J-Speaks: 2018 NBA All-Star Game Units

In three weeks from this Sunday, all eyes of the sports world will be on Los Angeles, CA for the National Basketball Association’s (NBA’s) unofficial midseason All-Star Weekend, with it all cumulating on Sunday, Feb. 18 with the 67^th annual NBA All-Star Game. Over the past few months the fans, the players, and media have spoken and voted on who should be the starters in the All-Star Game, and the coaches chose the respective reserves. Both have been revealed over the past few days, and now it will be up to two former MVPs to choose who will be alongside them in the league’s annual closet version of a glorified pickup game under the new selection format. 

On Thursday’s NBA on TNT pregame show “NBA Tip-Off,” presented by Autotrader, the starters for the game were announced, as well as the captains who will be choosing who their 11 other teammates will be. The reserves, who were chosen by the coaches were announced on the Players’ Only NBA on TNT “NBA Tip-Off,” presented by Autotrader. 

Eastern Conference Starters 

Being chosen for his 14^th straight season to play in the unofficial midseason classic is four-time league MVP LeBron James (26.8 ppg, 3^rd NBA, 7.9 rpg, 8.6 apg-4^th NBA, 1.6 spg, 54.9 FG%, 36.2 3-Pt.%) of the Cleveland Cavaliers (27-18, No. 3 Seed in East), who thanks to 2,638,294 fan votes is a captain. The two-time Finals MVP, who 14 straight selections as a starter is second to the 15 of future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant is the all-time leader in points scored in the game. 

Being selected as a starter for the first time is Milwaukee Bucks’ (24-22, No. 8 Seed in East) forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (28.2 ppg-2^nd NBA, 10.1 rpg-10^th NBA, 4.6 apg, 1.5 spg, 54.6 FG%), being selected for the second straight time in his fifth season. He has risen his scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage. 

Making his first of hopefully many All-Star appearances is center Joel Embiid (23.7 ppg-Leads team, 10.9 rpg-6^th NBA, 1.9 bpg-4^th NBA) of the Philadelphia 76ers (23-21, No. 7 Seed in East), in his second official season. His 20 double-doubles are tied for No. 11 in the league. 

A career season by guard DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors (24.7 ppg-10^th NBA, 5.0 apg-career-high, 4.1 rpg) earned his fourth straight appearance, his third in a row, and his second consecutive start. His 47.7 percent accuracy from the field, and 34.7 percent from three-point range this season are the best of his career. He has had 12 games of 30-plus points, and three games of 40 points, or more, which consists of a franchise mark of 52 points, on 17 for 29 shooting, including 5 for 9 from distance, and 13 for 13 from the foul line, with eight assists, in the Raptors (32-14, No. 2 Seed in East) 131-127 overtime win versus the Bucks to open 2018. 

Closing out the five starters from the East is guard Kyrie Irving (24.5 ppg-Leads team, 5.0 apg, 39.3 3-Pt.%) of the Boston Celtics, whose 47.7 percent from the field this season is the best of his career. He has had 14 games of 30 points, or more, and has led the C’s to the best record in the Eastern Conference at 35-14. 

Western Conference Starters 

A total of 2,379,494 fan votes allowed two-time league MVP of the Golden State Warriors (38-10, No. 1 Seed in West) Stephen Curry (27.6-Leads team, 6.5 apg, 5.2 rpg, 1.6 spg, 48.8 FG%-2^nd best of his career, 42.0 3-Pt.%) to be chosen as the captain of the West All-Stars. This marks his fifth straight selection, all as a starter in his ninth NBA season. He will become the first player in franchise history to start five consecutive All-Star games. While he has missed 15 games due to injury, Curry has had 13 games of 30-points, or more this season. 

