It’s All-Star season in the NBA once again, and with voting closing on the 27th of January, it’s time to look at who has earned the five starting spots in each conference.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
▶ Backcourt: DeMar DeRozan (Bulls) and Trae Young (Hawks)
With James Harden struggling and Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons absent, there are very few guards in the East that truly warrant a starting role in the backcourt for the All-Star game, making DeMar DeRozan and Trae Young the obvious picks.
Although neither player offers enough contribution on the defensive end of the floor, both stars have been other-worldly on offence. DeRozan has taken the Chicago Bulls to the number one seed in the East and emerged as a potential MVP candidate, while Young is fifth in the league in scoring (27.9 points per game) and third in assists (9.5 per game).
▶ Frontcourt: Joel Embiid (76ers), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) and Kevin Durant (Nets)
In the East, this is probably the most straightforward category, with Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant head and shoulders above the rest of the competition. Fresh off winning his first NBA title and Finals MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the most dominant force in the league at both ends of the floor, with the Greek Freak averaging 28.6 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 6.1 assists per game.
Durant and Embiid, on the other hand, have been flying the flag for their respective teams – Nets and Sixers – while their fellow stars remain absent on the court. Durant currently leads the league in scoring at 29.3 points per game, while Embiid has continued to elevate his production, shooting at a career-high 37.5% from deep this season.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
▶ Backcourt: Steph Curry (Warriors), Ja Morant (Grizzlies)
Stephen Curry has already undoubtedly locked a spot in the backcourt in the West, averaging 26.1 points per game for the second-best team in the league. However, who partners him in the backcourt for the West is an interesting debate, with plenty of viable candidates for the role. Devin Booker, Luka Doncic and Chris Paul have all had monumental seasons for their respective teams, but my pick goes to Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies, who is in the conversation for the most improved player in 2022.
Morant has taken the Grizzlies to the third seed in the loaded Western Conference and is averaging nearly 25 points per game in only his third year in the league.
▶ Frontcourt: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), LeBron James (Lakers), Draymond Green (Warriors)
Nikola Jokic was the MVP in 2020/21, but the Serbian big man has been even better this season, considering his massive improvements on the defensive end of the floor. Jokic leads the league in almost every form of advanced analytics and is single-handedly keeping the injury-stricken Denver Nuggets afloat this season, averaging 25.9 points, 11.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game.
LeBron James, on the other hand, continues to defy father time and has been the only bright spot in an otherwise forgetful season for the team in purple and gold. After taking some time to get out of the blocks, James has been phenomenal over the past two months, averaging over 30 points a game since December and thriving at the centre position in the absence of Anthony Davis.
Rounding up our backcourt in the West is Draymond Green, who narrowly edges out the ‘Stifle Tower’ Rudy Gobert despite his obvious limitations as a scorer. Green is amongst the top 10 assist makers in the league this season, but it is defensively where his true impact lies, with the Warriors owning the league’s best defensive record at 101 points allowed per game.
[Featured Image Credit: NBA]
Shivaan Shah