J-Speaks: 2016 NBA All-Star Game Roster Analysis

In two weeks from tomorrow, the city of Toronto, ON in Canada will be the host of the 65 National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game, which will be televised for the 14^th consecutive season by Turner Network Television (TNT) at 8 p.m. from the home of the back-to-back Atlantic Division Champion Toronto Raptors. The NBA’s unofficial mid-season exhibition will be held outside the United States for the first time in its history, which will be seen by fans in over 200 countries and heard in over 40 different languages. This All-Star game will not only showcase new rising stars in the league, but it will also be a final showing of one of the best players to ever lace up his kicks on the hardwood.

Five-time NBA champ, 2007-08 league MVP and two-time Gold Medal winner Kobe Bryant (15.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.5 apg) of the Los Angeles Lakers (9-40) will be playing in his 18^th and final mid-season classic as announced earlier this season he will retire at the end of this season, his 20^th in the league.

Bryant has won MVP honors at the All-Star game four times, which includes the 2002 game in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA. He is the top scorer in the history of this exhibition and he edged out reigning MVP Stephen Curry of the defending NBA champion and Western Conference leading Golden State Warriors (42-4) to be the top vote getter to be a starter with 1,891,614 votes. Curry (29.9 ppg-Leads NBA, 6.6 apg, 5.3 rpg, 51.1 FG%, 45.5 3-Pt.%) finished third in All-Star voting with 1,604,325 votes.

It is hard to imagine that his first appearance in the All-Star game was back in 1998 as a starter for the West, sharing the same court as the player he has been compared to the most and is the only one to ever come close to being in the same sentence as the legendary Michael Jordan in terms of his game; his approach to basketball; his demeanor on the court; the number of championships he has won and how he has become a global icon.

Joining Bryant in the starting five for the Western Conference All-Stars is the dynamic duo of the Oklahoma City Thunder (36-13) is forward Kevin Durant (27.2 ppg-T-3^rd NBA, 8.0 rpg-Leads team, 4.5 apg, 50.8 FG%, 38.7 3-Pt.%), who has scored 20-plus point in 34 consecutive games that he has played and guard Russell Westbrook (24.1 ppg-7^th NBA, 9.9 apg-3^rd NBA, 7.3 rpg, 2.4 spg-Leads NBA, 45.5 FG%-2^nd best of career), who garnered six triple-doubles this season, second in the NBA.

Rounding out the starting quintet for the West is first time All-Star and one of the best two way players in the game and the 2014 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard (19.9 ppg-Leads team, 6.7 rpg, 1.9 spg-Leads team, 50.6 FG%, 48.8 3-Pt.%-Leads NBA) of the five-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs (39-7), who has increased his scoring in each of his five seasons in the league.

Leonard’s emergence as the Spurs go to scorer and the play of forward LaMarcus Aldridge (15.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg-Leads team, 48.8 FG%), who made the All-Star team for the fifth straight season and in his first season with the Spurs has allowed the team to keep pace with the Warriors in the standings without wearing out the “Big Three” of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

The West team will be coached by Spurs’ head coach Gregg Popovich and his staff. This will be the fourth appearance by the future Hall of Fame head coach and 1970 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Backing up the starting five of the West All-Stars along with Aldridge is the NBA leader in triple-doubles with eight is first time All-Star of the aforementioned Warriors Draymond Green (14.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg-Leads team, 7.2 apg-6^th NBA), who has lived up to the five-year $82 million contract he signed this off-season with numbers even better than last season, when he was in the running for Most Improved Player and Defensive Player of the Year.

“It sounds amazing. It’s definitely something that I could never imagine happening,” Green said to Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal on TNT NBA Tip-Off this past Thursday night. “It’s been a life-long dream of mine to one day see that happen, but I could’ve never imaging it happening like this.”

