Kyle Korver will replace Dwyane Wade at All-Star Game
It looks like the Atlanta Hawks will have four All-Stars after all.
Hawks shooting guard Kyle Korver will join his teammates in New York City for All-Star Weekend as Dwyane Wade's injury replacement, the league announced on Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, it was announced that Wade would miss the All-Star Game due to a hamstring injury. The decision was made by commissioner Adam Silver.
The Hawks will also be represented by point guard Jeff Teague, power forward Paul Millsap and center Al Horford.
On the surface, Korver's selection seems unlikely. Korver is averaging just 12.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. While those figures are nice, it pales in comparison to most All-Stars.
However, it should be noted that Korver is leading the league in both 3-point percentage (52.8 percent) and 3-pointers made (160). He also pushes the Hawks from decent to elite, as the Hawks are 14.6 points better per 100 possessions with Korver on the court, per 82games.
Kyle Korver earns an All-Star bid in the midst of perhaps the greatest Spot Up 3-point shooting season of all time. pic.twitter.com/wt6PTRhPXl
— Synergy Sports Tech (@SynergySST) February 11, 2015
There's also the Hawks' improbable success to be accounted for. The Hawks lead the league in wins with 43 and rank second to only the Golden State Warriors (whom the Hawks defeated last week) in win percentage.
There is a case to be made for a few snubs, notably Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Knight. The box-score averages favor Knight, as he's posting 17.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists per contest. Knight has also overseen a resurgent Bucks squad that holds the sixth seed in the East.