Tag: ALL-STAR GAME

Booker to replace injured Lillard in All-Star Game

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The NBA announced today Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard on Team LeBron in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Booker’s first career All-Star selection. TNT and ESPN Radio will air the game live at 6 p.m. (Phoenix time).

The 24th different player in Suns history to be named an All-Star, Booker’s selection is the 63rd all-time for the Suns and first since Steve Nash in 2012.

Booker will also replace Lillard in the 3-Point Contest as part of All-Star Saturday Night, live on TNT and ESPN Radio at 6 p.m. on Feb. 15. The 2018 3-Point Contest Champion, this will be Booker’s fourth time participating in the event.

The fourth-youngest player in NBA history to score 7,000 career points after reaching the milestone on Jan. 28, Booker is averaging 26.4 points (10th in NBA) and 6.3 assists (19th) while shooting career bests of 49.6% from the field (30th) and 92.0% from the free throw line (2nd) in this his fifth season.

He is the only player to rank in the top 30 on the NBA leaderboard in points and assists per game plus field goal and free throw percentage as he is scoring efficiently and creating for his teammates at a level rarely seen in NBA history; Booker is currently just the eighth player ever to average at least 25 points and six assists while shooting over 49% from the field for a season, joining basketball legends LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson, Stephen Curry, Dwyane Wade and Jerry West.

Booker will play in the 69th NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 16 at the United Center in Chicago. TNT and ESPN Radio will air the game live at 6 p.m. The 2020 NBA All-Star Game will feature Team LeBron vs. Team Giannis as captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo selected the All-Star Game rosters from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference.

As part of the new format for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, the two teams will compete to win each quarter for their designated charities, Chicago Scholars for Team LeBron and After School Matter for Team Giannis. The fourth quarter will be untimed and the teams will play to a Final Target Score (the leading team’s cumulative point total through three quarters plus 24), meaning that the game will end with a made basket instead of with the clock running out.

Booker and all members of Team LeBron will wear the No. 2 in the All-Star Game to pay tribute to the late Gianna Bryant while Team Giannis will wear the No. 24 of the late Kobe Bryant. Both teams will wear jersey patches displaying nine stars, representing Kobe, Gianna and their seven friends and teammates who tragically passed away in a helicopter accident on Jan. 26.

Winner of the 2018 3-Point Contest, this will be Booker’s fourth time competing in the event and fifth time competing at All-Star Saturday Night. Last year in Charlotte, he scored 23 points in the opening round of the 3-Point Contest but did not advance. In 2018 in Los Angeles, Booker set an event-record 28 points by making 20-of-30 shot attempts in the final round to take home the trophy. In 2016 in Toronto, he advanced to the final round against Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry as a 19-year-old rookie, the youngest competitor in 3-Point Contest history. Booker also participated at All-Star Saturday Night in New Orleans in 2017, competing in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge.

Booker (2016, 2018, 2019, 2020) is the only Suns player to make as many as three career appearances in the 34-year history of the 3-Point Contest on All-Star Saturday Night. Booker in 2018 and Quentin Richardson in 2005 are the only Suns players to win the event. Suns General Manager James Jones won the 3-Point Contest as a member of the Miami Heat in 2011.

The 2020 3-Point Contest features a new look with the addition of two shots in the “MTN DEW Zone” – two locations positioned equidistant between the traditional racks at the top of the 3-point arc and the adjacent “wing” rack. Each of the two ball pedestals in the MTN DEW Zone is located six feet behind the 3-point line and holds one special green ball worth three points. In addition to the two new shots, the 3-Point Contest will continue to have five main shooting locations – four racks containing four official NBA game balls (each worth one point) and one multicolored “money” ball (worth two points) as well as one “all money ball” rack. With the addition of the MTN DEW Zone, the number of balls in a round has increased to 27 from 25, the amount of time in a round has expanded to 70 seconds (1:10) from 60 seconds (1:00) and the maximum possible score in a round has risen to 40 points from 34 points. The three competitors with the highest scores in the first round advance to the championship round.

Suns’ GM: ‘Devin Booker is undoubtedly an NBA All Star’

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Not everybody can make an All-Star team, and each and every year, players get snubbed, which could be the case with Suns G Devin Booker. In 44 games, Booker is averaging 27.1 PPG(8th in NBA), 6.4 APG, and 4.1 RPG. Those are All-Star caliber numbers, but unfortunately, he got snubbed.

On Thursday, the NBA announced the All-Star reserves, and Booker was noticeably absent from the list of Western Conference All-Star reserves, and according to Suns GM James Jones, that should not be the case.

