There was little pushback on the All-Star starter selections from the Western Conference when the NBA announced them last week, and for good reason. All five players voted in as starters from the West – Luka Doncic, James Harden, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Kawhi Leonard – could end up being viable MVP candidates this season.
However, it may be a little more challenging to pick the seven Western players who will join those starters at this year’s All-Star Game. Those seven reserves will be announced on Thursday night, with two more guards, three more frontcourt players, and a pair of wild cards filling out the roster.
Before those players are announced, we want to get your thoughts on which players deserve to be included and which players don’t quite make the cut, as we did with the Eastern Conference on Wednesday.
Let’s start in the middle, where a pair of Northwest centers look like strong candidates to be named All-Stars. Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) had a case to be considered as a starter, while Rudy Gobert (Jazz) looks poised to finally earn the first All-Star nod of his career.
Gobert’s teammate Donovan Mitchell has had the best year of his young career and deserves serious All-Star consideration. He’ll face stiff competition among guards though. Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers) looks like a lock to make it, and Devin Booker (Suns), Chris Paul (Thunder), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Russell Westbrook (Rockets), DeMar DeRozan (Spurs), and Ja Morant (Grizzlies) are among the other backcourt candidates.
Although they’re long shots, guards like Lou Williams (Clippers), CJ McCollum (Trail Blazers), Jrue Holiday (Pelicans), and De’Aaron Fox (Kings) probably deserve a look too.
While Holiday entered the season looking like the most obvious All-Star candidate on the Pelicans’ roster, Brandon Ingram has emerged as that player instead, enjoying a breakout season in his first year in New Orleans. Danilo Gallinari (Thunder), Bojan Bogdanovic (Jazz), and Kristaps Porzingis (Mavericks) are among the other players who are posting at least borderline All-Star numbers in their first year with a new team.
Injuries will likely have an impact on the Western All-Star selections for 2019/20. If they’d been healthy all season long, Paul George (Clippers) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves) would have strong cases, but they’ve only played in 26 and 30 games, respectively — we’ll see if that’s enough. While he’s not quite the star that George and KAT are, D’Angelo Russell (Warriors) is in this boat too. Like Towns, he’s had a good year, but has been limited to just 30 games and plays on one of the conference’s worst teams.
Finally, while I view them as long shots, Montrezl Harrell (Clippers), Jaren Jackson (Grizzlies), and LaMarcus Aldridge (Spurs) have had very good years and deserve at least a passing mention in this discussion.
What do you think? Which seven players are you picking as your Western Conference All-Star reserves?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
I think the all-star game is ridiculous.
I also have a hard time understanding fans who like the all-star concept, but who oppose a new midseason tournament. At least a tournament would be real basketball…
Hey, at least it isn’t like the MLB All-Star game which, insanely, grants home-field advantage for the World Series to the winner’s league (granted, home-field advantage is less important in baseball).
I say scrap the All-Star game entirely and replace it with something else.
MLB doesn’t do that anymore.
Huh. And it turns out this happened several years ago. Well, that’s embarrassing lol. It just goes to show how little interest I’ve had in watching the All-Star game over the recent years.
Thanks.
I have a hard time understanding why you prefer a tournament, which would grant nothing to players, is better than a single, equally-meaningless exhibition game for the fans.
Because a tournament will be actual basketball, not garbage time nonsense.
Yes, the outcome has a contrived meaning. But if the league pays the role players a big bonus, it will be near playoff intensity. That’s always fun to see.
I don’t see why the tournament won’t be the same. The stars won’t play because it’s meaningless and not a real title. So the ratings will stink (worse than the All-Star game I’m sure) and the bonuses will go to the try-hards and scrubs. Casual fans don’t want to watch role players try not to brick for another million bucks.
It’s a title to win… In England they call it silverware… no wonder Silver likes the idea.
Mitchell, Lillard, Gilgeous-Alexander, Gobert, Jokic, George and Towns.
Gotta go with Jokic, Gobert, Mitchell, Lillard as locks. I’ll take Paul over SGA from OKC, who deserves to have one All-Star. That’s 5.
One of Ingram or Booker needs to be there. Both those guys are playing too well not to be All-Stars, despite crappy teams. I’ll take Ingram.
I’d prefer Booker over Towns or George, only because he’s played in way more games. But instead of Booker, I’ll go with a second Clipper.
Jokic Gobert Mitchell Booker George Lillard and Ingram
Really easy 2 bigs, 2 wings, 3 guards
Towns and Russ would be the players next in line.
It’s funny how so many people don’t think Russ will be an All-Star.
Lilliard, Westbrook, Ingram, Gobert, George, Booker, Mitchell for me. Paul, Towns, and Jokic are deserving as well so this is really tough
I’ll go with Mitchell, Lillard, Gobert, Jokic, Paul George, KP, and Morant…rewarding team success over stats.
G/ Lillard & Westbrook
FC/ KAT, Gobert & Whiteside
WC/ Booker & Jokic