Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young has been named as an injury replacement on the Eastern Conference team in the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, the announced today by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Young, along with Toronto Raptors forward/guard Scottie Barnes will replace injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid(knee) and New York Knicks forward Julius Randle(shoulder).
Young, who is an All-Star for the third time in his career (2020, 2022, 2024), is averaging career bests of 10.9 assists and 1.5 steals, while registering 27.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in a career-high 36.6 minutes per game. He has handed out an NBA-leading 490 assists, on pace to become the first player to lead the league in total assists in three straight seasons since Steve Nash (2009-12), per Elias Sports.
Among Eastern Conference players, the sixth-year guard ranks second in assists per game (also second in the NBA), third in points per game (eighth in the NBA), second in steals per game (seventh in the NBA) and first in made three-pointers per game (3.4 3FGM, fourth in the NBA). He is the only player in the NBA averaging at least 25.0 points and 10.0 assists and is the only player in the East, and one of only two players in the NBA this season, to be ranked top 10 in points per game, assists per game and steals per game.
This season, Young has recorded an NBA-leading 27 games with 20-or-more points and 10-or-more assists, in addition to an Eastern Conference-leading 14 games with 30-or-more points and 10-or-more assists (second-most such games in the NBA). The Oklahoma product registered at least 30 points and 10 assists in seven straight games from Dec. 13 through Dec. 23, tying Oscar Robertson for the longest such streak in NBA history. He currently owns 76 career games of 30+ points and 10+ assists, tied with Nate Archibald for the fifth-most such games in NBA history.
Barnes, the 2021-22 NBA Rookie of the Year, has been named an NBA All-Star for the first time. In his third NBA season, Barnes is averaging career highs of 20.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.48 blocks and 1.24 steals in 35.3 minutes in 50 games. He joins 2024 NBA All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks as the only NBA players to have at least 1,000 points, 400 rebounds, 250 assists, 50 blocks and 50 steals this season.
The 73rd NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 18 in Indianapolis, Indiana, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
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