2023 All-NBA & Bracket

*Creating all-star and all-NBA teams is a great mental exercise for me.
*They're based on (in this order): scoring production and talent (see comments), creating shots for others, rebounding and defense, team success
*I think at least 50 games played is a reasonable requirement
*The NBA is very inconsistent with their positions. It made 0 sense for Jaylen Brown and DeRozan to be listed as guards on the all-star ballot. And why Luka and LeBron (for example) don't share the same position is still confusing. So I don't feel guilty for putting Shai and Luka as forwards even though they're "guards". Imo anyone who's at least 6'6 can be considered a frontcourt player.

1st Team All-NBA G: Mitchell (Cavs) G: Morant (Grizzlies) F: Tatum (Celtics) F: Antetokounmpo (Bucks) C: Embiid (Sixers) (My MVP) 2nd G: Brunson (Knicks) G: Fox (Kings) F: Brown (Celtics) F: James (Lakers) C: Jokic (Nuggets) 3rd G: Curry (Warriors) G: Lillard (Blazers) F: Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) F: Doncic (Mavs) C: Davis (Lakers)

West Predictions
(1) Nuggets beat (8) Wolves
(4) Suns beat (5) Clippers
(6) Warriors beat (3) Kings
(7) Lakers beat (2) Grizzlies

(4) Suns beat (1) Nuggets
(7) Lakers beat (6) Warriors

(4) Suns beat (7) Lakers
East
(1) Bucks beat (8) Heat
(4) Cavs beat (5) Knicks
(3) Sixers beat (6) Nets
(2) Celtics beat (7) Hawks

(1) Bucks beat (4) Cavs
(2) Celtics beat (3) Sixers

(1) Bucks beat (2) Celtics

Finals
(1) Bucks beat (4) Suns

Comments
The most important skill in basketball by far is being able to score in isolation (off the dribble, posting up, or the face up jumper) at an all-star level. (To a bit of a lesser extent, taking advantage of mismatches by scoring in drop coverage in the pick n' roll is also a valuable shot creation tool). There are other important skills but this is the only one that if a player has, can make a team with a relatively weak supporting cast much better than it actually is (a perfect example: '01 Iverson). If a player doesn't have this skill, they simply aren't an all-star caliber hooper (someone like Klay in his prime, an efficient 20 points and great 3 point shooting, is the rare exception).

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You likely wont agree with everything and that's ok because nobody agrees with every opinion, regardless of the subject. Just know that I tried my best to be objective as possible.

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