Greetings my peeps and welcome to the all things basketball podcast with your boy GD.
In this episode we'll be talking all star ballot voting.
The first round has happened so we'll talk about that.
We'll also talk about some teams on the rise like the Clippers in the Oklahoma City Thunder,
some teams that are floundering a little bit, the Milwaukee Bucks in the Los Angeles Lakers.
Also we'll talk Naismith Hall of Fame nominees as well so just sit back, relax and enjoy the show.
Ok guys it's your boy GD back with all things basketball with GD podcasts and I want to cover
some topics here. It's been a pretty good season so far I must say that but I gotta talk about
some of the teams that are on the rise. One that everybody's in panic mode about so I want to talk
about that but first I want to talk about the all star voting. We have our first fan returns guys
and I want to get into that so let's get right into it. So we will talk about the Western Conference
so far in terms of the voting and I think they're going back to the East versus West concept so
if that's the case which is good you know it takes away the draft you know with the top players
and it seems like every year it's LeBron versus somebody else last year was LeBron versus Giannis
and this year it would have been the same thing pretty much but with the Western Conference
in the front court so far you have LeBron James no surprise to anyone who's leading the pack there
followed by Kevin Durant followed by Nikolai Yokic the Joker getting his props there
and then from there it's kind of a drop-off I mean fourth place you have a Anthony Davis
followed by a Kawai Leonard followed by Paul George Operin Sengun Victor Wimbaayama no surprise there
Chet Holmgren and Carl Anthony Towns so no real surprises in terms of the front court
that's pretty much how I saw it shaking out is there room for movement maybe
Anthony Davis can catch some steam but I think your front court there of those three guys I think
that will probably be the way it shakes out Kevin Durant is still popular some people want to say
he's not he is especially among the fan bases throughout the NBA Nikolai Yokic former MVP
multiple-time MVP finals MVP now he's a world champion so of course he's start getting his
flowers now and rightfully so so I think that front court will stay status quo in terms of the guards
I don't think it's really surprises here Eva it's Luca Donkage for the Dallas Mavericks and
Steph Curry for the Gold State Warriors and they're ahead by a good margin amongst the two guys
your next closest person shy Gilchis Alexander who's been an absolute monster this year
he's third followed by in a distant fourth James Harden followed by Kyrie Irving
Anthony Edwards John Moran I'm surprised he's of Paul's about seventh amongst the fan voting
De'Aaron Fox Clay Thompson he still gets votes believe it or not and then Austin Reeves is in
10th nothing of major surprise there either I think when the dust settles I think it'll be those two
guys at the top Donkage and Curry I think SGA comes maybe close with in breathing distance but
I think when all the setting done they'll be Curry and Luca your guards in that regard so no real
surprises other than maybe John Moran being seventh he still has fan appeal regardless of what has
happened transpired with him he still has fan appeal so I guess I shouldn't be surprised but pretty
much I guess the only surprise about the front court you didn't see the likes of a Demata Sabonis
within the top 10 so I guess that's the that's a bit of a surprise in that regard so I guess that's
my bit of a surprise in the West so that's your Western Conference fan returns for the first
round of the voting in the East I think the East is pretty much as I would surmise in the front
court of course Giannis after the Tocumpo for the Milwaukee Bucks he's first actually right now he's
the leading vote getter among both Eastern and Western Conference in terms of getting votes
he's followed by your reigning MVP Joel L. MB for the Sixers and third Jason Tatum it looks like
Durant moving to the West has paid dividends for Jason Tatum now I think he's pretty much a shoe
in to be a starter amongst the front court for the Eastern Conference so I guess he's the big winner
in all of this Jason Tatum so after Tatum big drop off guys Jimmy Butler's next followed by Tatum's
teammate Jaylen Brown he's followed by Bam out of Bayou, Mikhail Bridges, Kristoff Porzingis, Kyle
Kuzma and Paulo Boncaro the biggest surprise amongst front court well I'll say what the surprise is
but but I'll give you my analysis on top of it the biggest surprise is what a lot of people are
talking about especially Nick fans are talking about the fact that Julius Randall is not amongst
the top 10 right now in terms of Julius Randall's numbers they're on par with the likes of a
Joel MB a Yanisanta Tocumpo and a Nikolai Yoko in terms of all around numbers his numbers on that
par guys but I'll give you my analysis after I talk about the guards for the guards you have
Tyrese Holly Burton number one amongst the guards and he's followed by Damian Lillard at two Holly
Burton who did himself a huge huge service to himself by his performance during the end season
