So anyone trying to cram Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic onto the 1st team, even if permitted by the NBA, is toying with the system.
If a player doesn’t participate in at least 58 games in an 82-game regular season — that’s 70% — then he’s not going to get a vote from me for any of the major awards and he’s not going to merit 1st team consideration.
Embiid, Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo all were valid MVP possibilities — whoever wins is the right choice and the other two will have gotten robbed.
… Only once before Trae Young did it this season has anyone led the NBA in total points and total assists — Nate “Tiny” Archibald in 1972-73.
I chose Joel Embiid over Nikola Jokic at center on the All-NBA 1st team because of his league-leading mark in points per game and his elevated defense.
As for my other 1st team selections, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Ja Morant and Devin Booker all have cemented themselves as the best players on their team while elevating those around them.
With my 2nd team choices, all of those candidates would likely have gotten first-team votes if not for various circumstances.
The 3rd team consisted of players that produced on a consistent level but did not translate into their team becoming one of the NBA’s best.
Let’s get straight to the only difficult decision: Nikola Jokic or Joel Embiid for All-NBA 1st team center? And do they both deserve 1st team honors by slyly designating one of them at forward? The answer to the second question is an emphatic “no.” You put them at center because — and this might come as a surprise — they both play center.
Trae Young’s Atlanta Hawks failed to finish outside the Play-In Tournament group, but that’s not his fault; he led the league in total points and assists, a historic effort, and should be recognized for that.
I probably had Young higher than most, but I put him on the All-NBA 2nd team because he carried the league’s second-ranked offense, ranking fourth in usage rate and in the top five in both scoring and assists.
You’ll also quickly notice that Ja Morant received the 1st team nod at guard over Doncic, despite the former playing in just 57 out of 82 games.
Meanwhile, the players ahead of them put together career years, especially the 32-year-old DeRozan, who finished with his highest scoring average in 13 seasons.
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