Getty Lakers star Anthony Davis.
It was no surprise to see Los Angeles Lakers stars Anthony Davis and LeBron James sitting near the top of the list of All-Star vote-getters when the first returns were released this week.
But to see Lakers bench players Alex Caruso and Dwight Howard within the top 10 at their positions was a shocker.
Davis talked about the stunning All-Star votes with Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll.
“(That’s) the power of the Lakers’ fans. They’re very passionate about their players,” Davis said. “To see Dwight in there, AC in there, obviously LeBron, myself, it’s good for all of us. Just as a team to see the success that we’ve been having, for our players to get the fruits of their labors (rewarded) and get some votes from our fans.”
First returns on 2020 #NBA All-Star Game votes ⤵️👀
Frontcourt:
1. LeBron James (1,020,851)
2. Anthony Davis (955,246)
10. Dwight Howard (69,785)
Backcourt:
8. Alex Caruso (92,233)
Caruso — who is averaging 19.5 minutes and 5.4 points per game — broke into the top 10, finding himself sandwiched between Utah’s Donovan Mitchell and Phoenix sharpshooter Devin Booker.
Caruso has garnered a whopping 92,233 votes, putting him eighth on the list. Dallas guard Luca Doncic leads the way with 1,073,957.
Howard also found himself in the mix among frontcourt vote-getters. He is currently 10th, just behind former Laker and Pelicans star Brandon Ingram.
Anthony Davis Wants Lakers Entire Team in All-Star Game
GettyLakers guard Alex Caruso.
James and Davis are No. 1 and 2 among frontcourt votes in the Western Conference, respectively. Only Doncic and defending MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo have more votes.
Your vote counts DOUBLE today, so Show double the love to AD3.
Vote: t.co/gpORD7oiOb
The Lakers improved to 28-7 with a win against the Pelicans on Friday night, stretching their lead as the top seed in the Western Conference. With the team having such wild success, Davis wants to see the fans step it up yet another notch when it comes to voting.
“I’m happy for them and hopefully both of those two guys can make the team,” Davis said, referring to Howard and Caruso. “Come on Laker Nation, let’s get the whole team in there.”
Frank Vogel: All of Our Players Are Deserving
GettyLakers center Dwight Howard.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel was asked as well about the Lakers All-Star frenzy as well and echoed Davis.
“All of our players are deserving of All-Star votes,” Vogel told Silver Screen and Roll “Both those guys have had a great start to our season. Dwight was coming in on a non-guaranteed contract and just looking to fill a role, and he’s exceeded that greatly. … Alex is an outstanding two-way player that’s really contributed to our success early on this season.”
Despite the love from the fans, it’s unlikely that Caruso and Howard would make the final cut. Here’s how the NBA describes the All-Star selection process, which also includes input from players and media.
Fans account for 50 percent of the vote to determine the starters, while players and media account for 25 percent each. Once votes are tallied, players are ranked in each conference by position (guard and frontcourt) within each of the three voting groups. Each player’s score is calculated by averaging his weighted rank from the fans, players and media. The two guards and three frontcourt players with the best score in each conference are named starters. Fan votes serve as the tiebreaker for players in a position group with the same score.
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Anthony Davis Lauds ‘Power’ of Lakers Fans After Surprise