Goran Dragic makes All-NBA 3rd Team

[sunsfan88]

The NBA has announced its 13-14 All-NBA Teams:

1st Team
Kevin Durant
LeBron James
Joakim Noah
Chris Paul
James Harden

2nd Team
Stephen Curry
Blake Griffin
Kevin Love
Dwight Howard
Tony Parker

3rd Team
Al Jefferson
Paul George
LaMarcus Aldridge
Goran Dragic
Damian Lillard

Other players receiving votes, with point totals: Carmelo Anthony, New York, 86 (1 First Team vote); John Wall, Washington, 70; Tim Duncan, San Antonio, 63 (1); DeMar DeRozan, Toronto, 56; Anthony Davis, New Orleans, 40 (1); Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas, 37 (1); Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City, 32 (1); Kyle Lowry, Toronto, 29; DeAndre Jordan, L.A. Clippers, 21; Roy Hibbert, Indiana, 17; Marc Gasol, Memphis, 16 (2); DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento, 14 (1); Kyrie Irving, Cleveland, 7; Dwyane Wade, Miami, 6; Mike Conley, Memphis, 4; Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City, 4; Zach Randolph, Memphis, 4; Joe Johnson, Brooklyn, 4; Lance Stephenson, Indiana, 3; Ty Lawson, Denver, 2; Paul Millsap, Atlanta, 2; Chris Bosh, Miami, 1; Andre Drummond, Detroit, 1; Monta Ellis, Dallas, 1; Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio, 1.

I thought he should have been 2nd team, with Curry being 1st team and CP3 being 3rd team since he missed over 20 games this season.

Still great though, feels like its been forever since we got a player in the All NBA ranks.

Congrats Dragic!

PS I'd like to know which idiots voted for Bosh and Hibbert.

 

[SirStefan32]

Congrats! Well-deserved!

 

[elindholm]

Who put DeMarcus Cousins on the first team? That's ridiculous.

 

[Mainstreet]

I wanted Dragic to be ranked higher but he is with some elite company. Congratulations Goran!

 

[Phrazbit]

If the word earlier in the year is true then Bulls trading of Deng just became down right hilarious. They made that move, dumping one of their best players for beans despite being a playoff bound team, entirely to avoid breaking the luxury tax threshold again... but Noah's election to the first team all-NBA triggers some contract perks that just bumped them right back into the tax payers.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/03/05/joakim-noahs-terrific-play-could-hurt-bulls-financially/

 

[ProdigalSun]

Well deserved!

 

[Superbone]

Shows how strong his second half of the season was after not even making the all-star team.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Shows how strong his second half of the season was after not even making the all-star team.

Not really. And I don't think he had all that great of a second half. He had a tremendous stretch that mostly ended with the All Star Game. He played well for more than half a season but there was a noticeable drop off for the final 27 games of the season. His assists went down by more than a full assist per game (some of that is probably Bledsoe's return) and his defense took a hit too. Unfortunately, given that he's playing for his country again, I expect the same thing this upcoming season. Also, did you notice that the same guards that beat him out for the West squad also made the top 3 All NBA teams, with the exception of Kobe?

Steve

 

[slinslin]

Who put DeMarcus Cousins on the first team? That's ridiculous.

He should have been on one of the teams.

Noah and Harden on the first team is ridiculous, as is Parker on the 2nd team.

 

[sunsfan88]

Harden is the best SG in the NBA and if Noah didn't make 1st team, he should have made 2nd team as he is the 2nd best C in the league after Dwight.

 

[slinslin]

After Nene abused Noah in the playoffs I highly doubt that Noah is the 2nd best center in the league.

The best obviously still is Dwight who gets an unreasonable amount of hate since leaving the Lakers.

Other than that Anthony Davis, Demarcus Cousins are clearly better and then you still have Andre Drummond, DeAndre Jordan and Marc Gasol.

Harden being the best SG does not say much, he is also one of the worst defenders in the entire league, he might be worse than Bargnani or Amare defensively.

Also all-nba teams only care about guard positions not shooting guards. Curry, Westbrook and Dragic had better seasons than Harden.

John Wall should have made it over Lillard .

Cousins and Anthony Davis should be on those teams. Cousins had a PER of 26+. It's the first time in league history that a big man with that kind of PER did not make all-nba teams.

 

[AzStevenCal]

After Nene abused Noah in the playoffs I highly doubt that Noah is the 2nd best center in the league.

The best obviously still is Dwight who gets an unreasonable amount of hate since leaving the Lakers.

Other than that Anthony Davis, Demarcus Cousins are clearly better and then you still have Andre Drummond, DeAndre Jordan and Marc Gasol.

Harden being the best SG does not say much, he is also one of the worst defenders in the entire league, he might be worse than Bargnani or Amare defensively.

Also all-nba teams only care about guard positions not shooting guards. Curry, Westbrook and Dragic had better seasons than Harden.

John Wall should have made it over Lillard .

Cousins and Anthony Davis should be on those teams. Cousins had a PER of 26+. It's the first time in league history that a big man with that kind of PER did not make all-nba teams.

I'm not a James Harden fan (any more) but this makes no sense. How can someone who only played 46 games have had a better season than a player that was first team All NBA? Also, Harden's PER is pretty close to Curry's and a couple of points higher than Goran's. If PER is good enough to make the case for Cousins it ought to have some value for Harden too.

Steve

 

[Gaddabout]

John Wall should have made it over Lillard .

O. M. G.

I agree.

