Indiana Pacers: Why Domantas Sabonis should be an All-Star

As the days turn closer to the All-Star game, it is time to make the case for Indiana Pacers power forward Domantas Sabonis

As the days turn closer to the All-Star game, it is time to make the case for Indiana Pacers‘ power forward Domantas Sabonis. The fourth-year big man out of Lithuania is having a career year with the Pacers.

In the absence of All-Star shooting guard Victor Oladipo, Sabonis has led the Pacers to an overachieving 27-15 record. This is why the double-double machine deserves to be an All-Star.

Sabonis signed a multi-year extension this offseason and so far it has seemed like a heck of a deal for the Pacers. The Lithuanian Powerhouse is a walking double-double; he has 32 in 39 games played. He has had multiple games this season where he had a double-double at halftime.

On a team that is often outrebounded, Sabonis is the one consistent rebounder for Indiana. He averages 12.9 rebounds per game which is fifth in the league.

Hitting the boards is not the only thing that Sabonis is good for though. He is one of the Pacers’ main offensive threats. In a game where the big man’s postgame is dying, he is thriving. He is stronger than almost every other big man in the league and can bully just about anyone down low.

He is averaging 17.8 points per game and is 18th in field goal percentage in the NBA at 53.2 percent. The big man showed how dominant he can be in the paint against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, January 15. He had 25 points in the first half and ended the game with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists.

Sabonis is also a solid defender. He is in the top 20 in defensive rating at 103.9 and is the highest rated on the Pacers roster. Some of the names that he ranks ahead of are the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, the LA Clippers’ Paul George, and the Portland Trail Blazers’ Hassan Whiteside. The Pacers are ranked eighth in the league in team defensive rating and Sabonis is a large part of the reason why.

If you lay out the facts, Domantas Sabonis deserves to be an All-Star. He will not be a starter as there are just too many front-court players in the East that are considered superstars. Sabonis is well on his way to joining the ranks in the near future. Let’s hope the coaches do the right thing and select Sabonis for his first All-Star appearance. He deserves it.