With every all-star event in sports, there are always debates around the final lineups and starters. There are snubbed players. Fans, coaches, and players usually feel that some players did not get the opportunity they deserve.
Then there are the boosted ones. Those players are the ones that get a huge confidence boost. They may be middle of the pack, often overlooked. Or on a bad team, and/or role players but they are given an opportunity that catches others by surprise.
The NBA All-Star Voting ended earlier this week and the final list of starters was announced Thursday. We have already talked plenty about Tacko Fall and Alex Caruso so let’s get into the starters.
There are the usual players that are of no surprise on the All-Star list: Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and James Harden.
Giannis and LeBron are once again top vote-getters and named captains as a result.
Other starters include Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Pascal Siakam, Kemba Walker, and Anthony Davis.
The NBA All-Star Boosted
Young and Siakam are not only playing in their first all-star game but are also stepping on the floor as starters. It was pretty touching to see the videos that came out showing both of them surprised and emotional by the news.
It looked like draft day all over again as we saw an emotional Trae Young hugging his mom in disbelief fighting back tears.
We also saw Siakam cheering, excited with his brother and Coach Nick Nurse as the news broke.
Arguments can be made that these two deserve to be boosted. They have been having above-average seasons for their teams. Young without a doubt is the engine behind the Hawks averaging roughly 29 points per game and nine assists. Although Atlanta is at the bottom of the East and Young’s defense is questionable at times, fans still recognize his offensive skill as a player. The numbers he puts up every night and the talent he has shown his first two years in the league are obvious. So seeing his name Thursday night shows it does not go unnoticed by voters.
Siakam has been a big reason the defending 2019 champions are still a top team in the East. Many people thought the Toronto Raptors were going to drop off without Kawhi Leonard. But Siakam has stepped right into the role of being the top player. He’s continued to show why he was voted the Most Improved Player and a big force behind the Raptors Championship last season.
Kemba Walker is another one. Although he was named a starter in 2019, a big reason around that could have been attributed to the games being in Charlotte. To get voted a starter for another year shows it was no fluke. Kemba has been having the best shooting season of his career, playing more aggressive and attacking the rim. And seems to be finding a way in Boston to be the guard they needed.
And then there are the snubbed.
The Snubbed
Ben Simmons. We all remember the excitement around the shot that shook the world. Ben Simmons shot a three in a preseason game versus the Nets. People thought this would be the year Simmons turned a corner, expanded his game to be a threat from the perimeter. Maybe then the Sixers would get over the hump to be a top team in the East. Despite all he does offensively; getting to the basket, assists, and his prowess on the floor, he was tied for sixth in the east in votes. It seems like for all he does, his lack of a jump shot and inability to take over games might outweigh his other skills. It seems the hype from preseason is gone.
Who can forget Russell Westbrook and Jimmy Butler? Starting with the former Sixer, he has had his third-lowest effective field goal percentage of his career. However, look at the standings. Butler has been a big part of why the Heat sit at number two in the East. (as of Friday, January 24) He is averaging nearly 20 points per game, 6.5 assists, and transitioned seamlessly into the Heat system. Butler makes a strong case for being a starter over someone like Trae Young. Even just for his ability to carry Miami with teammates such as Bam Adebayo, as the top team in the East.
As for Russell Westbrook, it simply comes down to numbers. He is without a doubt one of the top guards in the West. But not above Luka, LeBron, and James Harden right now. Snubbed yes, but it makes sense.
At the end of the day, with so many talented players and only five spots from each conference, the all-star starters are always difficult to pick. There are other guys including Paul George, and Kyle Lowry make a strong case to also be starters.
Now the next fun part of all this… we get to wait for the final list of reserves and the draft for #TeamLebron and #TeamGiannis!
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