tournament a lot of eyeballs was on there so they saw what he did so I think that really carried him
in terms of this voting here. Dame's gonna be Dame he's always gonna be in the running he's followed
by Trey Young of the Atlanta Hawks who's not too far behind him in terms of the votes he's about
a little over 80 votes behind Damian Lillard there's room for movement there and then after Young
is Donovan Mitchell followed by Tyrese Maxey he's getting love now and then he's followed by Jalen
Brunson of the New York Knicks so you have a Knicks player appearing on top 10 he's followed by
Lamello Ball after that Derek White who's having a fine year guys DeMar DeRosin of course and then
Drew Holliday so wow you have five Boston Celtics among the top 10 in their respective categories
wow with the guards any surprise omissions I don't think so I think this is well
Lamello Ball being there is a bit of a surprise yes but I want to go back to Jalen Brunson and
Julius Randall Julius Randall first of all not being amongst the top 10 and Jalen just at six
I've been following the Knicks for over 40 years guys and I could tell you Knicks fans do not stuff
the voting boxes for their players they just don't but yet they're the first to moan about
their players not being starters but they don't do the voting they don't only Knicks I can remember
within the time I've been watching who ends up being the starter is Patrick Ewan and Carmelo
Anthony I think there was one instance where a Maury Stardemire got voting in as a starter
I think there was one instance but besides those three no one else no one else for Knicks fans to
grumble and moan about these things it's pretty much your own fault because you don't vote I'm a Knicks
fan I really don't vote I don't I probably should but I don't do I moan and complain when
Nick isn't a starter who deserves to be one I don't really because I know if I'm voting then I have
a say but I gotta tell you I don't vote I pretty much rely on the fact that I know certain guys are
gonna be popular so my eyes are turned towards who the coaches end up putting on the bench so
that's where my eyes turn towards is it right to put the onus on the coaches hoping that they do the
right thing and adding a Nick or two to the roster yeah but in this year it's gonna be tough guys
I gotta say it's gonna be tough you're not gonna be able to omit a guy like Tariq Maxi the way he's
playing Donovan Mitchell it's gonna be Donovan Mitchell Trey Young missed out last year guys
does he miss out again this year it's possible Atlanta's kind of meandering a little bit Derek
White I don't think even though he's having a fine season I think he misses the cut Julius Randall I
think if he doesn't make it there needs to be drug testing because he is playing superior basketball
right now outside of that in terms of the front court East I don't know if Jimmy Butler makes it he's
just too much in and out of the lineup I think Bam makes it before Butler does Jaling you go
always make a case for Jalen Brown making an all-star team. Mikhail Bridges man he's on the fence to me
Paulo Boncara I think has a real chance of making it guys I think he's had that kind of year for the
Landau Magic who's been a surprise team so I think he has a shot here there'll be interesting how it
shakes out guys so we'll see what happens in that regard and I still say they should expand it to 15
players on the roster that's my feeling on that but so we'll see how the returns play out we still
got another series of returns before the final return and then we can talk about that so so
that's that on the all-star voting now let's talk about some teams guys we got a couple of teams in
the west on the rise the LA Clippers LA Clippers have been a hot team over there in the west
we know that James Hartman came over to them about six games into the season
he's been a model citizen guys he really has he has very good numbers for the role that he's playing
over there he's been pretty good pretty efficient too guys I've to say that for him he has been
the fact that he has those two other guys Paul George and Kawai Leonard kind of opens things
up for him a bit so that has been a help to him but he's been a model citizen I must say that he's
been healthy Paul George and Kawai they haven't missed a great deal of time so far they're balling
right now and hats off to Russell Westbrook guys he's a guy who saw James Hartman coming in he said
look for the betterment of the team let me go to the bench I've been on the bench before over there
with the Lakers I could do that here for this team he's done that with no complaints whatsoever I
give him his props big time but the Clippers are playing well they're playing well I think if health
permits they're going to be a problem in the West I think size will be an issue when everything is
set and done they have nobody to go against the likes of a Nikolai Yokic Anthony Davis I think
that could catch up with them but as them now they look good I must say that and then you have
the Oklahoma City Thunder a team who I thought would be improved I thought they'll be amongst the
top six that's how high I thought of them shy Gilchis Alexander he's playing MVP basketball guys I
