Lauri Markkanen Should Have All-Star & MIP Honors Sewn Up
Lauri Markkanen has made a major leap that no one saw coming. As the seventh player selected in the 2017 NBA draft, Markkanen's production with the Utah Jazz has been the career expectation of the 7-footer coming into the NBA.
But after five years of inconsistent offensive play, 'The Finnisher' was cast off as a decent role player with trade value rather than the dynamic No. 1 option on a playoff team.
According to ESPN, the NBA All-Star selections are expected in late January to early February. Markkanen is currently ranked No. 7 in the front-court votes for Western Conference All-Stars, which bodes well for the Jazzman because he currently holds nearly as many votes as Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert got combined for the 2022 NBA All-Star game.
With the final votes to be tallied after January 21, Markkanen will surely pass these former Jazzmen as he climbs toward his first All-Star selection. The Western Conference has featured a weak field thus far in the season, riddled with injuries and missed games from the conference's best front-court players.
Markkanen has played all but five games and has scored over 30 points in 11 of those games while increasing his scoring average each month. Everything seems to be aligned for 'The Finnisher' — the nickname the Jazz are marketing for the budding star.
Many NBA pundits are arguing whether he should be a starter, but Markkanen has proven to be one of the better players in the league and should represent the Jazz on their home court as a first-time All-Star.
Garnering Most Improved Player accolades is becoming more and more of a lock for Markkanen, too, as he is edging Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a favorite in Vegas. The removal of the take foul has helped speed up the game and has given faster guards like SGA more shots and more free-throw opportunities, which partly explains the difference we've seen in his scoring jump.
SGA made an impressive six-point jump to currently average 30 points per game but only slightly improved his field-goal percentage, while the pace of the game helped him increase his opportunities at the line, where he is making nearly four more shots per game than last year. It seems his improvements have been more organic, but it's nonetheless impressive.
Markkanen, on the other hand, has improved his scoring by 10 from last year, and his field-goal percentage has shot up by 7% while leading his team to a winning record. He's had a strong year and should be rewarded for his improvement and achievements.
An All-Star bid will bolster Markkanen's probability of winning MIP and further help the Jazz as they position themselves for a run in the playoffs.
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