Our Very Thought-Out (unquestionably perfect) All-NBA Teams

Here's Logan and Scott's All-NBA first and second teams. Enjoy!

If you'd like to chime in with your own All-NBA squad, get in touch with us on Twitter: @TheBottomUpShow

Logan's All-NBA Selections
By: Logan Bednarczuk

Before I share my NBA first team selections, I would just like to point out that I believe, like the all-star game, that the selection process should get rid of the Center label and instead be allowed to pick 3 backcourt positions. That’s not to say I don’t believe the Center position is n important one I just feel that Forwards this year really performed better than the Centers. That being said, I will stick to the traditional format and select a center for my all NBA teams until the rule changes (sorry, Carmelo).

First Team

Guard: Chris Paul- 17.0 PPG/ 9.6 APG/ 3.8 RPG/ 26.33 PER

Chris Paul is largely seen as the best point guard in the league and with merit. His ability to control the game on the floor is second to none and he has the best defensive hands in the league. Not to mention the fact that he could become the first player-coach to lead his team to a championship since Bill Russell….What? Del Negro is the head coach?!?!? Well I still feel like Chris Paul should at least be acknowledged as a co-head coach and that’s still a remarkable feat.

Guard: Tony Parker- 20.4 PPG/ 7.6 APG/ 3.0 RPG/ 23.08 PER

This is my controversial first team pick. I realize that their have been several guards that have had amazing seasons this year, and this was a very difficult choice. Out of all of them I feel that Westbrook has the best case against Tony Parker, averaging slightly more points and rebounds then Parker and dishing out almost the exact same number assists. Parker however is shooting a remarkable .524 percent from the field, far greater than Westbrook’s .432 percent. He also is the best player on one of the only 3 teams even sniffing 60 wins this season. He has been snubbed of this honor for years and I think he truly deserves it. Westbrook may, and probably should, be offended if he was overlooked for this honor but Parker has been denied such high honors for far too long.

Forward: LeBron James- 26.8 PPG/ 7.3 APG/ 8.0 RPG/ 31.69 PER

This is a no brainer; LeBron has been the most dominant player we have seen in the past decade and is well on his way to capturing his 4^th MVP award in the past 5 years. No one can dominate the game in so many ways like LeBron can. He can play the point and set up his teammates better than any other in the league also while scoring at will and rebounding the basketball. Oh, did I mention he was a lockdown defender who can guard almost any position on the court? LeBron was an obvious selection (though it pains me).

Forward: Kevin Durant- 28.1 PPG/ 4.6 APG/ 7.9 RPG/ 28.18 PER

Durant gets the dubious reward of being the second best player in the league but hopefully should find solace in the fact that he is the only player nipping at LeBron’s heels for top-dog status. He has been scary efficient offensively, joining the very exclusive 50/40/90 club. This means that Durant will finish the season with averages of over 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the free throw line. Not to mention that he is no slouch on defense either with his surprising quickness and over 7-foot wingspan.  Including Durant on this team involved just as little thought as LeBron (again, sorry Carmelo).

Center: Marc Gasol- 14.3 PPG/ 7.8 RPG/ 1.7 BLKPG/ 4.0 APG/ 19.67 PER

Marc Gasol has been an all-around force this year. He is on a short list to grab the defensive player of the year award and leads the leagues best defense only allowing 89.4 points per game. What really sets him apart form many of the other great big men in the league is his ability to run the offense through him. Not only is he a diverse scorer with the ability to put his back to the basket and hit a jump shot if his defender leaves him but he is a great passer, averaging 4 assists a game. He has the most complete game of any legit center in this league and may be adding a defensive player of the year award besides first-team All-NBA honors.

Second Team

Guard: Russell Westbrook- 23.5 PPG/ 7.5 APG/ 5.3 RPG/ 24.00 PER

Russell Westbrook had a great year and it was hard to pass him up for the first team but he is an easy choice for the second team. Westbrook has had his best season to date for the second best team in the NBA. He is probably the most athletic guard in the league and has learned to better use his amazing athleticism to create more scoring opportunities for his teammates. This has really rounded his game to complement his already explosive scoring ability. He also is the best rebounding guard in the league and is always a threat to streak down the lane and get a quick putback. If Westbrook could just get his jumpshot down and increase his scoring efficiency he wouldn't just snag a spot on the all NBA first team but also rival Paul as the best point guard in the league.

