We don’t know yet whether the NBA will play an All-Star Game this season, but voting for the starters is now underway. Whether or not a game is played, two All-Star teams will be selected, and fans will play a part in choosing the 10 starters — fan voting will make up 50% of the total tally, while media members (25%) and players (25%) will also have a say.
With that in mind, we want to take a closer look at which players are deserving of the five All-Star starting spots in each conference, starting today with the East.
No team has played more than 20 games so far this season, and some have played as few as 13 or 14 due to coronavirus-related postponements. In other words, it’s awfully early to decide which players have emerged as the top five in each conference. But we can at least evaluate which players are making the strongest cases to be considered for a spot in that group.
Guards (2)
The NBA’s leading scorer, by a wide margin, is Wizards star Bradley Beal, who is averaging a whopping 35.4 PPG so far. But he has only played 13 games and his team has the NBA’s worst record at 3-11. Beal missed out on an All-Star spot last season due in large part to his team’s spot in the standings, and said on Wednesday that he’s not getting his hopes up about an All-Star nod this time around.
Zach LaVine (27.0 PPG for the 7-10 Bulls), Trae Young (26.2 PPG for the 9-9 Hawks), and Collin Sexton (25.2 PPG for the 9-9 Cavaliers) are in a similar boat, putting up big offensive numbers for middle-of-the-pack teams. Young’s 8.8 assists per contest and Atlanta’s .500 record amidst injury woes should strength his case.
Nets stars James Harden and Kyrie Irving have each put up huge numbers and would typically be leading contenders for these backcourt spots, but Harden’s behavior on his way out of Houston and Irving’s personal leave may damper enthusiasm for their cases. Additionally, Irving has only played 12 games, while Harden only has seven appearances with Brooklyn so far.
Raptors guard Kyle Lowry has been an All-Star for six straight seasons and is having another strong season in 2020/21, but it probably hasn’t been quite All-Star-starter worthy, especially given his team’s 7-11 record.
Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon (22.8 PPG, 7.1 APG) and Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (27.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG) are having career years so far for top-five seeds in the conference. Both players are solid on defense too, with Brown’s two-way play on the wing making him an especially strong candidate.
Sixers guard Ben Simmons has posted very modest scoring numbers (13.0 PPG), but he continues to fill up the stat sheet with 8.6 RPG, 8.0 APG, and 1.6 SPG, and his team currently sits atop the Eastern Conference.
Frontcourt (3)
Unlike his two star teammates, who have been at the center of some off-court drama and have been fined for COVID-19 protocol violations, Nets forward Kevin Durant has made headlines for all the right reasons this season, looking better than ever coming off his Achilles tear (30.5 PPG on .517/.444/.860 shooting).
Reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (26.8 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 5.6 APG for the 11-6 Bucks) and Sixers center Joel Embiid (27.7 PPG, 11.1 RPG) have been two-way forces for the top seeds in the conference and look like All-Star locks.
Those three players are probably the frontcourt favorites, but there’s no shortage of good candidates across the East. Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis have helped lead the Pacers to a No. 3 seed so far. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has missed some time due to COVID-19, but when he’s healthy, has looked even better than he did in his first All-NBA season last year.
Bucks forward Khris Middleton, meanwhile, has mostly flown under the radar again, but he has been one of the NBA’s most efficient scorers, with a .519/.441/.925 shooting line. He’s averaging 21.9 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 5.8 APG, all of which would be career highs, and his 2.6 win shares place him second in the conference.
Magic center Nikola Vucevic, Knicks big man Julius Randle, Pistons forward Jerami Grant, Heat big man Bam Adebayo, and Hornets forward Gordon Hayward have been standouts for sub-.500 teams.
While I like Durant, Giannis, and Embiid in the frontcourt, I’m having a much harder time deciding on two Eastern guards, as many of the most compelling contenders also have compelling factors working against them. With voting remaining open until February 16, I may take another week or two to finalize my choices there.
What do you think? Are you ready to pencil in your five choices for the Eastern All-Star starting lineup or is it too early to make a call? If you’re ready to vote, which five are you taking? If you’re on the fence, which players do you view as the top candidates?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Brown Beal Durant Gino Embiid if I am voting right now this instant
I agree and I don’t think it’s close
Brown is the best player so far on the second best team in the east so far.
Beal is having the single best season in the east.
