In the aftermath of the starter reveal, who stacks up to make the reserves?
It’s only been 13 days since my first installment of all-star predictions, but last night the first ten all-stars were revealed on TNT. The starters, even though the new format would suggest fifteen starters instead, included our very own Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson, marking the first pair of Knicks All-Star starters since 1975 (Earl Monroe, Clyde Frazier).
The pair are the first Knicks starters since Melo in 2016, and this also marks the first time since 1969-75 that the Knicks have had two all-stars in back-to-back seasons.
I’ll still include the already-determined starters in my predictions for the full roster of All-Star players, but keep it brief with them.
Eastern Conference Starters
Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
G: Jalen Brunson (NYK, 2nd selection)
Stats: 26.0 PPG, 7.3 APG, 3.0 RPG, 48.6 FG%, 39.1 3pt%
I was very pessimistic leading into the reveal, but the players and media buried LaMelo and propped up the Knicks’ captain, who will start alongside Towns (or will he? Who knows with this format) in the Bay Area this February.
G: Donovan Mitchell (CLE, 6th)
Stats: 23.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.5 APG, 44.3 FG%, 39.6 3pt%
Second in the fan vote and the leader of a team on pace for 69 wins, Spida is well deserving. The question will be how many teammates will join him.
F: Jayson Tatum (BOS, 6th)
Stats: 27.4 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 5.5 APG, 45.7 FG%, 35.5 3pt%
The reigning champions haven’t been as ruthlessly dominant as they were last year, but should still send their two top dogs to the All-Star Game.
F: Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL, 9th)
Stats: 31.5 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, 60.5 FG%
Milwaukee doesn’t feel like the four-seed that they are. Maybe it’s the two blowouts we’ve gotten on them at MSG.
F: Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK, 5th)
Stats: 25.1 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 54.5 FG%, 43.3 3pt%
I feel like KAT will also be in the 3-point contest, but his lingering thumb injury might hold him out.
Eastern Conference Reserves
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
G: LaMelo Ball (CHA, 2nd selection)
Stats: 29.0 PPG, 7.5 APG, 5.4 RPG, 41.9 FG%, 33.5 3PT%
LaMelo led in the fan vote and isn’t a starter. He’s the first player to lead his specific position group in voting to not start the all-star game since the NBA took full voting power from the fans in 2017 after Zaza Pachulia almost started in 2016.
There’s reasons for this. He came in seventh in the media vote and third in the player vote. His team is 11-29. The last all-star starter from a team with a sub-.300 winning percentage was Trae Young in 2020.
G: Cade Cunningham (DET, 1st)
Stats: 24.6 PPG, 9.4 APG, 6.5 RPG, 45.7 FG%, 37.1 3pt%
Cade will almost certainly be the first Pistons all-star since Blake Griffin as he’s ascended into stardom.
Just cool it with the turnovers, ok?
F: Jaylen Brown (BOS, 4th)
Stats: 23.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 4.8 APG, 45.3 FG%, 32.6 3pt%
In a more competitive year for forwards, Brown might have to sweat it out. Instead, the reigning Finals MVP gets in on merit and team record mostly in a hangover season.
F: Evan Mobley (CLE, 1st)
Stats: 18.6 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.9 APG, 2.3 stocks, 57.3 FG%, 42.1 3pt%
Mobley also benefits from a weak forward field, but his shooting leap, rock-solid defense, and team performance make him a qualified candidate.
F: Zach LaVine (CHI, 3rd)
Stats: 24.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 4.5 APG, 51.4 FG%, 45.0 3pt%
Is this cheating? Does LaVine count as a forward?
If he doesn’t, I truly have no idea who else to put. In an extraordinarily poor year for forwards in the East, there are the three slam dunks, as well as Brown and Mobley. Embiid is hurt, Bam has been bad, Siakam and Turner haven’t stood out, Jimmy Butler has been a handful, and both Orlando forwards have missed way too much time. Zach deserves some credit for rebuilding his trade value, even as the Bulls languish in purgatory.
If you tell me LaVine doesn’t count, just go with Pascal Siakam or something.
WC: Darius Garland (CLE, 2nd)
Stats: 21.2 PPG, 6.7 APG, 2.5 RPG, 49.8 FG%, 42.9 3pt%
As user “RichardVincentGuerin” put it in the comments of the last prediction, my omission of Garland, not even as a snub, was stunning. Upon further examination, Garland’s been having a great season that, combined with the Cavs’ record, should get Cleveland a third all-star.