The third Warrior to make the All-Star team this season is the second part of the “Splash Brothers” in Klay Thompson (20.9 ppg, 46.6 FG%, 42.7 3-Pt.%), making his second straight appearance in the mid-season exhibition and the 11^th overall selection in the 2011 draft out of Washington State University has been at the top of his game averaging 25.3 and 23.0 points per contest in December and January respectably and is second in “The Association” in three-pointer made with 140.

Curry, Thompson and Green are the first trio of Warriors to participate in the All-Star game since Hall of Famer Rick Barry, Phil Smith and Jamaal Wilkes played in the mid-season classic during the 1975-76 NBA campaign.

Guard James Harden (27.7 ppg-8^th NBA, 6.9 apg-8^th NBA, 6.3 rpg, 1.5 spg) of the Houston Rockets (25-24) makes his fourth straight appearance in the All-Star, all have happened since he joined the Rockets when he was traded from the Thunder. He has had 19 games of at least 30 points and six games of at least 40 points this season and has garnered two triple-doubles in the last six games and came close on two other occasions.

Making his third consecutive All-Star Game is forward/center Anthony Davis (22.9 ppg-10^th NBA, 10.2 rpg-9^th NBA, 2.4 bpg-2^nd NBA) of the New Orleans Pelicans (17-28), who is the only player to average 20 points, 10 boards and two block shots per contest this season. He has also garnered 23 double-doubles, which ranks 10^th in the league.

Center DeMarcus Cousins (27.2 ppg-3^rd NBA, 11.2 rpg-4^th NBA) of the Sacramento Kings (20-26) makes his second straight appearance. He and Davis are the only players in the league this season to average 20 points and 10 rebounds. Cousins is also tied for third in the league with DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers (31-16) with 27 double-doubles and had a streak of 11 straight games with double-digits in points and rebounds, which ended when the Kings suffered a 112-97 setback at the Portland Trail Blazers (22-26) this past Tuesday night.

To put into better perspective how much Cousins game has grown in 2015-16, he made 11 three-point field goals entering this season. He has made 44 in 130 attempts so far this season.

Rounding out the West All-Star roster is Clippers’ starting lead guard Chris Paul (18.8 ppg, 9.6 apg-4^th NBA, 2.1 spg-6^th NBA), who will be making his ninth appearance in a row.

In the Eastern Conference, their starting five is led by the forward LeBron James (24.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 6.4 apg, 50.6 FG%) Eastern Conference leading Cleveland Cavaliers and the team’s coaching staff will also be heading to the All-Star Game.

Last week, the Cavs made major news that they fired their head coach David Blatt, who led them to The Finals a season ago, where they lost in six games to the Warriors and replaced him with assistant coach and two time champion with the Lakers as a player Tyronn Lue. He will become the first head coach to be the lead man on the sidelines at the All-Star Game and have the fewest amount of wins, which is two right now in three chances, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Prior to Lue, Hall of Fame head coach, four-time NBA champion and President of the Miami Heat Pat Riley was first with 24 wins when he was selected to coach the West in the 1982 All-Star Game.

The rest of the starting five for the East consist of swingman Paul George (23.6 ppg-8^th NBA, 7.2 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.9 spg, 37.9 3-Pt.%) of the Indiana Pacers (24-22), who is averaging career-highs in points and assists per game and in three-point percentage. Not bad for a guy that had a serious leg injury sustained during an exhibition game for Team USA two summers back.  

Perennial All-Stars Carmelo Anthony (21.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 4.1 apg-Leads team) of the New York Knicks (23-26) and Dwyane Wade (18.8 ppg, 4.7 apg, 46.1 FG%) are both making their ninth appearance in the mid-season classic. For Wade, this is his ninth appearance in succession. Wade will be joined in Toronto by fellow teammate and former Raptor for seven seasons Chris Bosh (19.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 47.6 FG%, 37.3 3-Pt.%), who will be making his 11^th straight appearance in the All-Star Game.

