If it feels as though the whole NBA All-Star selection process is happening inordinately fast this season, it’s because it is. We usually wait a full week between the announcements of the starters and reserves for the All-Star teams, but things are expedited because we have a draft to not watch!
The starters, determined by a combination of fan, player, and media voting, were announced last Thursday. The four starting guards are Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, DeMar DeRozan, and James Harden. The six starting frontcourt players are LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, and DeMarcus Cousins.
Before the coaches’ picks for All-Star reserves are announced, though, you get my picks. This is not an official ballot, because I am not an official NBA head coach. Yet. (Call me, Milwaukee.)
Remember: While the players won’t play for their conference in the All-Star Game, they are being selected out of the conference.
Backcourt
Victor Oladipo, Pacers
Oladipo has not just been the NBA’s stone-cold most improved player this season, but he’s certainly been one of the three best guards in the Eastern Conference. There was a real case for him to be elected a starter by the numbers given his exceptional production and quality defense. Alas, team success does matter and the Celtics and Raptors are far superior to the Pacers.
Oladipo will be a first-time All-Star (barring an unconscionable snub). The domino effect of his breakout season is really something. It’s colored some observers’ views of Russell Westbrook, it has boosted the reputations of Nate McMillan (nowhere near a hot seat) and Kevin Pritchard, and it has changed both the playoff race (where no one had Indiana before the season) and the Luka Doncic sweepstakes (where some thought the Pacers would play a major role).
Kyle Lowry, Raptors
Lowry is putting up very Kyle Lowry stats (17-6-6) for the best Raptors team ever. His defense and leadership remain worth commendation; his partnership with DeRozan is truly one of the best things going in the NBA and maybe North America.
Some guards (including [spoiler alert] my two wild card picks) have gaudier numbers. But the total Lowry package is certainly one of the best 12 packages in the East this season to date.
Frontcourt
Al Horford, Celtics
Horford was a popular choice for the third starting frontcourt spot, but Joel Embiid beat him out. Like Lowry, Horford doesn’t have the most eye-popping numbers (13-7-5). El Dominicano, however, anchors the NBA’s top defense and is an integral part of the offense, both as a secondary playmaker alongside Irving and as a pop-a-shot option in the mid-range.
Regardless of how you feel about rewarding the best teams with multiple All-Star spots, Horford deserves to be in.
Kevin Love, Cavaliers
Note that votes from NBA coaches for the reserves (and the bulk of this column) were punched in before Monday’s report that some Cavaliers have accused Love of feigning illness to escape Saturday’s game against the Thunder and Sunday’s team practice. No word on Love’s fit status (in or out).