OKLAHOMA CITY — Karl-Anthony Cities’ market bump within the All-Star voting didn’t go unnoticed by his teammate.
“KAT, you see the difference between New York and Minnesota?” Josh Hart stated Friday morning earlier than the Knicks’ 117-107 loss to the Thunder. “Difference of a million.”
Cities, who had 17 factors and 22 rebounds within the loss, acquired roughly 1.1 million votes within the first returns of the fan All-Star poll, the third-highest within the East behind simply Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum.
Final 12 months with the Timberwolves, Cities solely collected simply 139,642 votes within the first spherical of fan voting.
So it’s not fairly 1,000,000, however shut sufficient.
“Geographical differences,” Cities, a four-time All-Star however by no means a starter, answered Hart.
The opposite distinction is Cities’ statistics have skyrocketed this season with the Knicks, the place he entered Friday on tempo to common a career-high in rebounds (13.7), field-goal share (54.8 p.c), 3-point share (44 p.c) and hit his highest factors per recreation output (24.9) since pre-pandemic.
However as Cities enjoys a big-market leap, Jalen Brunson remained curiously underappreciated by the followers with simply 477,253 votes — good for seventh within the East and roughly half the whole for LaMelo Ball.
Fan voting ends Jan. 20.
Brunson completed ninth within the East final 12 months however was named a reserve. Assuming he doesn’t crack the top-2 in fan voting for the East backcourt, Brunson can nonetheless theoretically nab a beginning spot by profitable the votes from coaches and gamers (they account for 25 p.c apiece, whereas fan voting is 50 p.c).
Both manner, the Knicks, using a nine-game profitable streak heading into Friday’s marquee showdown in opposition to the Thunder, are anticipated to get two All-Stars.
No less than.
They’ve three different potential candidates within the beginning lineup however Josh Hart, who leads the staff in triple-doubles, scoffed at his candidacy.
“I can get an All-Star? Hell no,” he stated. “I feel like [coaches] appreciate what I do but like I said, my game is not glitz and glamour that breeds that kind of accolade. And I’m fine with that. I’m a servant to these guys [Brunson, Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby]. I want to make sure they’re good. I want them to get the accolades.”
Hart additionally has tropical plans for All-Star weekend, which is being held this 12 months in San Francisco.
“I want to have my toes touch some sand come February,” he stated, including that an All-Star nod would nonetheless “be superb for me and function gamers.
He has a vote from Cities.
“Josh Hart for All-Star,” the middle stated. “I want his weekend ruined.”