For both players, this appearance unlike their past others is more meaningful in the aspect that while they are still dynamic players, they are not the same player that can dominate a game scoring wise as they have in the past. They have had to count on the rest of the team to make major contributions to the cause of winning.

For the Knicks, that has been very important for them as they already have more wins then as season ago, which was the worst in franchise history. The play of Kristaps Porzingis, who is in the running for Rookie of the Year as well as the play of new additions, Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo and Derrick Williams are huge reasons for the Knicks’ resurrection in the 2015-16 campaign that has them on the outside of the playoffs looking in right now, but in a position to make a run to get into the Top 8.

In South Florida, the Heat have lately been dealing with injuries to some of their key cogs like starting lead guard Goran Dragic, starting forward Luol Deng, starting center Hassan Whiteside and bench players like forward Josh McRoberts and center Chris Andersen.

Even with those injuries though, the team is currently in the No. 6 spot in the East and have started to get some of their key players back. If they can get healthy, they should make it back to the postseason after a one-year absence.

Rounding out the starting quintet for the East is Kyle Lowry (21.0 ppg, 6.5 apg-Leads team, 5.0 rpg, 39.1 3-Pt.%) of the Toronto Raptors, who will be making his second consecutive appearance and is a major reason why his team has won a franchise record 10 straight games, who is averaging career-highs in scoring per contest, three-point percentage and free throw percentage at 88.3 percent. Lowry will be joined by his starting backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan (23.1 ppg-9^th NBA, 4.5 rpg, 4.1 apg), who is also having a career-year in terms of scoring, rebounds and assists per contest as well as free throws made, attempted and percentage at 84.5 percent.

Their play at the offensive end as well as the team’s recommitment to the defensive end is a big reason why they have won a aforementioned 10 games in a row, which they accomplished with a 103-93 victory versus the New York versus the Knicks, who were without Anthony because of a left knee injury and Porzingis because of a upper respiratory infection. Lowry led the way with 26 points, 10 assists, six boards and three steals despite being questionable for the game with a sore wrist that he injured in the Raptors’ 106-89 win versus the Washington Wizards (20-24) this past Tuesday night.

“We’re just going out there playing hard and having fun,” DeRozan, who had 26 points, four assists and two steals on 9 for 18 from the floor and 7 for 8 from the foul line said to NBA on TNT sideline reporter and host of NBATV’s “NBA Inside Stuff” Kristen Ledlow after the game. “I tell the guys every time we go out there play hard on both ends and everything else will take care of itself.”

Making his second straight appearance in the mid-season classic in his fifth season in the league is swingman Jimmy Butler (22.4 ppg-Leads team, 5.3 rpg, 4.3 apg) of the Chicago Bulls (26-19). Last season’s Most Improved Player who increased his scoring by 6.9 points per contest a season ago, has had seven games this season of 30 points or more after having just seven games 30-plus total in his first four seasons.

Paul Millsap (18.0 ppg-Leads team 8.8 rpg-Leads team, 3.4 apg, 1.9 spg) of the Atlanta Hawks (27-21) is the lone representative on this year’s All-Star team as he makes his third straight appearance. He along with center Al Horford, sharp shooter Kyle Korver and lead guard Jeff Teague all made it a season ago.

Representing the struggling Washington Wizards (20-24) in the All-Star Game for the third year in succession is their starting lead guard and the KIA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December 2015 John Wall (19.5 ppg-Leads team, 9.8 apg-3^rd NBA, 2.1 spg-5^th NBA), who is tied with Sacramento Kings lead guard and former All-Star Rajon Rondo amongst guards in double-doubles with 24 and in overall double-doubles is tied for seventh in the league overall with Rondo and rookie center of the Minnesota Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns with the aforementioned 24.

The two first time selections to the 2016 All-Star Game are a former lottery pick in 2012 who many thought was a player who could be a steal or a major bust when he came out of Georgetown University and the other was the 60^th and final selection of the 2011 draft when he came out of the University of Washington.