Earning his 6^th invitation to the midseason classic, also in his ninth season is guard James Harden (31.2 ppg-Leads NBA, 9.0 apg-3^rd, NBA, 4.8 rpg, 44.7 FG%) of the Houston Rockets (34-12, No. 2 Seed in West). The former Oklahoma City Thunder sixth man, who will be making his fourth start has 15 games of at least 30 points or more, and three games of 50-plus points, including a career-high of 56 points, with 13 assists in a 137-110 Rockets win versus the Utah Jazz on Nov. 5, 2017.  

Joining Curry in the starting five is teammate Kevin Durant (25.9 ppg-5^th NBA, 6.9 rpg). The 2014 league MVP, 2012 All-Star Game MVP, and last season’s Finals MVP earned his ninth appearance in a row, and his seventh as a starter behind career-highs of 5.6 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game, ranked second in the league. 

Rounding out the starters for the West is the New Orleans Pelicans (26-21, No. 6 Seed in West) frontcourt tandem of forward Anthony Davis (26.5 ppg-5^th NBA, 10.4 rpg-T-8^th NBA, 2.1 bpg-3^rd NBA, 55.6 FG%-8^th NBA), who earned his fifth consecutive appearance, and center DeMarcus Cousins (25.4 ppg, 6^th NBA, 12.9 rpg 3^rd NBA, 1.6 bpg-6^th NBA, 46.9 FG%, 35.6 3-Pt.%) who was named a starter for the first time in his fourth appearance in succession. 

“Now that we both are starters, kind of sucks that they switched up the format. We could be playing on different teams, but it’s a great feeling having somebody alongside me to go out there, and represent the city of New Orleans,” Davis said to FOX Sports New Orleans’ Jennifer Hale prior to the Pelicans 111-104 win versus the Memphis Grizzlies (17-30) on Saturday night about the new format of James, and Curry choosing their teammates for the game, which occurred on Thursday.

Davis was named MVP of last season’s All-Star Game when he scored a game record 52 points on his home court of the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA. Cousins, rebound, assists, steals (1.6) per game are the best of his career, and his three-point percentage this season is tied for the best of his career, and his 104 triples this season, are the most of his he has made. He is also second in “The Association” with 37 double-doubles, and is the only player this season averaging 25 points, 10 boards, and five assists. 

“It actually wouldn’t be strange at all. We’ve been guys that have had faceoffs before in the past. So, I guess you can say it would be like old times,” Cousins said to Hale about their battles before being teammates when he was with the Sacramento Kings. 

Eastern Conference All-Star Reserves 

Earning his fifth selection in 11 NBA seasons is Celtics center Al Horford (13.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg-Leads team, 5.3 apg-Leads team, 51.3 FG%), who is shooting a career-high 43.5 percent from three-point range. 

Joining James in L.A. from the Cavs will be forward/center Kevin Love (18.4 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 45.9 FG%), who earned his fifth All-Star selection in his 10^th season. He is the only player in NBA history to average 10-plus rebounds per game, and make close to 1,000 triples in his career, where he has made including this season 986. 

DeRozan’s backcourt made Kyle Lowry (16.8 ppg, 6.7 apg-Leads team, 6.0 rpg, 39.5 3-Pt.%) earned his fourth straight All-Star appearance, in his 12^th season. This is after not being selected in his first eight seasons with the Grizzlies, Rockets, and his first season with the Raptors. 

Represent the nation’s capital in Hollywood will be the starting backcourt of John Wall (19.3 ppg, 9.2 apg-2^nd NBA, 34.8 FG%), and Bradley Beal (23.6 ppg-Leads team, 3.7 apg, 4.3 rpg, 45.9 FG%, 36.8 3-Pt.%) of the Washington Wizards (26-21, No. 5 Seed in East). 

This is the fifth selection for Wall in his eighth season, and it is the first for Beal, who is averaging career-highs in scoring, assists, and rebounds. 

For both Beal, and Wall, this is a very special moment, especially in a season that has it share of ups-and-downs for a team that has underachieved as a team this season. 

