NBA All-Star Weekend is upon us, and by all indications, it will be one to remember.
The All-Star game is full of talent (but not without Barkley can).
Bradley Beal, SG, Washington Wizards - Beal is not the young star on his own team, that honor goes to the emerging John Wall, but the sharpshooter is hitting 43.0% of his three point attempts, tied for eighth in the league. Beal makes 2.1 three-pointers a game, tied for 19th in the NBA. He missed some time with a leg injury in December, but through November, he averaged an astounding 40.1 minutes per game. Beal's affinity for the three-ball could swing a playoff series, so be sure to keep an eye out for him.
Individual Breakouts
Miles Plumlee, PF/C, Phoenix Suns - Plumlee probably deserves to be in the playoff factor section, but his statistical contributions have been immense this season. He's 14th in the league in blocks (1.43 per game) and 24th in rebounds (8.5). Plumlee has also had six games with at least 13 points and 13 rebounds, including a 17-point, 20-rebound showcase against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Suns were projected to be a bottom-five team in the league this year, but Plumlee's contributions in addition to the All-Star caliber play of Dragic have been integral. They currently sit at the seventh seed in the West and could become the Cinderella team in this year's playoffs.
Jared Sullinger, PF, Boston Celtics - The Celtics are one of the few teams in the league without playoff hopes, but Sullinger is taking advantage of the opportunity by posting huge numbers. Sullinger is tied for 26th in rebounds per game with 8.2. He isn't shooting particularly effectively (43.7% from the field), but he's prone to eye-popping box scores. His 25-point, 20-rebound game against the Raptors is his best game this year, but he's recorded four other games with at least 19 points and 14 rebounds. His minutes are inconsistent due to the jammed frontcourt in Boston, but Sullinger's numbers when he gets consistent minutes are impossible to ignore.
Other Notable Sophomores
Terrence Ross, SG, Toronto Raptors - Ross, like this section, is a bit of a wild card, but Ross is returning to defend his slam dunk title this weekend. Just as important, Ross is one of three players to score at least 50 points in a game (along with All-Star Starters Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant), making him an intriguing aspect of the Raptors' attack.
John Henson, PF/C, Milwaukee Bucks - Even though the Bucks are atrocious, Henson has proven himself to be a frontcourt asset. Henson is fifth in the league in blocks (2.5) and second in the league in block percentage (6.3%) behind Davis's (7.0%). He can score and rebound, too. He has four games of at least 19 points and 14 rebounds, indicating that the spry rim-runner could be a key player in the league for the next decade.
Kendall Marshall, PG, Los Angeles Lakers - Marshall's team isn't going anywhere, but he has emerged as a potential star point guard. In addition to two 17-assist games and a 16-assist game, Marshall is third in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage (46.5%) while making 1.8 three-pointers and averaging 10.3 points per game.