After the Sacramento Kings' quality win on Wednesday night against the Boston Celtics, point guard De'Aaron Fox questioned why the NBA wants to have an All-Star Game during a pandemic.

Fox didn't hold back:

While Fox makes a good point, the rising star deserves to play in his first All-Star Game based on the way he has performed so far this season.

Fox has been one of the best point guards in the NBA, especially proving it in recent performances as the Kings have found a groove. Sacramento has won five of six games after a recent four-game losing streak, with Fox going for 26.0 points and 8.3 assists per game over this span.

After his 26-point effort against the Celtics, Fox is now averaging a career high in points per game (22.3). The Kings' hot streak has them at 10-11 for the season, which is 11th in the Western Conference and right outside the play-in picture.

What has helped Fox hit that career high is his increased confidence in his 3-point stroke. The fourth-year point guard is taking more 3-pointers than ever, with a jump in attempts coming in each of his four seasons in the NBA. The youngster is now up to 5.0 3-point attempts per game after he took just 2.1 per contest as a rookie.

Fox is hitting those triples at a solid 35.2% rate, which is a sizable jump over the 29.2% mark from last season. This has helped boost his true shooting percentage to a career-high 56.6%, ranking him just outside the top 10 among active point guards.

That increased scoring efficiency, combined with Fox's lightning-quick first step and ability to finish around the rim, has helped him become one of the most fun point guards to watch in the NBA.

In his first two games of February (a nine-point win against the Pelicans and a five-point win against the Celtics), Fox posted 64 points and 23 assists on 56.1% shooting from the field and a perfect 13-of-13 on free throws.

What truly helps De'Aaron Fox's All-Star case is his ability to get buckets in the fourth quarter.

Fox made Kings history in Monday's win against the Pelicans, as StatMuse laid out after a 38-point, 12-assist performance on 58.3 percent shooting from the field:

A huge chunk of those points came in the fourth quarter, elevating the Kings to a win with some sensational finishes around the rim late in the game:

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Photo: De'Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis in action in Kings jerseys, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum in Pelicans jerseys in background

Ben Cooper ·

Pelicans Herb Jones face-to-face with De'Aaron Fox. Jose Alvarado to the side saying "That's a title fight!"

Chris Dodson ·

Pelicans Larry Nance Jr. telling Brandon Ingram "confident, not cocky" with the NBA Play-In Tournament logo included.

Chris Dodson ·

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGhbzUR_-LA&feature=emb_title

De'Aaron Fox replicated that dominant fourth-quarter performance on Wednesday night. Even though the Celtics led by double digits midway through the third quarter, Fox put up 14 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to help the Kings to the home victory.

Fox is tied for third in the NBA with 54 points in the clutch this season, with Sacramento going 7-4 in those situations. The Kings guard is making a habit of taking over when it matters.

Sacramento is far from winning a playoff series with its current roster, but since this franchise hasn't been in the playoffs since the Bush administration, Kings fans have to be excited to see their team even sniff a spot in the postseason. Sacramento has the longest playoff drought in the NBA right now, and while that drought may continue thanks to a tough Western Conference, the rise of Fox at least gives Kings fans hopes for the future. Rookie Tyrese Haliburton also looks like an excellent backcourt mate for Fox.

If De'Aaron Fox can continue to efficiently make shots from deep, dominate in the fourth quarter, and keep the Kings' postseason dreams alive, he not only deserves an invite to the 2021 All-Star Game but gives Kings fans a sense of excitement and hope they haven't felt in a long time.