“It’s great. It’s an honor to be here, especially with my teammate Brad, without my teammates, and coaching staff we wouldn’t be in this position,” Wall said on the “Players Only” edition of NBA on TNT’s NBA Tip-Off with Chris Webber, Isiah Thomas, Baron Davis, and Shaquille O’Neal. 

“We know that [being] All-Stars is a great individual accomplishment for both of us. We wouldn’t be here without our teammates, without our families, the organization,” Beal said in concurrence. Beal also said about the honor, and what the Wizards need from him, and Wall going forward, “Everybody who helped us to get to this point, but now it’s time for us to take it up another notch. To a new level, and be more consistent, be the leaders of the team we need to be, and we know the ship won’t go forward unless we[‘re] leading it.”

Career-highs in points, rebounds, steals, field goal, and three-point percentage earned guard Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers (24.1 ppg-Leads team, 5.2 rpg, 4.0 apg 1.9 spg-6^th NBA, 48.4 FG%, 40.1 3-Pt.%) his first All-Star appearance. In a 126-116 overtime victory by the Pacers versus the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 10, 2017, Oladipo in the team’s fourth consecutive win had a career-high of 47 points, to go along with seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals, on 15 for 28 from the field, including 6 for 12 from three-point range, and 11 for 13 from the charity stripe. 

Another first time All-Star is third-year center Kristaps Porzingis (23.3 ppg-Leads team, 6.7 rpg, 2.3 bpg-Leads NBA, 38.7 3-Pt.%) of the New York Knicks.  

Western Conference All-Star Reserves 

Earning his seventh All-Star selection is the reigning MVP lead guard Russell Westbrook (24.9 ppg-8^th NBA, 10.0 apg-Leads NBA, 9.6 rpg-Leads team, 2.0 spg-5^th NBA) of the Oklahoma City Thunder (27-20). He is a two-time scoring champion (2015, 2017), and back-to-back All-Star Game MVP in 2015, and 2016. 

Joining Curry, and Durant in L.A. are fellow “Splash Brother” Klay Thompson (20.4 ppg, 48.5 FG%, 44.9 3-Pt.%-3^rd NBA), his fourth consecutive appearance in his seventh season, and forward Draymond Green (11.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg-Leads team, 7.5 apg-5^th NBA), who earned his 3^rd selection in his sixth season. 

Only Harden has made more three-pointers this season 162, than the 154 made by Thompson. Green, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year has yet to have a game where he has scored more than 25 points, and his 21-career triple-doubles, including two this season are the most in franchise history, and the Warriors have not lost when that occurs. 

The Warriors became the first team in NBA history to have four All-Stars in back-to-back seasons, and it was just the ninth time overall that has occurred. 

“I’m proud of them, amazing to have four All-Stars two years in a row,” Warriors head coach said earlier this week. “We’re obviously really lucky to have these guys all together at once on the roster. What I love is they’re so unselfish, they play together so well. That’s why they’re All-Stars. It wouldn’t work if they were selfish, and looking for their own shot, looking for their own points.” 

Another team that will have multiple players playing in the All-Star Game is the Minnesota Timberwolves (31-19, No. 4 Seed in West), whose starting center Karl-Anthony Towns (19.9 ppg, 12.1 rpg-5^th NBA, 1.5 bpg-8^th NBA, 53.9 FG%, 41.4 3-Pt.%) will be making his first of hopefully many All-Star selections, and swingman Jimmy Butler (21.7 ppg-Leads team, 5.4 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.0 spg-4^th NBA, 47.6 FG%, 35.4 3-Pt.%), who earned his fourth All-Star selection in a row. 

Behind a league leading 41 double-doubles by Towns, and a fourth season in a row of a 20-plus point average by Butler, who has provided amazing leadership to T’Wolves Head Coach, and President of Basketball Operations Tom Thibodeau’s, the Timberwolves have equaled their win total all last season, and are on the verge of making the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons. It is also the first time the T’Wolves have had two All-Star selections since future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, who now works for NBA on TNT, and current Los Angeles Clippers head coach were recognized 14 years ago.

