Predicting 2019-20 All NBA First Team
This NBA season we have seen some extraordinary performances from top players. We have seen Milwaukee Bucks’s Giannis Antetekoumpo make a surge to win back to back MVP title. LeBron James of LA Lakers has also dazzled fans with his scintillating performances in his year 17 in the NBA at the age of 35, ageing like fine wine. No wonder these 2 will be a lock for the All NBA First Team selection. This will be James's thirteenth All NBA first team selection.
Predicting All NBA teams is a tough task, especially given the fact that there have been so many remarkable performers throughout the season. An All NBA First Team selection is a coveted spot for the players, something that stands out on their resume and even impacts their salary in the future.
An all-time great discussion hinges on the number of All NBA First Team selections a player has. A lot of notable names are going to miss out on the All NBA first team this year. There is also a young and surprising addition to the predicted All NBA first team.We will be using the conventional format for the All NBA First Team- 2 guards, 2 forwards and 1 center.
The 2019-20 All NBA First Team
Guard - Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
To say that the Dallas Mavericks star has had a stellar sophomore year is an understatement. The Slovenian has made an All-star leap in his second year itself, a feat which has been achieved by only a few NBA players in the past. At just 21 years old, an age where players tend to hone their skills in college, Doncic looks like a player who has spent his years in the NBA. He was given the point guard role by coach Rick Carlisle when he joined the team and his performances have certainly lived up to the management’s expectations.
He was averaging 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists this NBA season before the lockdown hit due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The numbers show that not only is he good at dishing dimes, but he is a very capable scorer and an able rebounder too. He has also averaged a steal every game which shows his defensive capability. These numbers are good enough for a player to be in the MVP conversation, so they definitely make him eligible for an All NBA First Team selection at the guard position.
Guard - James Harden, Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets have looked like a new team since head coach Mike D’Antoni’s decision to switch to a ‘small ball’ lineup. The Rockets ditched the rebounding skills and physicality of Clint Capela for Robert Covington’s three-point shooting and perimeter defence. This has allowed Russell Westbrook to attack the paint which has led to him having a great season.
However, former MVP James Harden has silently racked up the numbers this year despite sharing the ball with Russ and missing his pick and roll partner Capela for majority of the season. ‘The Beard’ has averaged 34.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists. Harden is arguably one of the greatest scorers of all time, and he has been on a scoring tear this season too. His three-point shooting has been below par ( if you hold him to the sky-high standards he has set for himself) but he has been extremely reliable while driving in the lane for a 2.
Despite sharing the limelight with another MVP and adjusting to a new system, James Harden makes our predicted All NBA First Team as the second guard.
Forward- LeBron James, LA Lakers
In his first year with the Lakers, LeBron missed out on the playoffs while playing with young players and coached by Luke Walton. The LA Lakers reacted by making a coaching change by bringing in a defensive-minded coach in Frank Vogel and making a blockbuster trade for the power forward Anthony Davis from New Orleans Pelicans.
In his second year with the Lakers, LeBron James is averaging 25 points, 8 rebounds and 10.6 assists per game. His assists numbers are a career-high which shows how well he has adapted to the new point guard role. James has been the best 'point guard' this year, which warrants a selection in the All NBA first team. Vogel has handed the keys of the Lakers offence to James and he has more than delivered on that front, almost playing a dual role of a player and an offensive coordinator. For his age-defying season, LeBron James makes the All NBA first team as a forward.
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Forward- Giannis Antetkoumpo, Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks have been a defensive juggernaut this year. Giannis Antetekoumpo is surrounded by defensive stalwarts and has a very good ‘second option’ in Khris Middleton, who is almost having a 50/40/90 season. Coach Mike Budenholzer has also utilised massive squad rotation, allowing Giannis to clock less than 30 minutes per game.
Here is the fun part. He is averaging 29.6 points, 13.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists a steal and a block in these 30 minutes. Only one thing comes to mind- MVP. Not to mention, he is also a strong candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. With these unreal statistics and MVP level performances, Giannis is a no brainer for the All NBA First Team selection. It would be interesting to see if these numbers and performances translate into an NBA championship for the Bucks and Antetekoumpo.
Center- Anthony Davis, LA Lakers
Anthony Davis has been a revelation for the LA Lakers this season. He has mostly clocked minutes as a power forward, but his responsibilities are - pick and roll on offence with LeBron and being a defensive anchor in the paint. He is the favourite for the Defensive Player of the year award with strong competition from Giannis Antetekoumpo. Here is the thing about Davis- he is a defensive savant. Rim protection, perimeter defence, help defence- you name it and AD is brilliant at it.
He is averaging 26.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. He also averages 2.4 blocks per game, only behind Hassan Whiteside and Brook Lopez. AD has picked up some really difficult defensive assignments this year ( Giannis Antetekoumpo, Kawhi Leonard etc.) while averaging 26 points on offence which makes his case for All NBA first team even stronger. With these numbers and the influence he has had, he makes the All NBA first team as a center.
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