Just hope the coaches don’t see what happened in Houston the other night.
WC: Trae Young (ATL, 4th)
Stats: 23.1 PPG, 11.6 APG, 3.4 RPG, 40.2 FG%, 34.8 3pt%
Trae squeaks in by the skin of his teeth, mostly due to the fact he still leads the league in dimes by quite a lot.
Eastern Conference Snubs
Damian Lillard (MIL), Tyrese Maxey (PHI), Tyler Herro (MIA), Pascal Siakam (IND)
Herro is the toughest miss for me.
Western Conference Starters
Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images
G: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC, 3rd)
Stats: 32.0 PPG, 6.1 APG, 5.4 RPG, 53.0 FG%, 34.8 3pt%
SGA was named an all-star starter the day after finally scoring 50, putting to bed the “Malachi Flynn has a higher career high” fun fact after a 54-bomb vs Utah on Wednesday.
He leads the NBA in scoring and will challenge Jokic for the MVP award.
G: Stephen Curry (GSW, 11th)
Stats: 22.6 PPG, 6.3 APG, 4.9 RPG, 44.9 FG%, 40.7 3pt%
Curry got the fan support, got lucky with Luka’s injury blocking off anyone from taking his spot, and got enough respect from the media and players to pull out yet another starting nod.
F: Kevin Durant (PHX, 15th)
Stats: 27.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 4.1 APG, 52.3 FG%, 38.4 3pt%
KD got his tenth starting nod. If he plays, it’ll be just his second appearance in the game since he was a Warrior due to injuries.
F: LeBron James (LAL, 21st)
Stats: 23.7 PPG, 9.0 APG, 7.5 RPG, 51.3 FG%, 39.8 3pt%
Make it 21 starts for King James, who edged out Wembanyama in the fan vote and the ageless wonder got more than enough support from players and media.
F: Nikola Jokic (DEN, 7th)
Stats: 30.1 PPG, 13.2 RPG, 9.9 APG, 56.3 FG%, 47.5 3pt%
A seven-footer shouldn’t average a triple-double and lead the NBA in 3pt%. It just shouldn’t happen.
Western Conference Reserves
Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images
G: Anthony Edwards (MIN, 3rd)
Stats: 26.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.3 APG, 44.0 FG%, 42.6 3pt%
With the inconsistency in Minnesota, thank goodness that Ant is shooting a career-high 42.6% from 3. We saw that firsthand last week.
G: De’Aaron Fox (SAC, 2nd)
Stats: 25.6 PPG, 6.3 APG, 5.2 RPG, 47.5 FG%, 31.5 3PT%
Fox’s stats have dropped a tad bit since the last post, but the Kings are surging under interim head coach Doug Christie. Who knew Mike Brown was that much of a problem?
F: Victor Wembanyama (SAS, 1st)
Stats: 24.4 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 4.0 BPG, 3.7 APG, 47.3 FG%, 35.4 3pt%
Wemby showed out for a 30-11-6-5 masterpiece in Paris against Indiana yesterday. What theatrics will we see during All-Star Weekend?
F: Anthony Davis (LAL, 10th)
Stats: 25.7 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 3.5 stocks, 52.3 FG%
AD hasn’t had an injury hold him out for over a week since 2022-23, yet is still labeled injury-prone. Odd.
F: Jaren Jackson Jr. (MEM, 2nd)
Stats: 22.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.0 stocks, 49.1 FG%, 33.6 3pt%
JJJ should represent Memphis in the All-Star Game, not Ja Morant.
WC: Kyrie Irving (DAL, 9th)
Stats: 24.5 PPG, 4.9 APG, 4.5 RPG, 48.3 FG%, 42.7 3PT%
Without Luka, Kyrie has stepped up to keep the Mavericks from free-falling. Injuries are devastating Dallas right now, and they can’t afford another ailment for Irving.
WC: Jalen Williams (OKC, 1st)
Stats: 20.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 5.1 APG, 47.5 FG%, 33.8 3PT%
JDub does not necessarily have the numbers to make it, but the Thunder have been so unbelievably dominant that they’ll have to get two guys in. His inclusion will lead to snubs.
Western Conference Snubs
Devin Booker (PHX), Norman Powell (LAC), Luka Doncic (DAL, injured), James Harden (LAC), Alperen Sengun (HOU)
Rockets might get Sengun in because of their record. Luka probably hasn’t played enough games. Shoutout to Norman Powell.