We are on January 22, exactly one month after the opening of the 2020-21 season. And after a month of competition, we can start to make small assessments, especially on the individual performances of the players. On December 22, we released a list of 15 guys who could potentially become All-Star this season. It’s time to see which players meet our expectations (or which players surprise us), starting with the Top 5 in the Eastern Conference.
Jaylen Brown (Celtics)
Stats : 25.8 points (51.8% shooting, 39.5% parking, 77% free throws), 5.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 interceptions
Impossible not to start with Jaylen Brown. Already very solid last year, the other Jay from Boston has taken another big step forward this year, so much so that some were wondering at the start of the season if he was not the best Celtics player. Stronger and stronger offensively, progressing in playmaking and real two-way player, Brown really ticks all the boxes. He notably marked the spirits with his point to 42 pawns against the Grizzlies at the end of December, but it is especially his consistency that is interesting. Alongside Jayson Tatum, currently in COVID protocol, Brown is the big reason why Boston is now second in the East (record of eight wins and five losses) despite some concerns related to the departure of Gordon Hayward and the absence of Kemba Walker.
Malcolm Brogdon (Pacers)
Stats : 22.5 points (46.7% shooting, 42.4% parking, 89.7% throwing), 3.9 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.7 interceptions
Too clean, too strong, too precious. If the inside of the Pacers Domantas Sabonis dominates in rackets, Malcolm Brogdon does a remarkable job in the lead. We are not surprised, because we know the qualities of the man, but the leader of Indiana achieved a first month of very high quality. Under the orders of the new coach Nate Bjorkgren, Malcolm made a real jump in scoring compared to his first season in Indiana (16.5 points last year at 43.8% including 32.6% far), all this while continuing to make friends play well and by remarkably limiting waste (only 1.7 ball losses per game). In short, a rock on both sides of the field, which leads his Pacers to the Top 4 in the East (record of eight wins and six losses). We call it an All-Star caliber campaign.
Zach LaVine (Bulls)
Stats : 27.8 points (49.8% shooting, 38.7% parking, 86.2% throwing), 4.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.4 interceptions
Years go by, and Zach LaVine continues to climb. The Bulls full-back is currently releasing his career best scoring and passing numbers, and he’s never shot so effectively. At the time of writing, he is quite simply the fifth-best scorer in the entire NBA behind Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard. Not a bad company, eh. LaVine broke the 30-point mark seven times in the space of a month, including a peak of 45 against the Clippers. Can that be enough to finally get All-Star status? It will surely depend on the Bulls’ record. Often penalized by the cardboard results of Chicago, LaVine evolves this year in a slightly more efficient team (record of six wins and eight losses) and especially under the orders of a real coach.
Julius Randle (Knicks)
Stats : 22.4 points (47.9% shooting, 35.9% parking, 78.6% throwing), 11.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists
The Knicks surprise, the Knicks win more games than expected and after a month of competition, the Knicks are simply sixth in the Eastern Conference with a record in balance (eight wins, eight losses). The arrival of new coach Tom Thibodeau has brought structure to this team, a structure in which Julius Randle enjoys. We don’t know what Thibs said to Julius before the season but the interior is a hit like never before. He scores, he rebounds and he even plays his teammates, he who has taken the habit of flirting with the triple-double night after night. In other words, Randle symbolizes the small renewal of the Big Apple franchise this season. The beautiful story!
Jerami Grant (Pistons) / Collin Sexton (Cavaliers)
Stats Grant : 25.4 points (47.3% shooting, 38.9% parking, 86.3% throwing), 6.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 block
Stats Sexton : 27.0 points (53.4% shooting, 50% parking, 77.3% throwing), 2.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists
Small debate within the editorial staff on the identity of the fifth man. Arrived in Detroit from Denver, Jerami Grant has big individual arguments, he takes advantage of a much larger role in attack to double his scoring numbers compared to last season. Best known for his defense and athleticism, Grant wanted more offensive responsibilities, and he’s clearly taking them on, in MIP mode. Only problem, and it is size, it evolves within the worst team of the East (three victories, eleven defeats for Detroit). Collin Sexton, he helps the Cavaliers win games, and it is not the Big Three of the Nets who will say the opposite after his explosion on Wednesday. If Cleveland today has a balance sheet (seven wins, seven losses), it is in particular thanks to the big production of the leader in scoring. Small flat all the same in his file, the number of missed matches, with five absences in total (ankle sore) in 14 games.
So much for our little Top 5 (well Top 6 suddenly) guys who could earn a star on their CV in 2021. Do you think of someone else? Like Tobias Harris from the Sixers maybe? It defends itself, and that’s good, we’re here to debate. So if you want to play the advocate of a guy you consider forgotten, now is the time.
