NBA All-Star game voting will start next week, and two of the New York Knicks‘ best players have a realistic shot to be named in the Eastern Conference.
Knicks: Brunson and Randle Have Stiff Competition For All-Star Nods Out East
As Stefan Bondy of The New York Post sees it, Brunson and Randle will be in competition with several stars out East for four All-Star slots, as eight players are near-locks to get in, saying:
“The East, at least as of now, has four guarantees (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton) and four very likelies (Donovan Mitchell, Damian Lillard, Tyrese Maxey and Jimmy Butler),” Bondy said. “That leaves Brunson and Randle fighting for the four remaining spots among Jaylen Brown, Scottie Barnes, Bam Adebayo, Trae Young, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Kristaps Porzingis and Mikal Bridges.”
Brunson has been the best player for the Knicks this season. Brunson is the tenth-highest-scoring point guard in the association, averaging 24.6 points per game on 46.8 percent shooting. He is dialing in 2.9 three-pointers on a whopping 42.9 percent shooting from downtown. Brunson’s been efficient with the basketball, owning a 5.7-2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio.
While the Knicks struggled to get going at the beginning of the year, Brunson provided several big scoring games that allowed them to tread water before they put together a couple of much-needed winning streaks.
Brunson has yet to make an All-Star team in his career. Each team usually features anywhere from two to as many as four point guards each go-round. With the Knicks owning a 13-10 record as the No. 7 seed in the East, they’ll likely have one star named, and Brunson may have a better chance than Randle.
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Randle Needs More Big Games to Elevate His ASG Profile
A former two-time All-Star, Randle adding a third honor to his resume will likely require more big games from the reigning All-NBA Third Team member. The Knicks got off to a lackluster 2-4 start to the 2023-24 campaign. In that stretch, Randle failed to score 20 points or shoot better than 40 percent from the field in any game.
Since then, he’s scored 20 or more in all but one of the Knicks’ last 17 games and at least 32 points in three of their last four. His recent strong play has elevated his season averages to 22.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per night. However, his 31 percent clip from deep may hurt him when up against other elite bigs in the East like Porzingis, Adebayo, and Banchero.
Both Knicks stars still have time to strengthen their cases before the All-Star teams are announced. While unlikely to be named starters, should the Knicks re-enter playoff positioning, at least one will be a sure bet to get in as a reserve.