“I’ve played with and against multiple All-Stars in this league, and Devin Booker is undoubtedly an NBA All-Star,” Jones said after the All-Star reserves were announced. 

The coaches choose the All-Star reserves, which must be composed of two guards, three front-court players and two wild-card picks from either position group.

Booker was probably beaten out by players such as OKC’s Chris Paul, Houston’s Russell Westbrook, Portland’s Damian Lillard, and Utah’s Donovan Mitchell. You could make a legitimate argument that Booker deserves the nod over one of those four guys.

However, other than the Blazers, who are just a 1/2 game up on the Suns in the standings, the Thunder, Rockets, and Jazz all have had much better team success this season.   

Sometimes these things have a way of working themselves out, but for now, Booker is on the outside looking in.

List of 2020 Western Conference All-Star reserves:

  • Rudy Gobert, Jazz (1st All-Star selection)

  • Brandon Ingram, Pelicans (1st All-Star selection)

  • Nikola Jokić, Nuggets (2nd All-Star selection)

  • Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers (5th All-Star selection)

  • Donovan Mitchell, Jazz (1st All-Star selection)

  • Chris Paul, Thunder (10th All-Star selection)

  • Russell Westbrook, Rockets (9th All-Star selection)]

Brand on Simmons: ‘He continues to prove why he is one of the NBA’s best and most dynamic talents’

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The NBA announced today that Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers was named an Eastern Conference reserve for the 2020 All-Star Game in Chicago. It’s Simmons’ second consecutive All-Star Game selection after also being named a reserve for last year’s game in Charlotte.

“Being named an All-Star is an incredible honor for Ben as he continues to prove why he is one of the NBA’s best and most dynamic talents,” said Philadelphia 76ers General Manager Elton Brand. “Having two All-Star appearances in his first three seasons, at the age of 23, is a testament to his elite work ethic, gifted athletic ability and commitment to excellence. Ben has only scratched the surface of what he is capable of accomplishing in this league. I am thrilled for Ben’s hard work to be recognized at the highest level.”

In his third NBA season, Simmons holds averages of 16.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.4 assists (fifth in the NBA, second in the East) and a league-best 2.2 steals per game. He and fellow All-Star starters Luka Dončić and LeBron James are the only three players in the league averaging at least 15 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Simmons is the only member of the trio shooting at least 50-percent from the field, while his .580 mark ranks 10th in the league and fourth in the East. His 385 assists rank third in the NBA, behind only James and fellow All-Star Trae Young.

Simmons has notched four triple-doubles this season, which is tied with All-Star starter Giannis Antetokounmpo for the most in the Eastern Conference. In his most recent triple-double effort, Simmons matched a career high with 34 points, adding 12 rebounds, 12 assists and five steals to his totals. He is the only player to reach such minimums in a game since steals were first tracked in 1973-74.

Second in the NBA in steals with 100 on the season, Simmons has snatched at least five steals on three occasions, including a pair of seven-steal games. Among the NBA’s hustle leaders, he also ranks first in the league in loose balls recovered and tied for third in deflections.

The Australia native recently played in his 200th career game and joined Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson as the only three players in NBA history to tally at least 3,000 points, 1,500 rebounds and 1,500 assists through their first 200 contests.

On Jan. 20, it was announced that Simmons earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for games played between Monday, Jan. 13 and Sunday, Jan. 19. It was Simmons’ third career Player of the Week honor, as he’s now captured the award in each of his first three seasons in the NBA. For the week, he averaged 21.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. He scored at least 20 points in each of his four games during the week, part of a stretch in which he scored 20-plus in a career-high five straight games.

Simmons joins Joel Embiid, who was named an All-Star starter last week. The duo represents the first 76er teammates to be selected to consecutive All-Star Games since Maurice Cheeks and Charles Barkley in 1987 and 1988.

Brand: ‘Joel(Embiid) has quickly established himself as one of our game’s most dominant players’

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The NBA announced today that Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers was named an Eastern Conference starter for the 2020 All-Star Game in Chicago. It’s Embiid’s third consecutive All-Star Game selection after being named a starter in each of the past two seasons. He’s the first 76ers player to be named a starter in three straight All-Star Games since Hall of Famer Allen Iverson started seven straight from 2000-06. Embiid is also the eighth player in franchise history to be named an All-Star starter three times, matching Wilt Chamberlain with his third selection.

“Congratulations to Joel on being named an All-Star starter for the third consecutive season,” said Philadelphia 76ers General Manager Elton Brand. “Through his continued hard work and intense desire to win, Joel has quickly established himself as one of our game’s most dominant players and a cornerstone of our franchise. His combination of power and finesse is truly special, as is the unique connection he’s made to our fans in Philadelphia. This is well-deserved, and we look forward to Joel representing the Philadelphia 76ers in Chicago during All-Star Weekend.

