Domas Sabonis named Third All-Team NBA
- Thread starter Tetsujin
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I’m actually pretty surprised he got the spot, especially with the new rules that took away positions from the all nba teams. Not that I didn’t think he deserved it, but he’s such a polarizing player in many eyes. Looks like voters said screw the new rules and assembled what looks like three logical lineups.
"WE" (whomever that is) can assume it all they want. But you know how the old axiom about "assume" goes, right?
Further, I'd counter your question with a question. Based upon what? Lay out a compelling case.
Off the top of my head I'd offer the following:
^^I'm not seeing an advantage either way, here. Also, when playing together for most of 2 seasons -- they both couldn't elevate the team.
Some might argue that Indy advancing to the ECF's (and possibly further) makes a difference. But let's not forget that the East is not as deep or as good as the West. The difference between #1 and #2 in the East (14 games) was more than the difference between #1 and #10 in the West (11 games). Further, 2 of the play-in teams in the East (CHI, ATL) were under .500. The Hawks were 10 games under .500. Meanwhile the KINGS and Warriors (#9 and #10) were 10 games over .500.
I'll make the argument that had the KINGS been based in the Eastern Conference last season they'd have had an easier path toward winning a series and possibly going deeper into the postseason than out West. And if based in the East this season they'd have qualified for the postseason outright without needing a play-in. Their record was 1 game worse than Indiana's while playing in the deeper, superior conference and against a West heavy schedule. If in the East playing an East heavy schedule -- they would have had a superior record to Indiana.
**Clarifying the above: I mean, if the KINGS and Pacers swapped places and the KINGS played an East heavy schedule with the same type of shorter travel to all the Eastern venues and not playing those teams largely while on long 5, 6 games roadies with back2backs (and vice versa) --- the KINGS would have won more games than they did being based in the West and the Pacers would have lost more games than they did being based in the East.
As things actually are, the KINGS were still only 1 game behind the Pacers despite the disadvantage of playing in the deeper conference. The Pacers 47 wins would have put them in essentially the same position the KINGS found themselves out West. Who's to say that Indy doesn't suffer the same fate the KINGS did (losing both play-ins) thus this fairy tale ride they're still on never happens? Who's to say the KINGS couldn't be on the same fairy tale ride as Indiana had they claimed the #6 seed in the East??
Circling back to Tyrese and De'Aaron -- other than subjective awards voted upon by biased and often un-educated media pundits, there's nothing much to point towards separating the two. Except maybe De'Aaron's "Clutch player" award (which isn't a popularity or subjective award but rather based upon production in a specific time-frame) and his defensive ability in comparison to Tyrese.
Further, I'd counter your question with a question. Based upon what? Lay out a compelling case.
Off the top of my head I'd offer the following:
- Tyrese played well over 100 games in SAC yet never helped the team qualify for the postseason
- Tyrese played 26 games for the Pacers in 21-22 then 56 his first full season with that org and also didn't help them qualify for the postseason
- Fox helped the KINGS qualify last season (while Tyrese and his team missed), while Tyrese helped his team qualify this season (while the KINGS missed)
^^I'm not seeing an advantage either way, here. Also, when playing together for most of 2 seasons -- they both couldn't elevate the team.
Some might argue that Indy advancing to the ECF's (and possibly further) makes a difference. But let's not forget that the East is not as deep or as good as the West. The difference between #1 and #2 in the East (14 games) was more than the difference between #1 and #10 in the West (11 games). Further, 2 of the play-in teams in the East (CHI, ATL) were under .500. The Hawks were 10 games under .500. Meanwhile the KINGS and Warriors (#9 and #10) were 10 games over .500.
I'll make the argument that had the KINGS been based in the Eastern Conference last season they'd have had an easier path toward winning a series and possibly going deeper into the postseason than out West. And if based in the East this season they'd have qualified for the postseason outright without needing a play-in. Their record was 1 game worse than Indiana's while playing in the deeper, superior conference and against a West heavy schedule. If in the East playing an East heavy schedule -- they would have had a superior record to Indiana.
**Clarifying the above: I mean, if the KINGS and Pacers swapped places and the KINGS played an East heavy schedule with the same type of shorter travel to all the Eastern venues and not playing those teams largely while on long 5, 6 games roadies with back2backs (and vice versa) --- the KINGS would have won more games than they did being based in the West and the Pacers would have lost more games than they did being based in the East.
As things actually are, the KINGS were still only 1 game behind the Pacers despite the disadvantage of playing in the deeper conference. The Pacers 47 wins would have put them in essentially the same position the KINGS found themselves out West. Who's to say that Indy doesn't suffer the same fate the KINGS did (losing both play-ins) thus this fairy tale ride they're still on never happens? Who's to say the KINGS couldn't be on the same fairy tale ride as Indiana had they claimed the #6 seed in the East??