Guard: James Harden- 26.0 PPG/ 5.9 APG/ 4.8 RPG/ 23.42 PER

My second truly controversial pick is James Harden. Many will think it outrageous to pick Harden over the Lakers Kobe Bryant but you just have to hear me out. Harden and Kobe almost mirror each other statistically with Kobe having a slight edge averaging 27.3 points, 6 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game. Kobe, however, has not led a team to a solid playoff spot like Harden, does not have as high of a PER, and has been a worse defender than Harden. By no means am I saying Harden has been a devastating defender, I am just saying Kobe has been so bad that even just the relatively decent defense of Harden gives him a huge edge. Harden should be rewarded for his huge breakout season and leading such a youthful squad with such limited practice and game time to the 7^th seed (maybe...) in the tough Western conference. While Kobe statistically has been putting up gaudy numbers he was unable to lock in a playoff spot for him and his All Star cast and I feel that this paired with his horrendous defense can't be overlooked.

           

Forward: Carmelo Anthony- 28.7 PPG/ 2.6 APG/ 6.9 RPG/ 24.87 PER

Anthony was the third best player this year in the NBA. Carmelo has evolved into his most complete offensive form, decimating defenses in a litany of ways. Sadly, there are only two forward spots in the first team selection and it just happens the best two players on the planet happen to play the same position. He has led the Knicks to be a legitimate threat to the Heat this year and dethroned Durant as the NBA scoring leader. His lack of dominance, or in some cases even competence in other facets of his game however, have led him to fall to the 2^nd team all NBA roster. With the level of attention he garners from a defense it would be nice if his assist numbers would improve, also his defense though better than in years past could be a little more focused.

Forward: Blake Griffin- 18.2 PPG/ 8.4 RPG/ 3.6 APG/ 22.72 PER

I am not a huge Blake Griffin fan, but I can’t deny his ability or his effectiveness. He is one of the most impressive physical specimens in the NBA (probably second only to LeBron). His rebounding and scoring prowess can’t be disputed, this season he averages over 18 points and 8 rebounds a game. He (with the help of Chris Paul) has steadily guided the Clippers to their best record in franchise history. Though I have serious reservations about his ability in the pressure filled environment of the playoffs (where defenses clamp down and those alley-oop breakaway dunks become hard to come by), he deserves this position for his great regular season.

Center: Tim Duncan- 17.8 PPG/ 9.9 RPG/ 2.7 BLKPG/ 24.65 PER

In his 16^th season, Tim Duncan inexplicably has improved his game. He is playing more efficiently offensively and more aggressively defensively then he has in the last three years. This 38-year-old veteran boasts the leagues best PER for centers and power forwards and is close to averaging a double-double with his impressive 17.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Defensively, he has been surprisingly spry and active, locking down the paint even when paired with some less than gifted defensive bigs. Gasol just barely nudged him out of the first team spot because of the fact he has just played so many more minutes. Gasol has played in 11 more games this season and averages over 5 more minutes a game than Duncan. Popovich has done a great job at monitoring Duncan's minutes this season but because of this limited playing time Gasol nudges him out for the top spot.


Scott's All-NBA Selections
By: Scott Barkett

I went a little old-school here, picking my first and second teams while staying reasonably true to each position. I love the idea of first and second All-NBA teams, but to me it's about who was the best and second best at each individual position? So, I compiled my list more rigidly to the traditional PG, SG, SF, PF, C positions.


First Team

PG: Chris Paul, LAC

There are a plethora of awesome point guards in the NBA right now. Really, it’s an embarrassment of riches. But if you must pick one to stand out above the rest, it’s got to be Chris Paul. He’s had a fantastic season as the maestro of the “Lob City” Clippers, and his two big men aren’t exactly expert shot creators. In short, Chris Paul allows Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to get high quality looks at the basket. For my money, the test of a great point guard is making everyone else around him better and then knowing when to take over on offense. Paul is a master of this, and it’s been an absolute pleasure to watch his NBA career.

Key Stat: 4.19 AST / TO ratio. That’s absurd. Jose Calderon is the only other PG even in the same stratosphere.


SG: Kobe Bryant, LAL

Oh, Mamba, how we already miss you already! Kobe’s snapped Achilles tendon might have signaled the end of an era in the NBA, but if this is the end then what an impressive ride it’s been. This season has been the definition of chaotic for the Los Angeles Lakers, and methinks Mike Brown is off sipping a margareta right now thrilled to collect his paycheck away from the drama. But, Kobe shined through it all. As almost every other Laker in the rotation missed stretches of the season, Kobe was the lone constant. He played an insane amount of minutes, took an insane amount of shots, and also adjusted his game on the fly to facilitate more. He was arrogant, petulant, and yet still a leader. The fact that 17 seasons into his career there still isn’t a SG better than Kobe tells us all we need to know. If this is the end, what an impressive finale it was.