In his fourth NBA season, Embiid holds averages of 23.4 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. He and fellow All-Star starter Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only two players in the league averaging 20 points, 12 rebounds and one block per game. Embiid has posted a team-best 24 double-doubles (sixth in East) in his 31 games, while his 21 games with 20 points and 10 rebounds are tied for the second-most in the NBA, behind only Antetokounmpo.

Embiid is one of four Eastern Conference players, and one of seven league-wide, averaging at least eight free-throw attempts per game, making at least 10 free throws on nine occasions. In five of those 10 free-throw games, Embiid has scored 30-plus points, something he’s done a team-leading eight times this season. On Dec. 12, Embiid joined Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes (twice) as the only 76ers ever to post at least 38 points, 16 rebounds and six assists against the Celtics.

Defensively, Embiid ranks sixth in the East with an individual defensive rating of 99.5. He’s one of eight-players league-wide with a mark below 100. Embiid, Antetokounmpo and Detroit’s Andre Drummond are the only three Eastern Conference players averaging at least 1.0 blocks and 12.0 rebounds per contest.

On Nov. 15 at Oklahoma City, Embiid’s 166th career game, Embiid surpassed 4,000 points, becoming the second-fastest 76er to reach the mark, behind only Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain. The Cameroon native would later collect his 2,000th career rebound in his 174th game, becoming the fastest NBA player to reach the mark since Tim Duncan in 1999. The only 76er ever to post 2,000 career rebounds faster than Embiid was Hall of Famer George McGinnis in 1977.

In the Eastern Conference frontcourt, Embiid finished third in fan voting and second in both player and media voting.

Fans accounted for 50 percent of the vote to determine the NBA All-Star Game starters, while current NBA players and a media panel accounted for 25 percent each.

After all votes were tallied, players were ranked in each conference by position (guard and frontcourt) within each of the three voting groups – fan votes, player votes and media votes.  Each player’s score was calculated by averaging his weighted rank from the fan votes, the player votes and the media votes.  The two guards and three frontcourt players with the best score in each conference were named NBA All-Star Game starters.

Ben Simmons selected to his first NBA All-Star game

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The NBA announced today that Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers was named an Eastern Conference reserve for the 2019 All-Star Game in Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s Simmons’ first career All-Star selection as he becomes the 32nd 76er to be named to an All-Star Game in franchise history.

Simmons will join teammate Joel Embiid as an Eastern Conference All-Star this season. The two become the first pair of 76er teammates selected to an All-Star Game since Hall of Famers Allen Iverson and Dikembe Mutombo were both selected in 2002.

This season, Simmons is averaging 16.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game while shooting .569 percent from the field. He ranks third in the NBA in assists per game and 13th in field-goal percentage, making him the only player in the league to rank in the top 15 in both categories.

The Australia native has recorded eight triple-doubles this season, good for first in the Eastern Conference and tied with Denver’s Nikola Jokić for second in the NBA behind only Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook. Simmons recently notched his 20th career triple-double in his 129th NBA game; the only player ever to reach the mark faster is Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson, who did so in just 45 appearances.

Last week on Jan. 23, Simmons posted 21 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high-tying 15 assists in a 122-120 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Just 12 days prior, he tallied 23 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists against the Atlanta Hawks. Simmons is one of four players with multiple games of at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists, joining All-Stars Bradley Beal (two), James Harden (two) and Westbrook (four).

The Louisiana State product holds career averages of 16.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game and was named the 2017-18 Kia Rookie of the Year last season.

The Eastern and Western Conference reserves for the 68th NBA All-Star Game were revealed tonight on TNT. Eastern Conference captain Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks and Western Conference captain LeBron James of the Lakers will pick the final teams for the 2019 All-Star Game on TNT in a special NBA All-Star Draft Show on Thursday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. ET. The captains will draft the eight remaining players from the starter pool in the First Round and then all 14 players from the reserve pool in the Second Round, making selections without regard to a player’s conference affiliation or position.

The 2019 NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. ET at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. TNT and ESPN Radio will air the game live in the United States. NBA All-Star 2019 will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages.

The 14 reserves were chosen by the NBA’s 30 head coaches. The coaches voted for seven players in their respective conferences – two guards, three front court players and two additional players at either position group. They were not permitted to vote for players from their own team.

