Jazz HC Will Hardy Pitches to Bring Lauri Markkanen to All-Star Game
We're now closing in on February in the NBA season, which means the All-Star festivities are right around the corner.
The 73rd annual All-Star game will be held in Indianapolis come February 18th, with several candidates around the league eyeing the chance to be selected and secure one of the coveted spots on the illustrious 24-man group. With the ten starters already officially unveiled, it leaves a slim 14 spots left up for grabs, and a collection of deserving players in contention.
One of those deserving players happens to be Utah Jazz F Lauri Markkanen. After being selected for his first All-Star appearance a season ago, there's a fantastic case for The Finisher to return for his second straight in the coming weeks.
However, with the steep competition in the Western Conference, combined with a few games missed earlier in the season, it doesn't quite make Markkanen a guarantee to get a selection. Even with the All-Star starters being announced last week, we still have yet to see sure-fire guys like Steph Curry, Devin Booker, and Anthony Edwards make the cut just yet, making the path for any other player to get in just a bit tougher.
Still, Jazz coach Will Hardy spoke with Tony Jones of The Athletic after the team's loss vs. the Brooklyn Nets to assure that Markkanen is deserving of getting the honors, noting his contribution to Utah's mid-season resurgence in the standings:
“I’m extremely biased, but to me, Lauri is an NBA All-Star. The scoring, the efficiency, the versatility. Everything he does for our team should speak for itself. He was a little bit injured at the beginning of the year. But a big part of our turnaround is how well he’s been playing. So to me, he’s definitely an All-Star.”
Markkanen has been nothing short of spectacular during his 2023-24 campaign. Through 38 games played, Lauri has averaged a strong line of 23.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists on consistent 49.4/40.0/87.6 splits. Without him, it's hard to see the Jazz having the same caliber of season they're on now. They sit 24-24 in the West fully invested in the race for the Play-In Tournament.
While he's played a critical role in Utah's success, it still might not be enough to be one of the lucky twelve in the West to play in Indianapolis. The league is as talented as ever, with an assortment of players that could end up getting the nod. The hope for Jazz fans is that the coaches selecting the roster will give Markkanen the respect he deserves, but nothing's guaranteed.
The NBA will announce the All-Star reserves on Thursday, February 1st, on TNT, where all 30 head coaches will vote on who they feel is the most deserving of representing the best of what this league has to offer.
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