Circling back to Tyrese and De'Aaron -- other than subjective awards voted upon by biased and often un-educated media pundits, there's nothing much to point towards separating the two. Except maybe De'Aaron's "Clutch player" award (which isn't a popularity or subjective award but rather based upon production in a specific time-frame) and his defensive ability in comparison to Tyrese.
AD over Domas is also a joke.
While some may claim that the head-to-head, triple-double, and double-double advantages in Domas' favor don't matter or do not factor in --- we all know those three things would be cited IF they were in AD's favor.
Further, the teams overall records were 1 game apart. So "team" success during the regular season clearly wasn't an advantage in either direction.
Considering the above, Domas posting double and triple doubles in record numbers while matching feats only accomplished by the likes of Wilt and the current back-to-back MVP of the league Nikola Jokić should have EASILY garnered him 2nd team over Davis.
^^The above is precisely why citing All-Star appearances and/or All-NBA votes (wrt player comparisons) is meaningless and just shouldn't ever be done.
While some may claim that the head-to-head, triple-double, and double-double advantages in Domas' favor don't matter or do not factor in --- we all know those three things would be cited IF they were in AD's favor.
Further, the teams overall records were 1 game apart. So "team" success during the regular season clearly wasn't an advantage in either direction.
Considering the above, Domas posting double and triple doubles in record numbers while matching feats only accomplished by the likes of Wilt and the current back-to-back MVP of the league Nikola Jokić should have EASILY garnered him 2nd team over Davis.
^^The above is precisely why citing All-Star appearances and/or All-NBA votes (wrt player comparisons) is meaningless and just shouldn't ever be done.
Dude apparently works for the Spanish publication MARCA. Which makes a bit of sense, at least for the Domas votes. At least it's not a local journalist, because then we'd really catch some heat from the national audience (even though the MVP/6th man votes were legit - it's just the defensive ones that are a bit suspect).
While it's true the Kings missed this year, Indy had a whopping one more regular season win than the Kings. I know this is "just a cope" to some but by the same token if Fox spent his career in the East he'd probably have 5 or more all-star appearances by now and be one of the most adored superstars in the league.
To be clear, I also really like Tyrese Haliburton, too, and am rooting for him this postseason (sorry to see his injury tonight). But while he was here in SAC he was mired in the same PG/Guard mess that De'Aaron has been his entire career (stacked with name guards) and would still be facing that same uphill climb if he was still here versus now being in Indy.
I agree with you that if in the East, De'Aaron's chances of making all-star games and all-NBA teams all these years would have been much higher. I mean, Steph and Klay just from Warriors were assuredly going to take 2 spots every single season up until just a few seasons ago.
I agree with you that if in the East, De'Aaron's chances of making all-star games and all-NBA teams all these years would have been much higher. I mean, Steph and Klay just from Warriors were assuredly going to take 2 spots every single season up until just a few seasons ago.
An honor once reserved for broken back old guy Peja on the Mavs and pretty much no one else (everyone here decided to stop rooting for guys like C-Webb and Boogie the second the Kings unceremoniously traded them for scraps for some reason) now must be extended to anyone who’s ever worn a Kings jersey.
It's ridiculously dumb that many (most?) of the voters have an agenda in their voting other than who is most deserving. I know who is most deserving can be up for debate, but seems like this guy just went all in on Domas...just because. And I'm sure there are likely many more examples of this with voters that certainly went against the Kings in the voting tally.
I'm not sure "feels" is the correct way to frame it. Things simply are easier out east. It's an easier path to the playoffs. It's an easier road to a conference finals. It's easier to make an all-star team. It's an easier media environment because the major sports outlets can cover you appropriately due to the time zone alignment you mentioned. There have been aberrations here and there, but the west has been a much tougher and a consistently tougher conference this side of the new millennium.
Tyrese deserves his moment in the sun. He's a very talented, very skilled young guard. He's going to be a perennial all-star, and I can't not root for the Pacers, for no other reason than the fact that they belong to the only true basketball-oriented state in the union. But the Kings fan who laments that Tyrese is earning more plaudits and success just needs to summon a bit of perspective. The east is a breezy spring day. The west is a goddamn warzone. If Tyrese had been traded in-conference, there's a really good chance he wouldn't be fawned over in quite the same way.
Tyrese deserves his moment in the sun. He's a very talented, very skilled young guard. He's going to be a perennial all-star, and I can't not root for the Pacers, for no other reason than the fact that they belong to the only true basketball-oriented state in the union. But the Kings fan who laments that Tyrese is earning more plaudits and success just needs to summon a bit of perspective. The east is a breezy spring day. The west is a goddamn warzone. If Tyrese had been traded in-conference, there's a really good chance he wouldn't be fawned over in quite the same way.