curry is the biggest no-brainer on this list. He leads the league in PER (32.16) by a comfortable margin, and in terms of raw numbers, Curry’s production has been off the charts with 29.8 points, 6.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game for the year. Oh, did I mention that Steph Curry is shooting 45.4% from three while on pace to set (read: shatter) the NBA record for total three-pointers made in a single season? Let’s just agree that Curry is a mortal lock and move on from here.

Guard – Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder – The debate was over a long time ago, but in case you were late to the party, Russell Westbrook is a point guard and he’s awesome. Westbrook ranks second in the NBA in assists (10.0 per game) while leading the league in steals, and he’s a complete monster when using his athleticism to the highest degree on both ends. Then, you must remember that he is an obscene scorer, averaging 24.1 points per game on a team that also employs Kevin Durant. Westbrook is an interesting personality that not everyone enjoys, but what isn’t up for debate is that he is an elite player in the NBA today.

Forward – Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder – Durant has a legitimate chance to go 50/40/90 in his shooting splits this season and, well, he is doing that while taking 19 shots and six threes per game. In other words, he’s back. Durant’s injury concerns are now very much a thing of the past, and he has been reminding folks of his greatness this season by averaging 27.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Make no mistake, his raw numbers could be even better if he didn’t always make the right play in deferring when called upon to do so, but at this point, Durant might be the biggest challenger to Steph Curry’s throne as the best player in the league, and that is noteworthy in itself.

Forward – Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs – Kawhi over LeBron?! The casual fan will undoubtedly rage against this choice, but the defensive difference between the two players right now is that stark. Leonard is arguably the best defensive player in the league (in a nightly battle with Draymond Green), and while that doesn’t vault him to this space on its own, it certainly helps. His offensive development has been equally important, though, as Leonard went from a flatly poor shooter to a player that leads the NBA in three-point percentage at more than 48%. He isn’t quite on the level of LeBron or Durant offensively (even with that crazy efficiency), but a 20-point scorer who rebounds and defends like this has to be recognized, especially when he leads the second-best team in the association.

Center – DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings – This is a very tough call. On one hand, the Kings are an incredible disaster and Cousins is at the center of much of the unrest. Still, the 25-year-old former Kentucky star is producing at a level that is unmatched in the league when compared to the other players at the position. In truth, no center is “worthy” of inclusion alongside the other four players on this list, but Cousins is averaging 26.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game and, for good measure, he is even shooting 35% from three on more than three attempts per game. There is a lot to pick apart with Boogie at this point in his career, but no one can doubt his talent or the consistency by which he lights up the box score.