2021 ALL-NBA Team Predictions

Over halfway through the season, there have been great individual performances by players. I will be making my predictions on the All-NBA teams this season. 

First Team All-NBA Team 

Damian Lillard - Lillard right now is averaging 29 points and seven assists while leading the Trailblazers to the sixth seed in the Western Conference, and every week it seems like he is hitting a clutch shot.

James Harden - Harden has been virtually unstoppable for the Nets since being traded from Houston, averaging 25 points while leading the league in assists and still grabbing almost nine rebounds per game. He is probably the biggest reason the Nets have played so well in Kevin Durant’s absence.

Kawhi Leonard - Leonard has been balling this year, averaging 26 points, five assists and six rebounds per game while shooting 51% from the field and 39% from the three-point line. His play, combined with Paul George’s has the Clippers in a good spot to claim the second seed in the West.

Giannis Antetokounmpo - The reigning back-to-back MVP once again has the Bucks in a position to claim a top seed in the Eastern Conference. He is averaging 29 points, six assists and 11 rebounds per game while still playing elite defense. For the third straight year, Giannis will be on the All-NBA and All-Defensive first teams. 

Nikola Jokic  - Jokic has been the catalyst for the fifth-ranked Denver Nuggets. He is averaging 26 points, 11 rebounds and almost nine assists per game, which is incredible for a center. The Nuggets have been climbing up the Western Conference the past few weeks and that has been because of their MVP candidate. 

Second Team All-NBA Team 

Stephen Curry - The two-time MVP has been having an incredible individual season. He is averaging just under 30 points per game, along with six assists and five assists per game, while shooting almost 50/40/90. He has been the only consistent offensive threat for the Warriors, but that has not stopped him from lighting up the scoreboards.

Luka Dončić - Luka has again managed to put up monster numbers for the Dallas Mavericks. He is averaging 28 points, eight assists and eight rebounds. His three-point percentage has taken a huge leap as he is now hitting 37% of his three-pointers and again leading the Mavericks to the playoffs.  

Paul George - George has been having a bounce-back season after an infamously down season in 2020. He has been on fire from behind the three-point line this season, hitting 44% of his shots from beyond the arc while also averaging 23 points, six rebounds and five assists per game, while still playing great defense. He and Kawhi have the Clippers positioned as contenders once again. 

LeBron James - In year 18, James is once again having a superb season. Before he got injured, he was averaging 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers. Once again LeBron is proving that he is still one of the top five players in the NBA. When he and Anthony Davis come back from injury, the Lakers are one of the favorites to win the title after being crowned champions last season.

Joel Embiid - Embiid has been dominant for the Sixers when he has played. He is averaging 29 points and 11 rebounds. His play has the Sixers in a position to claim the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. Injuries may cost him the MVP, but his season has still been dominant. 

Third Team All-NBA Team

Kyrie Irving - Arguably the most skilled scorer in the game today, Irving has been destroying opposing defenses. Even with the addition of Harden, Irving still has not let up with his play. He is averaging a career-high 28 points per game, five rebounds and six assists on a career-high 51% from the field. When all three members of the Nets’ big three get back on the court together, the Nets are the favorites to make it out of the Eastern Conference.

Devin Booker - Booker will finally get his first taste of playoff basketball at the end of this season after the addition of Chris Paul has boosted the Suns to a top team in the NBA. Booker does not have to focus as much on getting his teammates involved and can do what he does best, which is scoring. He is averaging 26 points per game, while also shooting a career-high in field goal percentage.   

Jayson Tatum - While the Celtics have underachieved this season, Tatum has been having a great individual season. He is averaging a career-high 25 points a game while shooting a career-high from the free-throw line. He also has upped his assist numbers, improving on his overall playmaking as well.

Zion Williamson - Zion has looked like a bully out there on the floor this year. Teams cannot stop him in the paint at all. He is shooting 61% from the field this year and has the most games of 30+ points on 60% efficiency before the age of 21. Zion looks as though he is in great shape right now and nobody has the answer on how to stop him so far. 

Rudy Gobert - The two-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner is arguably the biggest reason that the Jazz have the best record in the NBA right now. He is averaging almost three blocks per game this year, but even that does not tell the story of the impact he has on the Jazz’s defense. Outside of protecting the rim, he is still averaging almost 15 points per game and grabbing 13 rebounds a game. Contributions on both ends of the courts have made the Jazz a serious threat to come out the West.