LeBron James will captain the Western Conference in his seventeenth consecutive All-Star game as they take on Kevin Durant and the Eastern Conference early next month.
The Los Angeles Lakers power forward’s selection breaks the record for most starts in the annual exhibition match after being voted onto the team by fans, players and members of the media.
The skipper of the East, Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets, will be making All-Star appearance number 12 in Atlanta.
The captains will select their rosters, made up of this season’s best players of the East and the West on the 4th of March.
Despite some controversy about staging the exhibition game, NBA commissioner Adam Silver defended its taking placed; “For us, All-Stars is part of the league, no different than the games we played.
“It begins and ends with the fans.”
Joining James in the starting frontcourt of the West will be Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers, while the backcourt will be filled by Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks.
On the East, NBA scoring leader Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards and Durant’s Nets teammate Kyrie Irving will be the starting guards, while Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers will fill out the frontcourt.
Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz and Doc Rivers of the Philadelphia 76ers will coach their conferences after stellar seasons that have seen their sides top the West and the Easts respectively.
With so many fantastic talents stepping onto the court as starters on 7th, March, who has been considered by fans, players and the media as the best of best?
The West
Captain and Forward: LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)
‘The King’ has time and time again proven that age simply does not factor into how well he can play the game of basketball.
The power forward’s 17 All-Star selections are the third-most in NBA history, only trailing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kobe Bryant.
James comfortably led the fan voting by over 1.5 million votes after impressive performances that have seen him exhibit a 25.9 scoring average with a field goal percentage of 50.8.
The 36-year-old has also improved upon his career average of assists and rebounds while leading the Los Angeles Lakers to second place in the Western Conference, trailing only the Utah Jazz.
Guard: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
There were many fears at the start of the season that Steph Curry may have lost his touch after a lengthy period on the side lines, but the point guard has proven that ring rust has not taken a hold on him.
Curry has been matching his scoring exploits of his 2016 season, where he became the first player in NBA history to win the MVP award by a unanimous vote.
This is Steph’s seventh All-Star selection in eight seasons, only missing out last year due to his aforementioned injury.
While the Golden State Warriors only sit seventh in the West, it has not been due to a lack of effort or form from Curry, who has been having a career-season.
Do not be surprised to see him in the MVP conversation in June.
Guard: Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
A talking point following the announcement was the emission of Damian Lillard as a starting guard.
The Portland Trail Blazers point guard has been on fire this year, with an impressive scoring average of 29.8 that tied him with Doncic for the starting spot.
With players and the media tied, it was the fan vote that split the two, with spectators favouring Doncic.
For the second consecutive year the Slovenian will don a starting jersey after posting numerous triple-doubles and career-high statistics in scoring, field goal percentage and assists.
While Lillard’s absence may be the talking point, it is undeniable that Doncic is deserving of his spot on the starting court.
The Mavericks may not have had a fantastic season thus far, the 21-year-old is not to blame as the numbers speak for themselves.
Forward: Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers)
Similarly to LeBron, all of Kawhi’s All-Star selections have been as a starting player, and it is only fitting that he takes his place in the frontcourt after his wonderful exploits this season.
The two-time NBA champion is posting a scoring average that only trails his record from last year, while exceeding either of his title winning seasons.
‘The Klaw’ has also continued to show a marked improvement in his playmaking game, registering a career-high average in assists.
The 29-year-old’s Los Angeles Clippers have been reaping the benefits from his hot form, sitting third in the West and firmly in play-off contention.
Centre: Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
‘The Joker’ picks up his third All-Star selection, and becomes the first Denver Nugget to start in the game since Carmelo Anthony in 2011.
Jokic has been having the season of his life, with a scoring average over seven points higher than his next closest season, while also registering a high in both rebounds and assists.
The Serb has also been able to obtain an average of a double-double, and has clearly made an impression on fans, trailing only his Western Conference captain, LeBron James, in fan votes.
The Nuggets may sit only eighth in the conference, but Jokic has been a shining light for the Mile High city.
The East
Captain and Forward: Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)
Similarly to Steph Curry, the team captain has blown any fears of ring-rust well and truly out of the water thanks to an immense debut season for the Brooklyn Nets that has earned him his eleventh All-Star selection.
In a career renowned for an incredible ability to get points on the board, Kevin Durant has posted his third-highest scoring average, alongside a field goal percentage that only trails the record-breaking regular season of the Golden State Warriors in 2016, which he was imperative to.
The impact of KD alongside Kyrie Irving and James Harden on the Nets has been transformative, with the team now appearing to be a dangerous threat and one of the favourites to win the NBA championship in June.
The Nets currently sit second in the East, but as on-court chemistry continues to develop amongst ‘The Big Three’, I would not be surprised to see them top the conference by the end of the regular season.
Guard: Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets)
Despite gathering some criticism and remaining as polarising as ever, Kyrie Irving has earned his starting spot in the All-Star game.
With his seventh selection, Irving has now been voted to start the game with three different franchises, similarly to his teammate and captain, Kevin Durant.
In terms of scoring, ‘Uncle Drew’ has had the season of his life, with a career-high average of 27.7 alongside a field goal percentage of 52.9.
Despite some doubts ‘The Big Three’ have proven to be incredibly profitable for the Brooklyn Nets, and by June, we could be seeing Kyrie Irving’s hands wrapped around the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Guard: Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards)
Bradley Beal makes his first start with his third selection for the All-Star game after an absolutely enthralling season that has seen him top the NBA scoring charts.
Many did not foresee such a year for Beal, with the Washington Wizards trading in John Wall for the potentially altitude-changing Russell Westbrook.
It’s not been just his scoring that the shooting guard has been impressive in either, he has also set a career-high in rebounds.
The Wizards may have had an incredibly poor season in spite of the performances of Beal and Westbrook, but the 27-year-old has been a light in the darkness for the nation’s capital.
Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
The two-time MVP takes his place as an All-Star starter for the fifth consecutive year, thanks to a quieter, yet still impressive season by his standards.
‘The Greek Freak’ has averaged a double-double, with a scoring average that only falls short of his unbelievable regular season record last year.
Giannis has also posted a commanding field goal percentage of 55.6; the second-best of his career.
Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks have had a stellar season, currently sitting third in the East, with the play-offs firmly in their sights.
Centre: Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
The Cameroonian has completely come into his own this year, undeniably earning his fourth All-Star start.
Embiid’s scoring average, particularly in recent weeks, has been nothing short of extraordinary, setting a career-high 29.7.
While the centre’s rebound numbers may have suffered slightly, he still averages a double-double and has been crucial in the success of Philadelphia 76ers this year.
Doc Rivers’ side leads the Eastern Conference, and Embiid has indisputably been the catalyst in their winning exploits.
