Clippers' Blake Griffin, Chris Paul not on track to start in All-Star Game
For the first time in the Chris Paul era, the Los Angeles Clippers might not have a player selected as a Western Conference All-Star starter.
Since Paul joined the franchise before the 2011-12 season, either Paul or Blake Griffin has started (or both in 2012 and 2013) in the All-Star Game each season. But the second All-Star voting returns released by the NBA on Thursday show Griffin and Paul on the outside looking in for a spot in the starting lineup.
Griffin was third in frontcourt voting behind Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant after the first returns, which makes sense. It's Bryant's final All-Star Game before he retires, and he's owning the voting by a landslide. Durant is better -- and arguably more popular -- than Griffin.
But now, Griffin (298,212 votes) has been overtaken by Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (332,223 votes) and San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (330,929) for the third and final starting spot. Bryant (1,262,118) and Durant (616,096) are way ahead and have essentially locked up spots as the other two starters.
Griffin's drop-off comes at the worst possible time. He's sat out the past six games because of a torn left quadriceps tendon, in which the Clippers have gone 6-0 without their leading scorer and arguable best player.
Meanwhile, Green has been putting up triple-doubles left and right, and Leonard has the Spurs on a historic pace right behind the Warriors. Voting ends on Jan. 18, less than two weeks from now, and it might a tall order for Griffin to make up the current deficit, even though it's not that sizable (he's only trailing Green by 34,011 votes).
Paul was third in the first returns as well, but the backcourt only gets two spots, so he's the odd man out in this case. Stephen Curry (925,789) and Russell Westbrook (479,512) are far ahead of Paul's 268,672 votes, and even Klay Thompson (267,602) or James Harden (249,877) could surpass him by Jan. 18.
The 2016 All-Star Game is on Feb. 14 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
(h/t Los Angeles Times)
