Last year, I had 5 names I was rotating between for my last two Eastern Conference All-Star Performance spots. Those 5: Trae Young, Bam Adebayo, Kristaps Porzingis, Kyrie Irving, and Bradley Beal. At the time, I picked Trae and Bam as my final selections. I felt unconfident at the time and agonized over my decision, but All-Star Break sprung up on me and those were the choices I made at the time. Over the course of early May and then again in July and August, I watched more of the Wizards pre and post ASB. By the time Kristaps was traded to Boston, I was already wavering about standing by my decision to pick Trae Young over Porzingis. By mid-August, I had fully flipped my decision. I love being wrong and Kristaps’ play made me decidedly so. I knew he was a decisive force as a shot blocker and overarching presence at the rim. Kristaps was one of 7 bigs to defend more than 7.5 shots per game within 10 feet of the rim and hold opponents to 8% or worse below expected on those shots (the rest being Ivica Zubac, Brook Lopez, Nic Claxton, Steven Adams, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler). The man who Ant Edwards once called the best rim protector in the league verified the data on film too. Time after time, Kristaps stayed down and used his length to force opponents to reconsider, to alter shots, and sometimes toss up debris that he would easily swat away…

 

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