Celtics' Thomas is one step closer to making his first All-Star game
The NBA's All-Star starters were announced on Thursday night, and in a somewhat surprising turn of events, Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry slithered past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving for a spot in the starting lineup.
How does this impact Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas? Well, if Irving was voted in by the fans, Lowry would've literally been the first player selected as a reserve by the East's coaches.
That's one less opportunity for Thomas.
Irving, on the other hand, hasn't even played half the season, and doesn't "deserve" a spot. It's highly probable that the coaches agree, increasing Thomas' chance of getting selected.
Got it? Great. Here's CBS Boston with more:
Ultimately, the decision for coaches will likely come down to choosing from the Thomas, Jackson, and Walker contingent, since Butler, DeRozan and Wall have more impressive all-around numbers than that trio. The waiting game will come to an end on January 28 when reserves are announced, but Thomas still has a couple more opportunities to strengthen his case this weekend in matchups against the Bulls and Sixers.
Thomas isn't a lock to make it, but his numbers are beyond reproach. He's by far the best offensive player the Celtics have, and there's all but no way they'd come close to making the playoffs without him.
He needs to get in.
