Zach LaVine is getting some attention with All-Star reserves set to be announced on Thursday.
Thursday morning, a landmark date in LaVine and the Bulls' season, NBC Sports' Tom Haberstroh argued in favor of LaVine making the All-Star game, despite most national writers leaving him off of their rosters.
Even the most cynical of observers would be hard-pressed to rail against LaVine's talent-based deservedness. As Haberstroh notes, LaVine employs the 'dunks and 3-pointers' offensive strategy better than pretty much anyone in the league, and has taken serious strides defensively this season, as well. LaVine's four 40-point games is tied for fourth in the NBA, his 69 steals 11th, and by some metrics, he ranks among the top pick-and-roll defenders in the league.
But the pressing question burns: If LaVine is in, who — in a deeper than deep Eastern Conference reserve pool — is out? In Haberstroh's view: Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks.
That... Is going to be controversial. Middleton is the clear-cut second-best player on a Bucks team on pace for 70-plus wins, averaging 20.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game on 50.3-43.2-90 shooting splits. On Tuesday, in a game Giannis Antetokoumpo sat, Middleton dropped 51 points on the Wizards in a 151-131 victory.
But, according to Haberstroh, the Bucks' greatness works against Middleton in some ways. As Milwaukee continues to shellack any and all opponents in their path by a whopping 12.8 points per game, Middleton averages just 28.8 minutes per contest. Combine that with the fact that he missed seven games in November with a thigh contusion, and Middleton has played nearly 600 minutes less than LaVine, all while sporting a significantly lower usage rate. Further, Middleton's ancillary metrics and general reputation on both ends of the floor benefit from the transcendent group around him, in Haberstroh's opinion.
For his part, LaVine's 1,722 minutes played and 104 points scored in the 'clutch' (per NBA.com, a game within a five-point margin with under five minutes to play) both rank second in the league. Though Middleton's per-36 minute numbers are better, there's no doubt LaVine carries one of the heaviest offensive loads in the league, and he's maintained solid scoring efficiency while doing it.
NBA
In short: Let the battle of the slept on Midwest stars begin.
Whether it culminates in an All-Star berth for LaVine remains to be seen. Many have counted him out, but it ain't over until it's over.
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