look at his numbers I just standing off he is third amongst the scores with 31.4 points per game
6.4 assists nearly six rebounds he's leading the league in steals guys and he's shooting at a blistering
pace from the field 54.6 percent from the field over 90 percent from the free throw line his three
point shooting still a little suspect but that's not really his game guys he's the in between guy
he gives you that but he's been absolutely sensational guys and again of MVP candidate
Jaylen Williams in his second season in league he has been very good guys he's been solid for them
and Chet Holgren I knew coming in that Chet Holgren the fact that he missed all of last season I knew
he could be a difference maker on this squad he's been that guys he's given them what they needed
the punch that they needed my only concern with this team is the Josh Giddy situation remember
he still has that case out there of him being with the underage girl I think that's kind of affected
his game a little bit where he hasn't had the eye-popping numbers that he's had in the past
but I think once the dust settled from that I think you'll see a different player but as of now
he's hasn't given you all that you're getting contributions from your bench guys like Isaiah Joe
Kenrich Williams so you're getting contributions from other places as well and Mark Degno I talked
about him being a coach of the year candidate I think he's right there in the mix guys the way he
has this team playing they're balling guys they are balling and you don't see that very often from
such a young team as what they have which is why I mentioned in my last episode if they were to
somehow get their hands on a guy like Pascal Siaka I mean they got the draft capital to do it
the salaries is the only thing I would wonder about but if they were to get their hands on him
this team will really be a absolute threat in the west that's for sure but right now they're playing
well without getting a guy like Siakam so hats off to that organization there so much so as a recently
Stephen A Smith he said he had to apologize to Sam Presti because he thought he was accumulating
all these draft picks and what is he going to use them for and those sort of things but Sam
Presti knows how to pick talent he knows how to draft he knows how to make the most of what he has
and that's why I say and I've mentioned this before when you are picking high in the draft
you have to hit on guys because if you don't you're just spinning your wheels I talked about
Philadelphia 76ers in there losing streak all that had to do with the fact that you know they
were picking these guys they were hitting and missing on guys and when you're picking that high
you have to hit you have to hit because you don't know how long you're going to be in that situation
you got to get guys that I know it's not an exact science drafting but you have to be able to strike
goal at least once or twice at least and Oklahoma City's done this they've done that they've
got some good draft picks here so and guys that are contributing so we'll see what happens with
them but they are a team that's pretty much in the mix here then you have some struggling teams
right now the Milwaukee Bucks are among those well I mean they're not struggling per se they're
definitely struggling with the Indiana Pacers individually Pacers have beaten them three
times this season thus far there doesn't seem any panic over there in Milwaukee a lot of people
want to say that Adrian Griffin's on the hot seat how in the world can that be he just walked in the
door but I think you know the season is a marathon not a sprint so I think you got to give the man
time to figure out this roster and you know figure out his way because this is his first coaching
stint so I think it's just a matter of time for you figure stings out right now they're talking
about the defense the defense isn't all that great so they can be scored upon and those things
but I think once the dust settles the Milwaukee Bucks will be fine they'll be amongst the top
two or three teams in that conference so I think as long as you got that you're okay for the moment
I'm not too worried about them the Lakers not so much well a lot of people are down on the Lakers
let me just say that they won the NCs in tournament I know we've talked about that but their record
coming out of that so far has been three and nine and counting and the thing is there's no
like middle ground with the Laker critics and the Laker fans it's either everything is beautiful
we're winning the championship or everything is horrible get rid of the coach get rid of this one
that one make a trade there's never any middle ground where it says okay maybe they can play
their way out of this and so forth there's not that discussion at all people want to point to the
coach Darwin Ham but this is the same coach who got them to the conference finals last year this
is the same coach who oh by the way got them that in season tournament championship this is that same
coach so how from a month ago to now he becomes this coach that has to be ousted I don't get that
so you kind of lose me with that and then now we want to say you can't rely on LeBron given his
advanced age there's a lot of things going on Anthony Davis you can't say much about him he's