Key Stat: 45.2 MPG in April (6 games). Mamba put the team on his back, though. D’Antoni put another star in the operating room with insane minutes. 

SF: LeBron James, MIA

Should be the unanimous MVP choice. A legitimate shot at Defensive Player of the Year, which he probably deserves but won’t get because of voter fatigue. Can anything stop LeBron James? For my money he’s the best since MJ, and at this trajectory we might be witnessing something even more special. James deserves every last drop of praise he’s receiving, and his newly matured, efficient game has erased any doubt in my mind that he made the right choice to go to Miami. Does it still sting as a Cavs fan? Absolutely. Will I begrudge transcendent greatness because of July 8, 2010? Absolutely not.

Key Stat: Heartbeat

PF: Carmelo Anthony, NYK

I’m listing Melo at Power Forward even though he’s traditionally been considered a Small Forward. Much like LeBron in Miami, Melo has found great success with the Knicks when they play small and bump him up to the PF slot. He’s an offensive wizard who rightfully deserves to be in the same category as Kobe, LeBron, and Durant. Though his defense at the PF position is mediocre at best, and his rebounding numbers are pedestrian, I think Melo’s impact on the offensive end outweighs these negatives. Put it this way, is there another PF in the league who you would rather have on your team than Carmelo Anthony? Of course not. And with the NBA trending toward smaller, more athletic lineups, it’s appropriate that Melo is listed at the position he played in 2013, and not the position he played in 2006.

Key Stat: 28.7 PPG. Carmelo led the league in scoring after putting together an absolutely ridiculous stretch of games in April. 

C: Marc Gasol, MEM

Who doesn’t like the younger Gasol’s game? He might be the odds on favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award, and on the offensive end he’s the hub through which much of Memphis’ offense runs. For Cavs fans, we saw glimpses of this point-forward style when Andy Varejao was healthy at the beginning of the season. If you’ve got a big man who can pass like a point guard from the elbow, you’ve got an exceptional weapon. Playing next to Zach Randolph, Gasol has developed into an absolute beast, and that tandem may well lead Memphis on a deep playoff run this season.

Key Stat: 4.0 APG / 1.7 BPG When your big man is the fulcrum of your offense on one end, and a rim protector on the other end, you’re in pretty good shape.


Second Team

PG: Russell Westbrook, OKC

As physically gifted as any PG in the NBA, Russ would get more love if Skip Bayless hadn’t pushed the whole KD vs. Russell storyline. With Harden in Houston now, there’s plenty of shots to go around in OKC, and Westbrook has earned his fair share of them.


SG: James Harden, HOU

Who honestly saw this coming? We all knew Harden was a great player while he was with OKC, but I suppose it’s impossible to know a guy’s ceiling when he’s stuck behind KD and Westbrook in the pecking order. Now in Houston, Harden’s game has flourished with increased opportunity. He plays a ruthlessly efficient style, attacking the basket or shooting threes. Heir apparent to Kobe as the top SG in the league.


SF: Kevin Durant, OKC

Second team? Sorry KD, but nobody is better than LBJ. Could I have put KD at PF on the first team, using the same rationale I used for Carmelo? Probably. But, with three hall of famers and only two spots, I relegated the young fella’ to the bench. Sue me.

PF: Blake Griffin, LAC 

I give the nod to Blake here, not because he’s particularly well rounded or anywhere close to maximizing his physical gifts yet. I give him the spot here simply because he’s a force of nature compared to the other, very deserving candidates. In the same way that a young LeBron made up for his lack of polish with flabbergasting power, speed, and force, Blake Griffin is thriving. His J is still developing, but his stats are impressive and I’m not sure anyone in this league—including LBJ, himself—can neutralize Blake’s athleticism. After he puts together a monster playoff run, you guys at home will look back at this list and nod in agreement. Patience, young Jedi.


C: Dwight Howard, LAL

I’m certainly not a huge fan of the way Dwight goes about his off-court business. To my Midwestern sensibilities, Dwight’s complaining and lack of humility rub me the wrong direction. But let’s look at the big picture of his season. Dwight had offseason back surgery, then he tore his labrum early in the season. Now, let’s look at the numbers he still put up: 17.1 PPG / 12.4 RPG / 2.4 BPG. With the potential exception of Memphis with Marc Gasol, is there any other team in the league that wouldn’t consider Dwight an upgrade at the Center position? I fear that his past (healthy) performance has created the impression that this season was a letdown for him. Maybe it was, but as a Cavs fan I dream of having such letdowns in the Wine and Gold.