“I think our record speaks that we’re on the right track,” Towns said. “We’re doing a great job right now finding ways to win games. That’s the most important thing.” “I don’t feel like I’m an All-Star. I feel like my team is an All-Star.” 

One team that seems to have had representation on the backend of All-Star Weekend is the San Antonio Spurs, and this season is no exception as forward LaMarcus Aldridge earned his 6^th selection in his 12^th NBA season. 

The Texas native is the team leader in points (22.5), and rebounds (8.7) per game, and is shooting 49.0 percent from the field. To put into perspective the complete 180 the former Portland Trail Blazer has made compared to his first two seasons with the five-time champions he has 20 double-doubles this season compared to just 18 a season ago, and 26 the year prior. He has authored seven 30-plus point performances, compared to just one in 2016-17. 

Aldridge’s spectacular season to this point has allowed the Spurs (32-18) to remain atop the West, and no one is more appreciative of that than head coach Gregg Popovich, who had a serious heart-to-heart conversation over the summer with Aldridge about his role. 

“L.A. is the reason we’ve kept a pretty good record, and stayed in the hunt with so may injuries, in-and-outs. Kawhi [Leonard] and Tony [Parker] being gone so long,” Popovich said earlier this month. 

“It’s L.A. every night. Maybe somebody else will step up with him, but he’s been a Warrior for sure. We’d be in deep kimchi if he isn’t playing the way he is.”

To bring into clearer context what this All-Star selection has meant for the Spurs organization, Aldridge became the first Spur to be selected as an All-Star who was not draft, or had his draft rights acquired by the team as a rookie since Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore, whose last selection came as a Spur back in 1986. The Spurs organization has had at least one All-Star selection the last 20 seasons in a row, and 39 of the past 41 seasons, with 1989, and 1997 being the exceptions. 

Rounding out the West reserves is guard Damian Lillard (25.3 ppg-7^th NBA, 6.6 apg-Leads team, 4.7 rpg, 37.0 3-Pt.%) of the Portland Trail Blazers (26-22, No. 7 Seed in West), who was selected for the third time in his career, and his first since 2015. 

Before the Trail Blazers tilt versus the T’Wolves, which they won 123-114 on Wednesday night at the Moda Center, Lillard said of making the All-Star team, “It’s not my first All-Star game. But I did have to make this one happen. Everybody knows that the last two years, I felt like I should have made it, and I didn’t. But, I just had to keep on playing, stay with it, and stay positive.” 

All-Star Team Reveal 

Live from Future of Flight in Los Angeles, CA, the All-Star team draft reveal of who will be on Team LeBron [James], and Team Stephen [Curry] on TNT’s “NBA Tip-Off” Show, presented by Autotrader. 

The first reveal were the All-Star Game jerseys that the players will dawn during the game on Feb. 18. On the front of the jersey will be the symbols of the players’ respective team with the Nike Jordan Jumpman symbol on the right shoulder, and the KIA Motors symbol on the left. On the back will be the players’ number, and their last name on the bottom of the jersey number. On 12 set of jerseys is in black with the team’s symbol in white, and the opposing team’s jersey color is black, with the team symbol in black. 

In the reveal of the respective teams, Team LeBron selected Durant, Davis, Cousins, and Irving as the starters alongside him, with Beal, Aldridge, Love, Westbrook, Oladipo, Porzingis, and Wall as the reserves.  

Team Stephen starters, including him will feature Harden, DeRozan, Antetokounmpo, and Embiid, with Lillard, Butler, Green, Lowry, Thompson, Towns, and Horford as the reserves. 

“It was cool,” Curry said during a live interview from Alamo, CA with TNT’s Ernie Johnson on how he, and James chose who was on their team. “It’s just the names that we were picking, it kind of caught me off guard at first.”

