Do Luka Doncic and Dame Lillard deserve to be on All-NBA teams this season?
Making an All-NBA team is a huge honor for every player in the league. At the end of every season, 15 of the best players earn the honor and are split into three teams, with the first team usually having five best players.
Luka Doncic is one of the best guards in the league and he finished the regular season as the second-best scorer. He was also an MVP candidate in the early stages of the season, but his Dallas Mavericks ended up missing the playoffs.
The situation with Damian Lillard is very similar. Lillard is an astonishing player and the third-best scorer, but his team hasn't made the playoffs. While both Doncic and Lillard are incredible, they may not be deserving of an All-NBA selection.
All-NBA Teams may not have a spot for Luka Doncic and Damian Lillard
Whether we look at basic or advanced stats, there is no doubt that both Luka Doncic and Damian Lillard are among the best guards in the league. However, the All-NBA team has two guard spots, and a few other players deserve to be in these spots more than them.
Doncic has made an All-NBA team three times, yet he made the playoffs to deserve this selection. The Dallas Mavericks guard has established himself as one of the best players in the league, which is why he's had three straight All-NBA First Team selections.
Damian Lillard, on the other hand, has also been very successful and has six All-NBA selections during his career. He's having the best year of his career, averaging a career-high 32.2 points per game. However, his sharpshooting skills did not help the Portland Trail Blazers make the playoffs.
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Making an All-NBA team while missing the playoffs is not unprecedented. LeBron James made the third team last season while only winning 33 games. However, this is extremely rare.
The NBA has many talented players and there are a lot of amazing guards. Due to this, Luka Doncic and Damian Lillard should only be in contention for the All-NBA Third Team, but even this might be too generous.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is having a career year in Oklahoma City, although he may miss the playoffs as well. Ja Morant, despite all the controversy, is very dominant, while Steph Curry is still one of the best shooters.
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Donovan Mitchell has turned the Cleveland Cavaliers into a powerhouse, while Devin Booker is as good as ever.
Many other players are having great seasons individually, but also helping their teams win games. Due to this, All-NBA teams should include not only players who post fantastic stats, but also players who win games and make the playoffs, at the very least.