Under-The-Radar: Standouts from the Western conference that you did not see in the all-star game

A look at the unsung heroes around the league. Players who contribute significantly to their team’s success, but remain under the radar. These players could have been all-stars, should have been  all-stars, or will be all-stars in the near future. Here, they are recognized and honored for their overlooked, but excellent performances.

 

Ever since the days of post-illegal defense, balance has grown to become an important commodity for teams in today’s game. The game has grown to be more complex. Tactics are more advanced as well as scouting reports. Play has become more essential on both ends and is easier to quantify. No longer are elite scorers who dominate in isolation situations the only valuable commodity to a team’s success. The decoys are just as important.

 

Tactical advancements and the game’s evolution have made it easier to place a value on players. Analytics have become the new wave (Sorry, Charles Barkley). They help give a new look at what players do for their teams on the floor. Nowadays, role players are just as critical to a team’s integral success as the star players.

 

Now, while these standouts are not all-stars,that does not mean they are any less important. They deserve to be recognized because they are situational all-stars. They have served a deeply beneficial role to their respective teams this year and should be honored for it. Reason being, without them, their team would not be in as good of a position as they are now.

 

Notes:

*No All-Stars or All-Star replacements are listed

*Some players may be left out

*These players are listed due to their value to their respective team, not by overall skill or by their numbers

*Noted players are replacements

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