James said to Johnson that he had a plan, but when you are drafting a specific person that you already know in your mind the other captain is going to take somebody you want. It completely changes your plan. He did say it was fun to relive how you chose a team on the concreate grounds of your neighborhood park basketball court. 

When asked by Johnson did Curry, and James get advice wanted, or unwanted from their respective teammates, James said that he heard from his teammates to the point where his answer whenever he was asked was, “I don’t know. I don’t know who I’m going to take. I’ll be ready.” 

The best part of the process James said to Johnson is that he, and Curry that unlike Warriors’ General Manager, and Cavs’ GM Koby Altman is that they got to pick their teammates that are some of the best basketball players on planet Earth. 

“We don’t have to figure out a guys’ potential, or guys coming out of college, or guys coming from overseas,” James added. “We get to go after 22 All-Stars when we do our draft. So, it’s definitely a lot easier for us.”

One of All-Stars James’ selected was his former teammate in Irving, and on Feb. 18, Irving, James, and Love will be sharing the same court together again.  

“I just tried to pick the best available players,” James said. “To be able to team up with Kyrie is always special, along with Kevin Love. For us to have another weekend, to bring back some of the memories that we had when we were together.” 

“Kyrie was available on the draft board. He’s one of the best point guards that we have in our league. So, it was an easy choice for me.”   

The one disappointment of this whole process was the fact that it was not televised, like the NHL All-Star team selection. James even said that it should have been televised, and that at one point during the draft he, and Curry were laughing very hard.  

One question that Johnson did ask both James, and Curry is who did they select first. Both were very tight lipped in their answers, but sideline reporter Ros Gold-Onwude during the back end of TNT’s doubleheader of the T’Wolves at the Warriors confirmed that Durant was the No. 1 overall selection, and the No. 2 selection was Antetokounmpo. 

Durant said to Gold-Onwude before the game that he expected to go first, and that the player he was looking forward to playing alongside the most is Porzingis. He also said that he is looking forward to trash talking with Curry, and Green who will playing opposite him. 

Gold-Onwude also spoke with Curry, and she found out that he has already heard from people that James’ team is stronger. 

“We have a lot of shooters, and I like that people are sleeping on us. I like being the underdog,” he also said to Gold-Onwude. 

With the players selected, and the teams chosen, all that is left is to tip things off, and to see if this new format has the kind of legs to bring back the excitement, and luster this game had in years past. The one thing that has occurred is the anticipation for the 2018 All-Star Weekend, especially the conclusion with the 67^th Annual NBA All-Star Game from the Staple Center in Los Angeles, CA on Feb. 18 with coverage getting underway at 8 p.m. on TNT. 

“A lot of my teammates, and a lot of people that I know is like, ‘Oh. We’re looking forward to this weekend. We actually going to watch the game this weekend,” James said. “That lets me know we’re headed in the right direction, and now it’s up to us 24 guys, starting with myself, and Steph, and the rest of the starters to set the tone to get this game back where it should be from a competitive nature.” 

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 1/18/18 6 p.m. NBA All-Star Starters Reveal on TNT’s “NBA Tip-Off,” presented by Autotrader with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal; 1/20/18 7 p.m. contest Memphis Grizzlies versus New Orleans Pelicans on FOX Sports New Orleans with Joel Meyers, David Wesley, and Jennifer Hale; 1/23/18 7 p.m. Players Only edition of TNT’s “NBA Tip-Off,” presented by Autotrader with Chris Webber, Isiah Thomas, Baron Davis, and Shaquille O’Neal; 1/25/18 7 p.m. All-Star Team Reveal on TNT’s “NBA Tip-Off,” presented by Autotrader from Future of Flight in Los Angeles, CA with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal; 1/18/18 www.nba.com article, “Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James, Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry named starters, captains for 2018 NBA All-Star Game;” www.nba.com/games/20180124/MINPOR#/recap; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Westbrook; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artis_Gilmore; www.espn.com/nba/teams/stats; www.espn.com/nba/statistics; and www.espn.com/nba/standings.