VanVleet’s case for being an All-Star
If the All-Star vote were to happen right now, Fred VanVleet certainly has to be considered, right? Fred VanVleet is averaging a career-high in points with 22.3, and he just had himself an impressive week scoring 34 points against the Celtics and 35 against the Kings — 5th game this season with 25 points or more. (Oh, and it is known defense doesn’t get you All-Star votes, but it’s worth noting that he held Curry to 11 points and a 2/16 shooting night.)
Back to what gets people to voting, scoring. And VanVleet has been doing that on elite efficiency with a 58.5 effective field goal rate. VanVleet is shooting 41.1 percent from three on a ridiculous volume of nine threes per game; he has finally improved his efficiency at the rim, shooting 54 percent (last season it was 51); and not only is he now taking mid-range shots, but he’s also doing it at a clip of 60 percent (last season he shot 32 percent from that area).
Fred VanVleet is playing an an All-Star level right now.
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) January 9, 2021
Tonight:
34 points (59 FG%)
7 assists
His passing out of the pick n roll tonight sans Lowry was good. His finishing has improved imo. And his mid-range pull-up makes him a 3 level scorer.
Automatic bucket. pic.twitter.com/IXYepdlO28
In the Eastern Conference among all guards, he is seventh in points, seventh in steals, 9th in assists, and first in three-point shots made with 3.8 per game. He is playing the best basketball of his career, and if he continues on the same track he will have a legitimate case for being an All-Star.
He has improved in every season he has played this year, and I don’t see that stopping now. Let’s just hope he can get to the free-throw line a little more.