For the New York Knicks, it must feel like 2011 all over again: Derrick Rose is considered All-Star material while RJ Barrett, Jalen Brunson, and Julius Randle are nowhere to be found.
That's how the first round of NBA All-Star voting has shaken out for the Knicks, who had only one representative in the first public returns. With the NBA unveiling the top ten vote-earners in each conference's position group, Rose was the only Manhattanite among the 40, placing ninth among Eastern Conference guards (220,229 votes).
Barring ballot box stuffing by Chicago Bulls fans ... who warmly welcomed the 2011 MVP back to United Center during the Knicks' visits in December ... or fans trying to give the 34-year-old one last All-Star appearance before retiring (which he has made no indication is imminent), it's hard to pinpoint a concrete reason for Rose's apparent popularity. He has been in and out of the Knicks' reserve rotation all season due to medical and coaching decisions and is averaging 5.8 points and 1.8 assists over 12.9 minutes a game. All of those would be career-lows if not for a nine-game stint in Minnesota in 2018.
Despite his rollercoaster season and rumors of a trade lingering over him, Rose has handled the situation with class, insisting he has no issue with the way the lineup has worked out and appreciating his newfound role as a mentor.
New York City does have a prominent role in the first returns, albeit from the Brooklyn side: Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving respectively lead the East's frontcourt and guard categories, their statuses no doubt boosted by the Nets' recent 12-game winning streak, good for the longest in the NBA this season. At over three million votes, Durant is the East's leading candidate and second overall behind LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers. James leads the Western Conference's frontcourt votes while Golden State's Stephen Curry is on top of guards.
While Barrett dealt with a slow start and an ongoing medical absence due to a finger laceration, it's surprising to see Brunson and Randle miss out on early votes entirely. Brunson has lived up to one of the offseason's most talked-about contracts, a four-year, $104 million deal, to the tune of 20.8 points and 6.5 assists per game (the latter good for 15th in the Association). Randle, on the other hand, has been a dominant force for the Knicks over the last month: since Dec. 4, Randle has averaged 28.4 points and 12.2 rebounds a game and the Knicks have gone 11-5 in that span, tied for fourth-best in the NBA. He's looking for his second All-Star nomination after previously repping the Knicks in 2021.
Knicks fans have a chance to do their part on Friday before their squad faces the Toronto Raptors on the road (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG): Friday voting is a "3-for-1" day, where ballots count triple. Fan votes consist of 50 percent of the lineup determination for the game (NBA players and a media panel equally make up the latter half) and can be performed at the NBA's official site.
The 2023 NBA All-Star Game will be held on Feb. 19 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, thhe home of the Utah Jazz.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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Knicks Disappoint In First NBA All-Star Voting Returns - How Can Fans Help? - Sports Illustrated
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