Western Conference
Starters
G Russell Westbrook
G James Harden
FC Kevin Durant
FC Kawhi Leonard
FC Anthony Davis
Reserves
G Stephen Curry
G Mike Conley
FC DeMarcus Cousins
FC Draymond Green
FC Gordon Hayward
WC Rudy Gobert
WC Marc Gasol
This doesn't feel great. The 38-7 Warriors get three All-Stars; the Spurs Borg, just two games below them, get but one -- fewer than Utah and Memphis. It seems unfair to penalize San Antonio for its depth, but that is only kind of what happened here.
LaMarcus Aldridge is their next-best candidate, and he's a victim of the annual Western Conference frontcourt bloodbath. If the Spurs had a borderline guard, I'd have slotted that player in.
I even thought about cheating a bit, sliding Hayward into a guard spot, and finagling an extra frontcourt spot for Aldridge. You can argue that Hayward kinda, sorta plays "guard" in super-big lineups featuring the Hayward/Joe Ingles and Hayward/Joe Johnson combos on the wing, but that feels like a stretch given how rarely such groups play when Utah is at full health. (It also highlights how silly it is to distinguish between the wing positions for All-Star purposes.)
Aldridge has been on fire over the last month after another slow start, and he's an underrated, reliable defender. He just does the right stuff on almost every possession. He moves the ball, sets smart screens, shoots when he should and never coughs up the rock. He'd have better counting stats if the Spurs needed them.
He marks an interesting contrast with Gobert. The French Rejection could never approximate the load Aldridge carries for San Antonio's offense. Gobert has made a mega-leap, but he still looks clumsy with the ball now and then. He rarely shoots outside dunk range, and he's taken just 17 shots via post-ups all season, per Synergy Sports. Imagine what might happen to the Spurs' offense if Aldridge and Gobert flipped teams, and the Spurs actually asked Gobert create more. (Just kidding. The Spurs would be fine, because they are the Spurs.)
Gobert needs really good offensive players around him in order for his transcendent skills on the other end to flourish. Aldridge can do what he does anywhere.
But Gobert has become an elite rim-runner. His hands are better. He is patient and coordinated enough to catch in traffic, wait a beat to settle himself as the limbs fly around him, and rise up for an emphatic cram job. He's up to 67 percent from the line on a ton of attempts; he welcomes contact, a career-changing Rubicon for every big man who lives near the rim. The Jazz can throw Gobert the ball as much as they like.
You know about the defense and rebounding. Gobert had to reach a level of competency on offense to stay on the floor in every matchup and let his defense sing, and he's has exceeded that. He has also been Utah's lone survivor amid an injury epidemic.
Hayward has been a rock since missing Utah's first six games with a broken finger. He remains their best all-around player, and he can tailor his game to fit Utah's turnstile rotation. If Rodney Hood and George Hill are rolling, Hayward can off-load some scoring to focus on other things. He's a wily off-ball cutter, and when Utah needs it, a borderline All-Defense-level option at both wing spots.
When those guys are out -- and holy hell, have they been out a lot -- Hayward can put up an efficient 25-spot. His numbers outpace Aldridge's; he falls somewhere between Leonard and Aldridge in terms of hierarchy within their teams.
Gobert and Hayward have carried a ravaged Jazz team to a 50-win pace. They're in.