Durant is having the second best season in the east and is the historically best player who is in the east.
Giannis is the best or second best player in the east and playing great.
Embiid is the best player on the best team in the east and the best center in the east.
Never heard Giannis called Gino before lol
Bottom 5 teams 8 all stars combo – Super Duo
Each
Heat- Butler and Bam
Pelicans – Zion and Ingram
Wizards – Westbrook and Beal
Wolves – Towns and DLo
No idea what you’re talking about. Also that’s only 4 teams not 5…
As poor as Harden’s chances of making the All-Star team are, they’re still a lot better than Westbrook’s. Of course Beal should lead the east in votes unless all of the Giannis fanboys insist that he deserves to win his 3rd consecutive MVP. The Wizards need to keep Beal and trade Russ.
Hot take seeing as Westbrook hasn’t really played that much…
Also Beal and Giannis can both make the all star team. Not sure what you’re getting at? If you don’t like Westbrook there are other more relevant posts to comment on. Here it just comes across as sad and a little desperate.
That’s my opinion you will take it or leave it.
I will vote
Harden and Young
I don’t vote any superstars on bottom 5 teams
Beal
Brown
Durant
Greek Freak
Randle
*Not a serious ballot when you exclude Embiid
Embiid is a B.
Beast?
The main thing I think about this is that the NBA ballot is absurd. Jaylen Brown plays mostly forward for the Celtics (their healthy starting lineup is Kemba and Smart in the backcourt). Ben Simmons plays the exact same position as Draymond Green on both offense and defense and yet they are listed at different positions. Ben Simmons’s coach says he is not the team’s PG.
Do you have a link to Doc saying Ben is not the PG?
Closest I could find
link to inquirer.com
Yep, I am aware of that one which is why I asked. Ben’s coach (Doc) has NOT said that Ben is NOT a PG. He defends him as the facilitator which is his clear role on the O. On D he is so multifaceted that he defends 1-4 routinely with the ability to switch onto 5’s in a limited capacity. But Ben is clearly our PG facilitator anything else is a false narrative
Ben is clearly the main “facilitator” on the Sixers. Just like Draymond Green on the Warriors. The teams play a really different defensive style, but the result of the Warriors switch everything approach is that Draymond spends as much or more time defending PGs than Simmons does.
So is Draymond Green a PG? Nope. And neither is Simmons.
You’d have to watch the games. Alaa and Zum have mentioned it multiple times this season.
Great thing is that is not up to you to decide what position Simmons play, if he says (which is clearly to see for everybody) that he is a PG, that is what he plays at, no matter what you say, right?
Harden – Beal – KD – Giannis – Embiid
Who cares I hate the all star game. Would rather have regular season games through all star weekend
I would also feel bitter about the all star game if no players from my favorite team ever got to go lol
Nothing to do with that I just prefer competitive basketball. I’d rather see real games whoever is playing.
Too early for me. … is there going to be an all star game this yr?? I’m just hoping we make it thru the season.
All star designations matter towards the HOF but as far as being an interesting game I would rather watch the skills challenges. Growing up, I always loved the battle of the superstars, different pro athletes or pro teams competed against each other in tug o war, obstacle course and so on. Good fun!
Even with the Elam ending they introduced?
East
Starters:
Joel Embiid
Jayson Tatum
Kevin Durant
Jaylen Brown
Bradley Beal
Reserves:
Trae Young
Zach LaVine
Domontas Sabonis
Giannis Antetokumpo
Jayson Tatum
My friend when you put JB & JT ahead of Giannis… well what I can say!
Just not credible or serious.
BTW how is JT with the starters & subs at the same time… multitasking, right? Hahaha! ;)
Sorry Bam on the bench in Tatums spot.
I just don’t think Giannis will get voted in as a starter. Embiid and KD are plying at MVP level and will get a huge amount of votes. Then for that last spot you have Tatum, Bam, Sabonis, Giannis, Harris, Middleton, etc etc.
Giannis isn’t playing at his best, he’s not getting all the hype from the media this year and I just wouldn’t surprised me if the fans gave more votes to others.
I’m not saying Giannas isn’t a top 3 forward in the east I’m just saying it’s based on people votes. You’ll see I also don’t have Harden, Kyrie, Butler or Simmons who are all top 10 players in the east but I just don’t think they will get huge amounts of votes