I can’t believe I’m even spending time on the NBA All-Star Game. It’s a pointless exhibition without any stakes, and the game itself seems to matter less and less every year.
Nonetheless, the selections themselves are worthy of some discussion. I mean, James Harden tanked Philadelphia’s season just last season after being an all-star snub. There are definitely a few head-scratching inclusions and omissions, so let’s get into all the picks.
Western Conference Starters
Luka Doncic: No issues with him being a starter. Doncic is the second in scoring per game behind Joel Embiid and has been at the peak of his powers this season. He’s third in assists too. A team with that kind of player shouldn’t be so low in the standings, but this is just the struggle of the Mavs’ inconsistent roster.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Absolutely no doubt that he should be a starter. SGA is the best player on the team with one of the league’s best records. A strong finish to the season could win him the MVP.
Kevin Durant: I don’t really have any issues. He’s still top-five in scoring, and when you compare him to other high-end wings in the West, Durant probably comes out on top.
LeBron James: Eh? He’s only a starter purely based on the fan vote. He should be an All-Star with a 25/8/8 line, but his team is 25-25 and hanging onto a play-in spot by a thread. The only issue is that I’m not sure who would replace him. Kawhi and Paul George have a case, but they’ve both sacrificed some personal stats for the overall good of their team. Still, it just feels wrong not to have a Clipper as a starter given how good they’ve been.
Nikola Jokic: No complaints here. Once Joel Embiid officially becomes disqualified from the MVP running, he’ll be the obvious favorite, which is even crazier given that he’s just coasting until he gets to the playoffs.
Western Conference Reserves
Devin Booker: Completely agree that he should be a selection. He’d likely have a stronger case for starter if he hadn’t missed as many games. He’d also be a surefire starter if being a sore loser was one of the criteria, because he’s the best at that.
Stephen Curry: It’s been a rough year for the Warriors, but it’s not Steph’s fault. He’s still a top-ten scorer in the league, which is impressive given the issues the team around him has had so far. Leaving him out would be downright wrong.
Anthony Davis: His numbers look good, but the question is whether a .500 team should really be rewarded with two All-Star slots. The Pelicans and Kings have better records and didn’t have any players picked. If it were me, I would’ve left Davis out for Sabonis or Fox.
Anthony Edwards: Can’t argue that the best player on a top-two team in the West shouldn’t be an All-Star. Simple as that.
Paul George: Some people may disagree, but I was happy to see PG on the All-Star roster. He’s stepped up big time this year by taking a slightly diminished role to allow space for James Harden, but he’s still been a top-25 scorer this year. His fantastic three-point and free-throw percentages clinch it for me.
Kawhi Leonard: Like PG, I think Kawhi should definitely be selected. He’s shown shades of 2019 Kawhi, and he’s the best player on one of the league’s best teams.
Karl-Anthony Towns: I’m completely out on this one. I’ve been impressed by his willingness to take a smaller role behind Anthony Edwards, but this is just absurd. Domantas Sabonis has been a better player this year. Plain and simple. Look at their numbers. Towns is averaging 22 PPG to Sabonis’s 20, but Sabonis is out-rebounding Towns 13-9, out-assisting Towns 8-3, AND has a better true shooting percentage. In what world should Towns be in over Sabonis? AND in what world should the Kings have ZERO picks while the Timberwolves, Lakers, and Clippers have two?
Eastern Conference Starters
Jayson Tatum: No objections from me. The best player on the league’s best team should be an All-Star starter every year. His numbers aren’t even as good as some others, but I don’t care.
Damian Lillard: I’m completely out on him as a starter. Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, and Jalen Brunson have all been better this year. Hell, Trae Young, who wasn’t even picked as an All-Star, has been more productive. Even worse, Lillard doesn’t play defense. To be frank, I want to get this man off my roster entirely.
Tyrese Haliburton: No issues here. Hali leads the league in assists and is still a top-25 scorer. He’s just so reliable and plays incredibly hard. He’s electric to watch, and I’m glad he was rewarded with a starting spot in the All-Star game. Plus, the game is in Indianapolis, so any Pacers All-Star should be a starter.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: Top-five in scoring and rebounding and one of the league’s most dominant players. Giannis should be a starter by default until he proves otherwise.
Joel Embiid: Unfortunately, I don’t think Embiid will be healthy enough to play in the game, but there’s no doubt he should be at least picked as a starter. Weirdly, I still can’t decide if this meniscus injury is 100% legit, or if Philly is trying to protect him for later in the season. If it is a bit, I’ll give them credit: They are VERY committed to it.
Eastern Conference Reserves
Jalen Brunson: I still can’t believe the Mavs let him go. Brunson has a legitimate case to be a starter. He’s just been fantastic, and he’s a deserving All-Star.
Tyrese Maxey: No issues with him as an All-Star reserve. He has a slight case to be a starter, but I think Brunson and Mitchell have slightly stronger cases ahead of him. That doesn’t take away from how good Maxey has been this year. A top-fifteen scorer and an incredibly complement to Embiid, Maxey has been fantastic.
Donovan Mitchell: Somehow, Cleveland has stayed in the running in the East despite some key injuries, and that’s mostly thanks to Mitchell’s heroics. He’s been a top-ten scorer this year, and we’re not even positive he wants to be there? Pretty impressive and very worthy of the selection.
Paolo Banchero: I could go either way on this one. I really like watching Paolo play, and a 23/7/5 average line is certainly worthy of consideration. However, Trae Young has been better. I know the Hawks have been bad, but it’s not like the Magic have set the world on fire either. I understand why he’s an All-Star, but it’s definitely debatable.
Jaylen Brown: Is it weird that I almost would’ve rather seen Derrick White as a second Boston pick than Jaylen Brown? I think White is more important to Boston’s success, and if we’re simply rewarding the Celtics for their record, I think White should’ve been here instead.
Julius Randle: I don’t really know what to think about this one. He’s averaging 24/9/5, but he hasn’t been super efficient on offense. His defensive effort leaves something to be desired as well. I know the numbers support his All-Star status, but I don’t think he has the impact on the Knicks that those numbers might reflect. He’s currently injured, so I’m hoping White, Young, or potentially even Scottie Barnes or Pascal Siakam get the nod to replace him.
Bam Adebayo: Uhhhhhh, ehhhhhh, I don’t know! The Heat should have an All-Star, and Adebayo would be the pick over Jimmy Butler. However, there are some forwards that might be more deserving. To a degree, there’s a penalty for having a sub-.500 record, but I would’ve liked to see Barnes here instead. Siakam is an option too. I’m not all that heated about Adebayo being here, but there may have been more deserving options.
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