Every year there are noticeable snubs who get left out of the NBA All-Star game. Only 12 players from each conference can make the team and the competition in the Eastern conference this year is stiff. Charlotte has two All-Star caliber players in Lamelo Ball and Miles Bridges who could be selected Thursday. The Hornets are currently 7th in the East with a 28-23 record in large part due to the improvement of Ball and Bridges. Will these two be rewarded for leading the Hornets to a good record up to this point in the season? Let’s look at the All-Star starters and predict how the rest of the team will be formed.
East Starters:
Trae Young– 27.7 ppg, 9.3 apg, 4 rpg
DeMar DeRozan– 26.4 ppg, 5 apg, 5 rpg
Kevin Durant– 29.3 ppg 7.4 rpg, 5.8 apg (Durant will miss the All-Star Game so his spot is up for grabs)
Giannis Antetokounmpo– 28.8 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 5.8 apg
Joel Embiid– 29.1 ppg, 10.8 ppg, 4.4 apg
No surprises here. The Hawks are under .500, but it isn’t because of Trae Young. His play has been outstanding this year and no point guard in the East has the numbers Ice Trae has. The addition of DeMar DeRozan has led Chicago to the best record in the East, as of today. Kevin Durant is Kevin Durant – enough said. Giannis is having another MVP caliber season. Joel Embiid is my MVP up to this point in the season. The Sixers are half a game out of first place in the East and they’ve had to deal with the Ben Simmons drama since the beginning of training camp.
Contenders for the Reserve Spots:
Zach Lavine, Darius Garland, James Harden, Jarrett Allen, Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Kris Middleton, Fred VanVleet, LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges
Who Will be Locks as Reserves?
Zach Lavine is a lock to a reserve. The Bulls have the best record in the East and Lavine is putting up 25 points per game and 5 rebounds per game.
Darius Garland is also a lock. For one the all-star game is in Cleveland, and two the Cavs are only a game back from the top seed in the East and are currently in 4th place. Nobody had Cleveland as a top-four seed coming into the season and many thought they would fall off with the injuries they’ve had. Garland is averaging 19.8 points per game, 8.2 assists per game and nearly 4 rebounds per game.
Jason Tatum is a lock, averaging 26 points per game a 8.5 rebounds a game.
James Harden hasn’t looked like himself at times, but his numbers are undeniable. Harden is averaging 23 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds a game. I would be stunned if he wasn’t a reserve.
With Durant missing the All-Star game an extra spot is open. Currently I have eights locks and only four spots left. This is where things get difficult, but here are my picks for the last four All-Star spots in the East.
Jarrett Allen (Cleveland Cavaliers) – 16 points per game, 10.8 rebounds per game
Jarrett Allen has been the defensive anchor and interior presence for the surprise team in the NBA and I believe he will be rewarded with his first All-Star bid.
Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat) – 22 points per game, 6 rebounds per game, 6 assists per game
The Miami Heat have the best record in the Eastern Conference and I believe Butler will get the nod for Miami over Tyler Herro.
LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets) – 19.5 points per game, 7.2 rebounds per game, 7.7 assists per game
LaMelo has been the face of the Hornets’ resurgence in the NBA, and he is a triple double threat almost every night he steps up on the floor. Even when he isn’t playing his best he still fills up the stat sheet.
Fred VanVleet (Toronto Raptors) – 21.5 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 7.1 assists per game
This last pick was painful, but I believe Fred VanVleet will make the last spot over Miles Bridges. VanVleet has led the Raptors to a 25-23 record; impressive considering the Raptors were picked to be near the bottom of the East. I think the coaches who vote on the reserves will reward VanVleet for having the Raptors currently 8th in the East.
Every year someone who is deserving doesn’t make the team, and unfortunately I believe that Miles will just miss the cut Thursday.
Bonus Western Conference All Star Predictions:
Starters– Steph Curry, Ja Morant, Andrew Wiggins, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic
Reserves– Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Luka Doncic, Donavan Mitchell, Karl Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green
Just Miss the Cut: Dejonte Murray, Anthony Edwards, Jaren Jackson
The All-Star reserves will be announced on Thursday at 7:00 P.M. ET on TNT.
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