 

[Superbone]

Not really. And I don't think he had all that great of a second half. He had a tremendous stretch that mostly ended with the All Star Game. He played well for more than half a season but there was a noticeable drop off for the final 27 games of the season. His assists went down by more than a full assist per game (some of that is probably Bledsoe's return) and his defense took a hit too. Unfortunately, given that he's playing for his country again, I expect the same thing this upcoming season. Also, did you notice that the same guards that beat him out for the West squad also made the top 3 All NBA teams, with the exception of Kobe?

Steve

The middle 2/3 of the season is probably more accurate. And good point about the all-nba guards predominantly being from the West.

 

[bankybruce]

After Nene abused Noah in the playoffs I highly doubt that Noah is the 2nd best center in the league.

Your hate is strong with him. Noah should have not have even played, but as usual, manned up and did.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2014/05/02/noah-undergoes-left-knee-surgery/8639293/

 

[AzStevenCal]

The middle 2/3 of the season is probably more accurate. And good point about the all-nba guards predominantly being from the West.

I think he would have kept it up for a full season too if it weren't for his off season commitment. Between his ankle and exhaustion, we're fortunate he could do what he did for as long as he did. I'm still a little bummed over the fact he's going to play for Slovenia. I understand why he's bowed to the pressure, it would be hard for most of us to disappoint our countrymen.

Steve

 

[Superbone]

I think he would have kept it up for a full season too if it weren't for his off season commitment. Between his ankle and exhaustion, we're fortunate he could do what he did for as long as he did. I'm still a little bummed over the fact he's going to play for Slovenia. I understand why he's bowed to the pressure, it would be hard for most of us to disappoint our countrymen.

Steve

Yep, yep, and yep.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think he would have kept it up for a full season too if it weren't for his off season commitment. Between his ankle and exhaustion, we're fortunate he could do what he did for as long as he did. I'm still a little bummed over the fact he's going to play for Slovenia. I understand why he's bowed to the pressure, it would be hard for most of us to disappoint our countrymen.

Steve

This is the reason the Suns need to add another PG, the fatigue of Dragic playing overseas and the uncertain status of Bledsoe. Ish is a nice depth player but he cannot be expected to carry the Suns second unit long term. A combo guard might work as well to strengthen the Suns second unit as well.

 

[elindholm]

This is the reason the Suns need to add another PG, the fatigue of Dragic playing overseas and the uncertain status of Bledsoe. Ish is a nice depth player but he cannot be expected to carry the Suns second unit long term. A combo guard might work as well to strengthen the Suns second unit as well.

I just can't see putting the third PG as a higher priority than most of the other roster needs. You can't have everything. If the Suns end up parting ways with Bledsoe, then that's another story, but until then you have to assume that the PG position is as set as it is going to be, and focus your resources elsewhere.

 

[SirStefan32]

I just can't see putting the third PG as a higher priority than most of the other roster needs. You can't have everything. If the Suns end up parting ways with Bledsoe, then that's another story, but until then you have to assume that the PG position is as set as it is going to be, and focus your resources elsewhere.

I agree. There is a gigantic hole at the PF spot, could use another SG/SF that can shoot and defend, really need another player that can make some plays for others. When they get those things taken care of, then they should start thinking about another PG.

If Bledsoe leaves, then this becomes a higher priority, but until then, there is no need to even worry about it.

 

[Mainstreet]

I just can't see putting the third PG as a higher priority than most of the other roster needs. You can't have everything. If the Suns end up parting ways with Bledsoe, then that's another story, but until then you have to assume that the PG position is as set as it is going to be, and focus your resources elsewhere.

I'm not saying a PG should be a higher priority than other needs but if one falls into the BPA available category with one of their first round picks, take him.

When the Suns are starting Dragic and Bledsoe together, they have little room for error with Ish Smith as depth. Ish is fine if all three are available, but if Dragic or Bledsoe should suffer injury, the drop off is clear as seen last season.

The idea of bringing in a combo guard to fill the gap was good last season with Bledsoe injured... another ballhandler that could score. Unfortunately LB got injured and he was not a reliable ball handler regardless.

 

[elindholm]

I'm not saying a PG should be a higher priority than other needs but if one falls into the BPA available category with one of their first round picks, take him.

I think that if your BPA at some point in the first round projects as a third-string PG, you might as well trade the pick.

The idea of bringing in a combo guard to fill the gap was good last season with Bledsoe injured... another ballhandler that could score. Unfortunately LB got injured and he was not a reliable ball handler regardless.

Yeah, I never understood the Barbosa signing. He was never a ball handler, and at SG all he did was take minutes from Goodwin.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think that if your BPA at some point in the first round projects as a third-string PG, you might as well trade the pick.

I'm glad the Suns didn't think this way in the 1996 draft when they went BPA at #15. They drafted two time MVP, Steve Nash who played behind Kevin Johnson and Jason Kidd.

Even when the Suns traded Nash in 1998 in a relatively bad trade they received a future draft pick which turned out to be Shawn Marion.

 

[elindholm]

I'm glad the Suns didn't think this way in the 1996 draft when they went BPA at #15. They drafted two time MVP, Steve Nash who played behind Kevin Johnson and Jason Kidd.

Fair enough -- now that you mention it, that was a pretty weird pick under the circumstances. But they were pretty sure that Johnson was about done, right? Isn't that why they sold the farm for Kidd?

 

[elindholm]

By the way, did anyone catch in the Finals broadcast tonight when Jeff Van Gundy gave the Spurs credit for drafting Dragic in the second round? I wish Kerr had been there to say, "Eff you, that was my pick!" That would have been funny.