The All-Star Case For Mike Conley

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – NBA All-Star voting is underway and the Utah Jazz have three hopefuls worthy of being named to this year’s team. This is the case for Jazz guard Mike Conley to make his All-Star debut.

Owning the NBA’s best record at 16-5, the Jazz should expect to be represented by at least one, and as many as three All-Stars at the game proposed for March 7 in Atlanta.

Even if the NBA and the Players Association can’t agree on scheduling the game, the league will still name All-Stars for both the Eastern and Western Conferences.

After a rough start with the @utahjazz, Mike Conley has transformed into one of the NBA's top players. #TakeNote https://t.co/vHFFbpw2tu

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 26, 2021

The All-Star Case For Mike Conley

Though this isn’t Conley’s most prolific statistical season during his 14 year NBA career, it’s likely his best overall season as a pro, and he’s one of the primary reasons the Jazz are 11 games above .500 less than two months into the season.

Conley is the Jazz third-leading scorer at 16.8 points per game and is averaging a team-high 6.1 assists per outing. The guard’s .554 effective field-goal percentage are a career-high, as are his 3.8 rebounds per game.

Conley’s career-best shooting efficiency is due to his 40 percent three-point shooting the third-best average of his career while shooting a career-high 7.0 attempts per game.

Seven guards in the NBA are averaging at least 7 three-point attempts per game while shooting better than 40%.

The @UtahJazz have two of them in Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell.

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) February 3, 2021

Currently, only seven guards in the NBA are attempting at least seven three-point attempts per game while connecting on better than 40 percent of their attempts, and Conley is one of them.

Conley’s Superstar Advanced Metrics

Beyond his traditional stats, Conley is having arguably the biggest impact on his team compared to any player in the NBA. The Jazz guard leads the league in raw plus-minus, a measure of how many points the Jazz have outscored the opposition while they are on the floor.

Through 21 games with the Jazz, Conley is +232, a full 38 points ahead of second-place Kawhi Leonard. LeBron James sits third in the NBA, a full 51 points behind Conley in the standings.

Wacky stat: @MCONLEY10's plus/minus is +241 — 47 points better than second-place Kawhi Leonard. The resurgent Conley a huge reason the Jazz are fighting for the top spot in the West.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) February 1, 2021

On average, the Jazz are 11 points better than their opponent in Conley’s 30 minutes per game which trails only Leonard’s 11.2 point swing in 34 minutes per night. The guard leads all NBA starters in net rating which measures a player’s offensive rating minus his defensive rating at 16.5.

Will Conley Make It?

A few cases are working for, and against Conley in his pursuit of making his first All-Star appearance.

Working against Conley is the raw number of guards who should receive an automatic bid into the All-Star game.

Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry is nearly guaranteed a big assuming he’s healthy, averaging 28.2 points per game, good for sixth-best in the NBA. Curry is the only reason the Warriors are playoff relevant this season, sitting at 11-10 despite a mediocre roster around him.

So @MCONLEY10 hasn't been an #NBAAllStar yet and we think that's a crime that needs correcting.

RT if you agree 🔁 pic.twitter.com/vcaZpxkei1

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) February 3, 2021

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic is also nearly guaranteed a bid, averaging 27.3 points per game, eighth-best in the NBA, while adding 9.4 assists and 9.0 rebounds on a nightly basis.

Both players are likely to start the game, leaving only two reserve guard spots or two wild card spots for Conley to fill.

The good news for the Jazz guard this season is both James Harden and Russell Westbrook, each of whom made the Western Conference All-Star team last season have moved to the east coast.

Curry should assume Harden’s starting role, meaning Conley will likely be competing with teammate Donovan Mitchell, San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant for the two reserve guard spots on the roster.

Hey, @utahjazz fans.

You can start voting for favorite Jazz players to be represented at the @NBAAllStar game TODAY!!!

Here's how! #TakeNote https://t.co/98k34UtUcm

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 28, 2021

Considering their high-profile status and history as All-Stars, Mitchell, Lillard, and George should be considered near locks for the game.

That puts Conley in a tough position as he is not only competing against Booker and Morant for the final all-star spot, he’s likely fighting against the remaining wild card players who can be named to the team from any position, rather than just guards.

All in all, Conley still faces an uphill battle to be named a Western Conference All-Star but considering his resume this season, the Jazz overall record, and the fact that his recognition is long overdue, this is the veteran guard’s best shot of his career to be named an All-Star.

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