Predicting All-Star statlines for two Utah Jazz players

NBA All-Star weekend is upon us, and the Utah Jazz will be well represented. They’ll have both Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert participating in the league’s annual midseason showcase.

In an ironic turn of events, the two allegedly feuding teammates will be on different sides of the floor. Mitchell will be a reserve on Team LeBron, while Gobert will be anchoring Team Durant’s defense.

In case you’re new to All-Star Weekend: defense is typically not a priority. Gobert provides more value than some of his All-Star teammates, but he’s unlikely to protect the rim with the same rigor or frequency that he does for the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

Typically, players in Gobert’s mold can expect to be picked last for the midseason dance. Kevin Durant chose to select him a spot ahead of James Harden. Let’s just say that it’s widely assumed that his reasoning had little to do with basketball.

On the other hand, both Mitchell and Gobert’s All-Star selections certainly did. Both men have earned the designation as much as anybody participating in the weekend’s big dance. None of which is to say that either is likely to leave a dominant imprint on it.

It’s hard to predict what might happen in an All-Star game. With so many talented players on the floor, it’s generally expected that everyone gets an opportunity. Hot hands will be rode. Players are more likely to hunt for highlights than stats.

After all, it’s the world’s best exhibition game. It’s completely meaningless, and it’s a lot of fun.

Here are our predictions for both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell’s stats.