Indiana Pacers: Do Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon have legitimate All-Star cases?

Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis have had tremendous seasons for the Indiana Pacers so far, but does either of them have a case to be an All-Star?

We are just about one-eighth of the way through this young 2019-20 NBA season. And although it is early, we are starting to get a feel for who is good, and who is not so good. We are starting to see which players have taken a step and which players have not. Two players that have appeared to take a significant step forward are Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon of the Indiana Pacers.

These two have been excellent for the Pacers so far this season, both of them having career-high numbers in almost every category. Which is exactly what the Pacers need from them right now. Indiana has been plagued by injuries early this year, battling through injuries to Goga Bitadze, Edmond Sumner, Jeremy Lamb, Myles Turner, and of course Victor Oladipo.

Yet, the Pacers find themselves at 7-4 after starting 0-3, winning seven of their last eight. And while a lot of this can be attributed to the team getting used to playing together, there is no doubt that some of the credit can go directly to the incredible play of Sabonis and Brogdon. Which poses the question: Do Sabonis and Brogdon have legitimate cases to be All-Stars this season?

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Domantas Sabonis

Let’s take a look at the case for Sabonis to make his first All-Star appearance this year. He is currently averaging 20 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists (all career highs) on 52 percent from the field, 27 percent from behind the arc, and 85 percent from the free-throw line.

While his FG and 3-point percentages are down a bit from last season, he is attempting almost six more shots per game which helps to balance it out some.

Sabonis has been a double-double machine this season. He has had a double-double in each of the last five games he has played in, and in seven of nine games overall this season.

He has been a bully inside, especially on the offensive glass. This has led to him getting tons of easy second chance looks, which he has no problem converting.

Joining the starting lineup full time this season instantly boosted Sabonis’ minutes from last year. But with the injuries the Pacers have sustained early in this season, specifically Myles Turner’s sprained ankle, Sabonis is seeing some serious minutes (about 35 minutes per game) at the center position, which is his natural position. This is allowing him to really find his rhythm early in the game, and stay in that rhythm with the starting unit.

Looking back at the All-Stars in the Eastern Conference from a year ago, Sabonis is in the same ballpark as those guys. The big men to represent the East last season were Joel Embiid and Nikola Vucevic.

Sabonis is putting up numbers similar to what Vucevic’s were last year, while playing for a better team. Vuc’s numbers are down from last season, meaning there is potentially a spot on Eastern Conference All-Star team to be had alongside Embiid. And if he continues to play at the level he is currently playing at, Domantas Sabonis could be making his first appearance in an All-Star game this February.

Malcolm Brogdon

Sabonis isn’t the only Pacer making a case to be an All-Star this season. Malcolm Brogdon is having a great start to his 2019-20 campaign. He is also at a career-high mark in point, assists, rebounds, and steals. Brogdon is averaging 21 points, nine assists, five rebounds and a steal per game. His shooting percentages from the field are down a bit from last year, but that can partially be attributed to the fact that he has been called upon to take more shots and be a creator.

That being said, Brogdon is shooting a ridiculous 98 (!!!) percent from the free-throw line, having missed only one free throw up to this point. Which is a welcome change to anyone who watched the Pacers last season, who would know that they struggled from the line consistently?

There were some questions about whether or not Malcolm Brogdon could run a team and be a feature guy while Victor Oladipo rehabs his knee injury, and to this point, in the season, he has answered the call.

While the team got off to a slow start this season, Brogdon has been one of the main bright spots on this team from the opening tip until now. He has yet to have a bad game and has consistently been the guy the Pacers look to when they need someone to get the offense back on track or when they need a big basket late. And Brogdon has proven he can be a reliable closer.

And while Brogdon has been tremendous at getting to the rim and creating shots for himself, he has been equally effective at creating shots for his teammates. His per-game assists numbers from last season are nearly tripled. He and Sabonis have been absolutely deadly in the pick and roll, it seems nearly impossible to defend.

And when he is not finding Sabonis on the roll, he can either drive to the hoop and either score or find someone spotting up in the corner, or he can come off the screen and take a pull-up jump shot. Something he demonstrated time and time again in Orlando.

Now, going back and looking at the guards who represented the Eastern Conference as All-Stars last season, Brogdon’s numbers are at or better than four of the players who made the trip to Charlotte last year. And with his teammate Oladipo still being out with the knee injury, D’Angelo Russell heading West, and Dwyane Wade retiring after last season, there are three spots on the All-Star team that could be up for grabs.

If Malcolm Brogdon continues to play at this high level he is at, he has a real shot at representing the Pacers as an All-Star in Chicago this year.