Cleveland to host 2022 NBA All-Star Game

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The NBA announced today that Cleveland has been selected to host NBA All-Star 2022, when the league will be commemorating its 75thanniversary.  The 71st NBA All-Star Game will take place at Quicken Loans Arena, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers, on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022.  The Cavaliers previously hosted NBA All-Star in 1997, when the NBA celebrated its 50th anniversary, and in 1981.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made the announcement today during a press conference at Quicken Loans Arena, where he was joined by Cavaliers Chairman Dan Gilbert, Cavaliers and Quicken Loans Arena CEO Len Komoroski, Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson, Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish and U.S. Representative, Eleventh Congressional District of Ohio, Marcia Fudge.

“Cleveland is a passionate sports city with a proven track record of hosting large-scale, global events,” said Silver.  “We thank Dan Gilbert, Len Komoroski and the civic leaders for their commitment, and we look forward to a weeklong celebration of our game.”

With the current, large-scale arena renovations underway that will be completed in advance of NBA All-Star 2022, the game and extended activities in the transformed Quicken Loans Arena will offer fans an enhanced experience.

“We are proud to host NBA All-Star weekend in Cleveland in 2022,” said Gilbert.  “We have been working with the NBA, the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County to deliver this iconic event to Northeast Ohio for the last couple of years.  The transformation and new state-of-the-art Quicken Loans Arena was an important factor in the NBA’s decision to choose Cleveland for this exciting classic broadcast across the globe. The world will get to see the modern Cleveland and all of its diversity, innovation and promise for the future.”

“Along with the excitement and appreciation for the NBA selecting Cleveland and Quicken Loans Arena to host NBA All-Star 2022, we want to extend a big ‘thanks’ to our local partners at Destination Cleveland and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, and our City, County and Civic leaders,” said Komoroski.  “Their support and energy to always demonstrate what we as a community do best is at the core of bringing these major events to our city.  We have a great partnership that will deliver an experience fitting for the NBA All-Star global spotlight.  We thank the NBA for their confidence in this collective group, and we will put forth the focus and commitment to ensure that the players, fans, corporate partners, media and all who visit have an extraordinary experience in Cleveland and at the transformed Q in 2022.”

 “The City of Cleveland is pleased to host NBA All-Star 2022,” said Mayor Jackson.  “Our city is no stranger to hosting successful, large, global events.  It is a good opportunity, once again, for visitors to come to Cleveland and experience all we have to offer.” 

“This is great news for Cleveland and Cuyahoga County,” said Budish.  “When we made the decision to invest in the transformation of the Q, we were aiming for exactly this kind of result.  I am thrilled to see the NBA All-Star Game coming in 2022 with an expected $100 million economic impact to our region. Once again, our city and county will shine on the national and international stage and our businesses and residents will reap the rewards.”

NBA All-Star on court events will tip off on Friday, Feb. 18 at Quicken Loans Arena with MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars, an annual showcase for top rookies and second-year NBA players.  On Feb. 19, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night will feature the Taco Bell Skills Challenge and the Three-Point and Slam Dunk contests.  NBA All-Star 2022 will culminate with the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The NBA will host several events for fans of all ages at venues throughout the city, including The Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University and Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland.  These events, including NBA All-Star Practice and the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by Ruffles, will feature basketball programming and entertainment for fans as well as up-close access to NBA players, legends and celebrities.

The league will also continue to celebrate its tradition and commitment to social responsibility with a full schedule of NBA Cares events during NBA All-Star 2022.  Through partnerships with schools, government and local nonprofit organizations in Cleveland and surrounding areas, the league will reach thousands of children and families and provide critical resources to community-based programs.

In 2022, the NBA All-Star Game will be televised in prime time on TNT for the 20th consecutive year, marking Turner Sports’ 37th year of NBA All-Star coverage.  The game will be broadcast worldwide in 215 countries and territories and in 50 languages.

NBA ALL-STAR HISTORY IN CLEVELAND

Cleveland last hosted NBA All-Star in 1997, when the league celebrated its 50th anniversary season.  The NBA’s 50 Greatest Players were honored during a ceremony at halftime of the All-Star Game.

The 1997 NBA All-Star Game featured a historic performance from Charlotte Hornets forward Glen Rice, who set an All-Star record for points in a quarter with 20 in the third period.  Rice finished with 26 points to lead the Eastern Conference past the Western Conference 132-120, earning MVP honors.

Also at NBA All-Star 1997, Los Angeles Lakers rookie guard Kobe Bryant won the Slam Dunk Contest, Chicago Bulls guard Steve Kerr triumphed in the Three-Point Contest and Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard Allen Iverson was named MVP of Rising Stars.

The Cavaliers also hosted NBA All-Star 1981, at Richfield Coliseum, the team’s home from 1974-94.  Behind MVP Tiny Archibald of the Boston Celtics, the East defeated the West 123-120.

