Julius Randle is making a strong case for his second All-Star appearance in the last three seasons. Here’s how Randle stacks up against his Eastern Conference competition for three frontcourt reserve spots:
Joel Embiid, 76ers center: One from among Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum had to be a reserve, and Embiid got the short straw. But the MVP contender is averaging a career-high 33.4 points per game to go with 9.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.7 blocks.
Julius Randle, Knicks forward: After a disappointing 2021-22 season, Randle has gotten back to form by averaging 24.8 points, 10.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. He has shot 46.1 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Bam Adebayo, Heat center: An All-Star in 2019-20, Adebayo is turning in a career season with 21.6 points (on 54 percent shooting from the field), 10.2 rebounds, three assists and 1.1 steals per game.
Pascal Siakam, Raptors center/forward: Another big man who is putting up the best stats of his career, albeit for a sub-.500 team, Siakam is averaging 25.2 points (on 47.7 percent shooting), 8.3 rebounds and 6.5 assists in an NBA-high 37.6 minutes per game. That includes a 52-point effort against the Knicks.
Jimmy Butler, Heat forward: The six-time All-Star continues to produce at the age of 33, averaging 21.6 points (on 51.6 percent shooting), 6.1 rebounds, five assists and 2.1 steals per game.