Charlotte's backcourt battles for one All-Star spot
The Charlotte Hornets might have the NBA's most underrated duo. Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum are both having career years, and you can make a case for either to punch his first ticket to All-Star Weekend.
But only one (or neither) gets to go. Who should it be? Here's SB Nation's At the Hive with a closer look:
Most of Batum's per game numbers took a dive over Charlotte's past 10 games, right as Walker's began to rise.
But Batum still holds more value as a versatile playmaker who can go to the post, shoot threes and defend three or four positions.
It's an interesting call, and both players are more than deserving.
They're both remarkably similar, statistically speaking. My initial reaction was to go with Batum, almost entirely because of how well he started the season and the contagious hockey assist mentality he brought to the team. In case you’ve forgotten, turn on a random game from last year, watch each offensive possession closely, and time how long it takes for you to place your head in or on the nearest less-than-safe household appliance. The big difference for Kemba this year has been his improved shooting percentage. Since Al went down the man has been on a tear, averaging more than 21 points per game over the last 10 games at better than 45 percent from the field, while Batum has been hampered by both illness and injury. There’ve also been plenty of games where Kemba has single-handedly carried the team on the offensive end, like Kobe’s final game in Charlotte, when he put down a cool 38.
