The Cleveland Cavaliers were on the verge of having four All-Stars last season. NOW? They are only on track for one.
The first batch of fan votes have been released, and Donovan Mitchell is the only Cavalier who is close to being voted into the game. Mitchell ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference, while none of his teammates are in the top 20.
This would have shocked you in October. But given how this season has gone for Cleveland, that shouldn’t be all that surprising. Darius Garland has only recently started playing close to his standards, Evan Mobley has been quite disappointing and Jarrett Allen has no argument to be in the game this season.
Luka Doncic leads all players with more than 1.2 million votes, while Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the Eastern Conference. Tyrese Maxey has skyrocketed to second in the East, with Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham behind him.
Jaylen Brown, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Johnson round out the top 10 in the Eastern Conference.
It’s possible Cleveland could still find additional representation. Not through fan voting, but as reserves. Mobley has the best chance, if not the only one, of joining Mitchell. A strong January, combined with the Cavs’ turnaround this season, would give him a strong case for success. Sure, that seems like wishful thinking at this point, but it’s not impossible.
Last season was special. We all knew it then. Everything that could work in Cleveland’s favor did during the regular season. This year? We have the impression that it is the opposite. When it rains, it rains. And right now, it’s been a storm since the end of November.
The season is far from over, however. We’ve seen how quickly things can change in this league. We will remain hopeful even if this first series of votes was disappointing.
