Which Warriors Deserve Consideration for an All-Star Spot?

When you think of the Golden State Warriors, offense is usually the first, or one of the first, things that comes to your mind. Star players aren’t.

However, even though LeBron James and Kobe Bryant don’t play for the Warriors, Golden State’s 21-10 start has some of their players on the radar for some All-Star selections.

David Lee, Stephen Curry, Jarrett Jack and the Warriors have rolled to a 21-10 record, and they are 14-4 in their past 18 games. Golden State has made statements with wins over the Heat, Clippers, Nets, Pacers, Hawks and other decent teams, and there is another way for them to make a statement: by having some All-Star players.

December 29, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) looks on during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at ORACLE Arena. The Warriors defeated the Celtics 101-83. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Lee has had a great season, averaging 20 points (ninth in the league) and 11 rebounds per game (fifth in the league). He has shown that he can fill in for Andrew Bogut, but he can also shoot and score. If you’re talking about scorers, though, Curry can also score.

The sharp-shooting guard has averaged 20 PPG and 6.5 APG this year, showing qualities of a shooting guard and a pass-first point guard. Curry has made 44.4 percent of his three-point attempts while also making 90 percent of his free throws. He hasn’t been hampered by injuries this year, and as a result, the Warriors are succeeding.

Oh, and did I mention that Curry led the NBA in December with 55 threes? And that Klay Thompson was second with 52?

There are a lot of good guards in the Western Conference, and even placing 14th in assists and ninth in rebounds won’t be enough to make it easy for Curry to sneak in. He wouldn’t start, but he could definitely make it if there are injuries.

Or, if he gets the respect of the coaches, he could make it in as a reserve without needing any injuries.

The same goes for Lee, who has done a great job this year. The Warriors needed someone to step up for Bogut, and Lee and Carl Landry has done that. He has done a great job averaging 12.5 PPG and 6.7 RPG off the bench, but even though he has boosted the team, he won’t be in the All-Star game.

Jarrett Jack has been incredibly crucial to the Warriors’ success this year, but he probably won’t be on the team either. Jack is averaging over 12 PPG and more than five APG this year while averaging less than 28 minutes per game, as he has an exceptional 2.8 assists-to-turnover ratio. He is distributing the ball well, but he’s also proving to be a scoring threat. He is also attacking the basket, and he’s shooting 43.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Jack is a triple threat (driving, shooting, passing), and he’s the final piece to the Warrior offense. However, unfortunately, his efforts won’t get him into the All-Star Game.

Golden State fits the description of a team. They distribute the ball (seventh in assists), play for each other, score points and get motivated by a rambunctious fanbase. No player is like LeBron James, but they all can do good things, and put together, they are a dangerous team that is near the top in almost every major statistical category.

But usually teams like that don’t send many players to the All-Star Game, which is a downside for the Warriors and their players. Lee and Curry have been great, but they are both shielded by other players, although Lee should be able to break through. And advanced stats aren’t going to help them much, even if they illustrate how valuable the two have been.

Blake Griffin is known around the world for his dunks, and it’s safe to say that even though Lee has probably been better, Griffin will start. Then it’s down to Lee and LaMarcus Aldridge, and I think Lee deserves the spot. Golden State is doing much better than Portland, Lee has better stats and he is definitely helping a team in need of an elite big man.

Will Lee make the All-Star team?

Only the votes will tell. But he sure deserves to, and even though Kobe Bryant and James Harden will probably block Curry, he deserves to make it as well. So, both of these players deserve All-Star consideration.

However, if the Warriors keep rolling like they are now, more of their players may be considered for a spot on the team.

This article was originally published on Bleacher Report.