been available he's playing like a beast they just need other guys to help out that's what they need
guys you need guys to step in now you got Austin Reeves coming off your bench it's starting guys
like Cam Reddish I think they need to pull the plug on the Cam Reddish experiment I think the
Lakers will be fine in the long haul they'll be fine they'll be okay they'll figure it out but to
the Laker fans to the Laker critics my whole thing is why is it that when these sort of dry
spells happen you have to make a trade you have to do this you have to do that why is that always
the case because we saw this play out last year where they made all the mid-season moves and so
forth and that propelled the team that's for sure I don't know we'll see what happens with the Lakers
I'll just leave it at that and then the last thing I will talk about is the Naysmith Hall of Fame
nominees you got a bunch of new time nominees on there 2008 redeem team they're amongst the
first time nominees that's the team of LeBron James Kobe Bryant Carmelo Anthony Dwayne Wade Chris
Bosch Jason Kidd Chris Paul Carlos Boozer Doron Williams Dwight Howard Michael Redd and also
Tayshon Prince and remember that four of those guys were on the previous team the 2014 that ended
up in the bronze game under the likes of Larry Brown who was the coach at the time they were
younger players then so didn't get much playing time but on this redeem team they were vital parts
for that team so you have them that team was coached by Mike Shasiewski and then of course
he had on his bench Jim Bayhine Nate McMillan and Mike Dantony so that team is being nominated
it also players like Chauncey Billups he's among the nominees first-timer Vince Carter
Tom Chambers Michael Cooper Terry Cummings Mike Jominski is this first time being nominated
Bill Lane Bear this is his first time being nominated I thought Lane Bear would have appeared
by now but Bill Lane Bear he's a guy who I've told people I think if he doesn't get in as a player
definitely as a coach from what he did in the WNBA but Bill Lane Bear he's a guy who I think if he
doesn't get in as a player guys he could get in as a contributor or coach so bear that in mind
but he was a fine player as well Marcus Johnson Maurice Lucas Sean Marion Reggie Theis Buck Williams
and Super John Williamson of the New York Nets from the ABA days so you have those guys there
coaches you have guys like Rick Barnes this is his first time on there John Beeline Jim
Laranega Raleigh Massimino Dick Mada Lou Henson Bo Ryan so you have all these different coaches
there amongst the women Simone Augustus this is her first time being nominated Jennifer A.C. I
always thought she was already in but I think she's in because she was with that 1996 ladies team that
of course sparked the pro leagues that followed after them but Jennifer A.C. she's being nominated
Cheryl Ford the daughter of Carl Malone she was part of those Detroit shock teams that dominated
for a period in the WNBA you have coaches as well Leta Andrews Marion Washington you got
contributors like Pete Babcott or Marty Blake Doug Collins from him being a coach and a commentator
Mike Fratello is his first time being nominated as a contributor he coached he commentates as well
Johnny Red Cur Jean Shoe Donnie Walsh Jerry West as a contributor obviously he's on as a player
now he'll be nominated as a contributor as well giving his work in the front office and so forth
amongst the international nominees David Black who at one time coached the Cleveland Cavaliers
but he has vast history as a coach overseas Andre Carillanco one of the best nicknames
ever given AK-47 as a player for the Utah Jazz Penny Taylor who's played with the Phoenix Mercury
Michelle Thames Andrew Gaze another international player there and then you have the Cheyenne
State Final 14 from 1982 that defied all the odds and made the Final 4 that team HBCU by the way
and that team which coached by C Vivian Stringer then you have the 1972 U.S. Olympic team that was
to team that was robbed of winning the goal they're being nominated Dick Barnett as a player I
thought for some reason he made it apparently not so those are your nominees guys it'll be
interesting to see who ends up being nominated into that class of 2024 I look forward to seeing
who gets picked amongst this crop of fine people who have contributed to the game so with that said
that's it guys that's it for me thank you for listening as always and we'll be talking soon
take care guys hello my peeps thank you for listening and supporting the all things basketball
with GD podcasts you can find us on our website allthingsbasketballwithgd.com you can also email
us at that sportsduegd at gmail.com also listen and watch us on YouTube all things basketball GD
hit the like button when you see our videos also write a blurb about our show you can listen to us
on all podcast platforms including Spotify and Apple leave a review for us at Apple on the website
you can support us by hitting the buy me a coffee button support on anchor button or donate on paypal
you can also support us by our cash app GD that sports dude once again I thank you for listening
and supporting the show and do take care