The Heat finally have an All-Star, with the NBA announcing today in a press release that Miami point guard Goran Dragic has been named to the All-Star Game as a replacement for injured Cavalier Kevin Love. Dragic will join LeBron James‘ squad for this month’s event.
In addition to being the first All-Star appearance for Dragic, it will be the first All-Star nod for any player on the Heat’s roster. Miami is currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 29-22 record, despite not having any players who had been All-Stars at any time in their NBA careers — until today.
Dragic, 31, is enjoying another productive season for the Heat, averaging 17.0 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 4.1 RPG, with a .437/.351/.757 shooting line. He’s the third injury replacement named to the All-Star Game, joining Paul George, who replaced DeMarcus Cousins, and Andre Drummond, who will sub in for John Wall.
Dragic beat out the likes of Ben Simmons and Kemba Walker, among others, for the right to be one of this year’s 12 Eastern Conference All-Stars. As the NBA’s announcement explains, the Heat point guard “received the most voting points from NBA head coaches among Eastern Conference players who were not selected as reserves or already named as an injury replacement.”
Simmons has better stats across the board…
Middleton is better across the board
Kemba should be in
Dragic: 17-5-4
Kemba: 22-6-4
Miami: 29-22
Charlotte:22-29
Walker kind of has to do so much shooting.
Melba got snubbed
Kemba ** wtf Siri
Tf even is a Melba
Ahem.
Thank you very much.
For what, George? The Kings will never be able to clear the roster spots for the trade to go through. Get a buyout done
Should have been top 12 the first place
Over who? Dragic has borderline All-Star numbers but it still worthy. But of the reserves selected, who is less worthy than Dragic. Ben Simmons and Kemba Walker also put up similar numbers to Dragic, so if you’re making the argument for Dragic you also have to make an argument for those two.
He should have been made it, it’s not about his numbers his team is 4th in the East I’m glad he made it, & y’all know the coaches already have a list for the players they already voted for back when they pick reserves it’s just the next person in line who gets picked & I’m sure Simmons is next or somebody else in the East was to get hurt
Yeah I’m all for his selection if he was next man up in the coaches poll, but going straight off of numbers his case is right there with Simmons and Kemba. Team record shouldn’t be as big of a factor as it is. Charlotte’s issues aren’t because of Kemba playing bad. Philadelphia having a worse record than Miami isn’t because Simmons is playing bad.
Only in Brentwood
16.7/7.8/7.3 and as a rookie….
surely Simmons should have gotten the nod first!
Rookies get a priority? Thats opposite of IRL– Simmons will get his chances.
Nah they aren’t saying rookies have priority, they’re saying Dragic is 30 years old putting up worse numbers than a rookie, which obviously shows you who the better player is if they had like a 10 year head start.
Bare with me here… I think they should’ve given it to Blake Griffin
Yeah I don’t get it. Not just from a stats perspective since Simmons and Kemba both have better stats, but like who wants to see a Dragic layup in the ASG over a Kemba crossover or Simmons throwing and throwing down lobs? He’s not even gonna get any PT lol