A few weeks ago we talked about players that are likely to make their first NBA All-Star appearnace this season. The top of that list included Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball, Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins.

Morant and Ball are still solid bets to suit up in February. Herro’s play has stayed consistent, but the Miami Heat hasn’t been nearlt as hot as of late – that could certainly affect his candidacy. Wiggins continues to play well for a 19-6 Warriors team, so he’s still a strong consideration.

We also talked about Anthony Edwards, Jarrett Allen, Montrezl Harrell, Miles Bridges, CJ McCollum, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as potential first-time all-stars. In the month since we published that list, a player that wasn’t even in our top ten has rocketed to the top of this list. If he and his team can keep it up, you can see the bet365 bonus code and wager he’ll be in Cleveland on February 20, 2022.

Well, this player will be in Cleveland no matter what because the player we’re referring to is Darius Garland, the leader and point guard for the surprising Cleveland Cavaliers. Why does Garland deserve serious all-star considerations?

Numbers: The 6-1 guard has come on strong as of late upping his season averages to 19.1 points per game, 7.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and shooting 47% from the field, almost 40% from three and nearly 90% from the line.

Record: Though Garland’s numbers are really good, they aren’t necessarily eye-popping stats. That’s where the Cleveland Cavs’ record comes into play. At 19-12, the Cavs are currently third in the Eastern Conference behind the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls and have a better overall record than the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers.

Homer:  Since the All-Star game will be in Cleveland this season, no doubt the voters and media will want to have a player (or two) representing the Cavs. Thankfully Garland’s play has made that an easy decision.

Cleveland no doubt has been the biggest surprise team this season and behind it is Garland running the show. An early season injury that put Colin Sexton on the sidelines for an indefinite amount of time saw the Cavs go 3-7 before righting the ship by winning ten of their next twelve games. More importantly for the Cavs, without his backcourt mate taking the majority of the shorts; it allowed Garland to assert his superior playmaking abilities and show off his offensive repertoire.

If Garland and Cleveland continue to perform, Darius will be sticking around Cleveland during the All-Star break as a well-deserved first-time NBA All-Star.