Friday, Jan. 10, marks the third opportunity for NBA fans to have a significant voice in who gets into the 2020 All-Star game with double votes. Yes, that’s right, each vote counts for two for each player. For the Nuggets faithful, it’s a chance to pad Nikola Jokić’s current hold on fifth-place standing among Western Conference frontcourt players. As of Thursday, Jan. 9, Jokić had a slight edge over Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns, 559,881 to 545,385. Jokić is fighting to hold off Dallas Mavericks forward Kristaps Porziņģis (540,603) and Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony (520,021). The top 10 Western Conference vote-getters are listed below:
Double voting also helps other players who aren’t currently in the top 10 gain some traction. Here is the case for three Nuggets who have shined in January: Jokić The 24-year-old has re-entered the MVP conversation with a dominant start to 2020. The center dropped a career-high 47 points against the Hawks on Jan. 6 and is averaging 29.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists this month. He has been a nightmare for opposing defenses, shooting a sizzling 55.7 percent from the floor, including 45 percent from downtown. Will Barton III Where would the Nuggets be without Will Barton III this season? The 29-year-old’s reemergence has been critical for Denver and his effective all-around game has carried into January. Barton III is averaging 17.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 47.5 percent shooting. Jamal Murray Jokić’s recent heroics have overshadowed what has quietly been a solid month for Murray. The 22-year-old is averaging 22.8 points, 6.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds in January with his highest offensive rating of the season (129) during that stretch. Get your votes in now!