Pound the Pavement

The draft order below is determined by inverting the standings, and applying the necessary draft swaps. 1. Boston Celtics - Lonzo Ball Ceiling Comp: Jason Kidd with J.J. Redick's shooting accuracy Floor Comp: J.J. Redick with Jason Kidd's passing vision Boston needs wing depth, especially since their top three guards are all point guards. Marcus Smart hsa the strength to guard wings, but offensively he requires the ball in his hands. Lonzo Ball fits the rotation very well, playing well off-ball with Isaiah Thomas and Smart because of his shooting ability, his quick first step, and his secondary playmaking. His defense needs to markedly improve, which will, as he ages and gains strength. But, in that Brad Stevens spread offese, his court feel would add a lot. However, if the Celtics can package this pick for an established first or second option for their team, that's the move. If the Bulls' season completely unravels, they may try to parlay their Sacramento t

All-Star voting is underway, which means that it's time for every no-name blog (oh wait, that includes me) to start predicting the rosters for both the East and the West. But before we do that, let's just applaud the NBA for having the balls to move the All-Star from Charlotte. Adam Silver, you're an ace . These rosters aren't predictions; they're players I believe have performed at an All-Star level for the first half of the season. East All-Star Starters G: Kyrie Irving G: Isaiah Thomas This starting spot came down to Isaiah Thomas and Kyle Lowry, both of whom are playing at top ten MVP level. But, at his height, Thomas's scoring efficiency (61% true shooting, 26.8 PER, 2.0 VORP), along with his playmaking load, is something we haven't seen since Allen Iverson. Kyle Lowry is a better distributor and defender, but I'm in the camp that DeRozan's contribution to the Raptors is often understated. F: LeBron James F: Giannis Antetokuonmpo F: