One of the coolest exercises for NBA fans during the season is trying to predict who lands on the All-NBA teams. Being on the All-NBA is a more prestigious award than making the All-Star team and it is always one of the most debated topics among fans and analysts. While some spots on the list are seemingly easy, there are a few that are going to be more hotly contested. Anyone can make a case for several guys to be on the team and they would have a good case. There is still a long way to go in this NBA season, but it is good to take a look at the early candidates and see who has the best case to be named first-team All-NBA at this point in the season.
Guard: Stephen Curry
Curry is among the leading candidates for MVP this season and would be a unanimous First-Team selection right now. Curry is having an absurd season from a statistical standpoint and is the best player on the best team. He was on the first team last season and came in second in the MVP race. Curry is averaging 27 PPG, six assists, and nearly six rebounds while shooting 40% from three. This would be the easiest choice among the guards and everyone should expect Curry to be on the first team at the end of the season barring injury.
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Guard: Trae Young
This second guard spot on the All-NBA team is going to be hotly contested. There were several candidates under consideration. Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic were the other two top choices for this spot, but Young is having an underrated season. The Atlanta Hawks have not had the season that some thought they would at this point but that is not the fault of Young. Young is amongst the NBA’s leaders in points per game and assists and is one of the best playmakers in the NBA. The Hawks would not be a contender without Young and that is why as of now, he gets the edge for the second guard spot.
Forward: Kevin Durant
Like Curry, this was a pretty easy selection to the First-Team. Durant is having one of the best seasons of his career. He is the main reason that Brooklyn has remained among the elite teams in the Eastern Conference with Kyrie Irving‘s absence and James Harden‘s subpar play. Durant holds the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season with 51 points and has been a great all-around player. This would be an easy selection and Durant might even be unanimous.
Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Another easy selection, Antetokounmpo is having another MVP level season in Milwaukee. Not only is he having another MVP level season, but he should also be among the leaders for defensive player of the year. Milwaukee got off to a slow start, but they have started to play like the defending champions of late and Antetokounmpo is the biggest reason why. As long as Antetokpunmpo keeps playing this way and Milwaukee is still rising in the standings, this is not going to be a hard choice for voters in the end.
Forward: Nikola Jokic
With the NBA making the center position obsolete in the All-NBA voting, Jokic is going to be classified as a forward just like he was last season. That makes the position more competitive, but Jokic would make this pretty easy on the voters right now. It is hard to win back-to-back MVP awards, but Jokic is making the perfect case for one this season. With Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr out, Jokic is taking on even more responsibility and is carrying his team. If the Nuggets make the playoffs, this would be a great accomplishment. Look for Jokic to make the first team and make a run at another NBA MVP.
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