Starting center Andre Drummond (17.3 ppg, 15.1 rpg-Leads NBA 1.5 bpg-Leads team, 1.7 spg-Leads team) of the Detroit Pistons (25-22), who will be the first Piston to make the All-Star team since Allen Iverson back in 2009 has gone from a question mark into a player that has increased his scoring and rebounding the past three seasons, including this one. He is the league leader in double-doubles with 38; has had 26 games of at least 15 rebounds this season; nine of games of at least 20 boards, where the Pistons have a 6-3 record in those games and he had a career-high of 29 caroms on Nov. 3, 2015 in a 94-82 loss versus the Pacers. Durmmond also had 25 points and three steals in that setback.

His emergence along with the solid player of the other five starters in Reggie Jackson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Marcus Morris and Ersan Ilyasova are a major reason the Pistons are a huge the Pistons have a chance to make their first appearance in the postseason since 2009.

When Isaiah Thomas came into the league four seasons ago, the only claim to fame that the 5’9’’ former Huskie, who again was the final pick in the draft, was that his father lost a bet and named his son after the great Hall of Fame lead guard that led the Pistons to back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990.

Thomas (21.5 ppg-Leads team, 6.7 apg-9^th NBA) has become known to the entire league now as a first time All-Star, averaging career-highs in points and assists per contest and free throw percentage at 89.4 percent.  

To put how far Thomas has come into perspective, in 216 career games with the Kings in his first three seasons, he started 153 of them. When he was acquired by the Boston Celtics (27-21) at the trade deadline a season ago from the Phoenix Suns, he had started just one game in the 67 games he played combined for both teams a season ago. This season, Thomas has started 45 out of 48 games and is a big reason why the C’s have a serious chance of making the playoffs for a second consecutive season and general manager Danny Ainge has this team miles ahead of where they were projected by many to be when they via trades said goodbye to the likes of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rondo and head coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers, who led the Celtics to their 17^th NBA title eight seasons ago when they beat Bryant and the Lakers in six games.

The main event of TNT’s 31^st season of NBA All-Star coverage will have it all. We will be saying goodbye to one of the greats in Bryant, who in his first appearance in the aforementioned unofficial mid-season classic had 31 points in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge and NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Some of the best in the game that have continued to do it like Bosh, Wade, Paul, Durant, James, Westbrook and Anthony have will be on hand proving again will show why again and the new comers and players on the rise like Curry, Thompson, Thomas, Cousins, Wall, Green, Butler, George, Leonard and Davis will show why the future of the NBA is in great hands going forward.

The 65^th NBA All-Star Game in Toronto, ON will be a site to see and it can be seen on Valentine’s Night, Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. on TNT. The game will also be simulcast by TSN and Sportsnet ONE in Canada and it will mean a lot for them, especially with the team’s starting backcourt as participating in the contest.

“It’s a blessing. It’s great for the city. For this organization. It’s big,” DeRozan said to Ledlow this past Thursday night. “We’re going to go out there, represent the organization best we can and this whole country.”

Information, statistics and quotations are courtesy of 1/27/16 2:30 a.m. edition of NBATV’s “Gametime” presented by KIA with Rick Kamla, Steve Smith and Isiah Thomas; 1/28/16 2:30 a.m. edition of NBATV’s “Gametime” with Vince Cellini, Kenny Smith and Greg Anthony; 1/28/16 7 p.m. edition of TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by Autotrader with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal; 1/29/16 edition of “Inside the NBA” on TNT presented by KIA with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal; www.nba.com/2016/news/01/21/2016-all-star-starters-release/index.html|?|; www.nba.com/2016/news/01/28/2016-all-star-reserves-revealed/index.html|?|; www.espn.go.com/nba/teams; www.espn.go.com/nba/standings; www.espn.go.com/nba/statistics; http://en/m/wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregg_Popvich; http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wki/Isaiah_Thomas_(basketball); www.google.com.