Complete list of NBA All-Star reserves

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NEW YORK – Reigning Kia NBA MVP Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder and four first-time All-Stars lead the list of 14 players selected by the NBA’s head coaches as reserves for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. ET at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Joining Westbrook as reserves in the Western Conference player pool are LaMarcus Aldridge of the San Antonio Spurs, Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors and Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers.  Towns is an All-Star for the first time.  With Green and Thompson earning spots alongside starters Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, the Warriors are the first team to have a record-tying four All-Stars in consecutive years.

The Eastern Conference reserve pool includes three first-time All-Stars: Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards, Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers and Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks.  They are joined by Al Horford of the Boston Celtics, Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors and John Wall of the Wizards.

The 67th NBA All-Star Game, featuring Team LeBron vs. Team Stephen, will air on TNT and ESPN Radio.  The midseason classic will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages.

Under the new All-Star Game format that replaces the traditional matchup between conferences, Curry and Cleveland’s LeBron James – the All-Star starter from each conference who received the most fan votes in his conference – will serve as team captains and draft the team rosters from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves.  All-Star team rosters will be unveiled on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. ET in a special one-hour edition of TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by Autotrader.

Curry and James will select the team rosters without regard for conference affiliation.  Each captain will choose 11 players to complete a 12-man roster.  The 2018 NBA All-Star Draft rules are as follows:

  • The eight All-Star Game starters (aside from Curry and James) will be drafted in the first round.
  • The 14 All-Star Game reserves will be drafted in the second round.
  • As the top overall vote-getter among fans, James will have the first pick in the first round (starters). Curry will have the first pick in the second round (reserves).
  • The captains will alternate picks in each round until all players in that round have been selected.

The starters, announced last week, were selected by a combination of fans, current NBA players and a media panel.  The East starter pool is James, Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), DeMar DeRozan (Toronto), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) and Kyrie Irving (Boston).  The West starter pool is Curry, DeMarcus Cousins (New Orleans Pelicans), Anthony Davis (New Orleans), Kevin Durant (Golden State) and James Harden (Houston Rockets).

The 14 reserves were chosen by the NBA’s 30 head coaches.  The coaches voted for seven players in their respective conferences – two guards, three frontcourt players and two additional players at either position group.  They were not permitted to vote for players from their own team.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select the replacement for any player unable to participate in the All-Star Game, choosing a player from the same conference as the player who is being replaced.  Silver’s selection would join the team that drafted the replaced player.  If a replaced player is a starter, the head coach of that team will choose a new starter.

Team LeBron will be coached by the head coach from the Eastern Conference team with the best record through games played on Sunday, Feb. 4 among the 14 teams with an eligible head coach.  Boston’s Brad Stevens is ineligible because he coached in last year’s All-Star Game.  Team Stephen will be coached by the head coach from the Western Conference team with the best record through Feb. 4 among the 14 teams with an eligible head coach.  Golden State’s Steve Kerr is ineligible because he coached in last year’s game.

2018 NBA ALL-STAR GAME RESERVE POOL

Eastern Conference

  • Bradley Beal, Wizards (1st All-Star selection): In his sixth season, Beal is averaging a career-high 23.6 points per game and has more games of at least 20 points (35) than all but four players, trailing Antetokounmpo (40), Harden (37), James (36) and Westbrook (36).
  • Al Horford, Celtics (5th All-Star selection): The 31-year-old is one of three players averaging at least 13.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and one blocked shot, joining Cousins and James.
  • Kevin Love, Cavaliers (5th All-Star selection): Love (18.6 ppg, 9.4 rpg) is set to appear in the All-Star Game as a Cavalier for the first time; he was named a reserve last year but missed the game in New Orleans with a knee injury.
  • Kyle Lowry, Raptors (4th All-Star selection): The 12-year veteran’s four All-Star selections have come in four consecutive seasons. Lowry is one of three players averaging at least 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists, along with James and Westbrook.
  • Victor Oladipo, Pacers (1st All-Star selection): The five-year veteran and first-year Pacer is setting career highs in scoring (24.2 ppg), rebounding (5.2 rpg), steals (1.93 spg), field goal percentage (48.4) and three-point field goal percentage (40.2).
  • Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks (1st All-Star selection): Porzingis, 22, is set to become the second-youngest Knick to appear in an All-Star Game. New York’s top scorer (23.3 ppg) will be less than two weeks older than Bill Cartwright when he played in the 1980 All-Star Game as a rookie.
  • John Wall, Wizards (5th All-Star selection): An All-Star with Washington for the fifth straight year, he is now tied for the second-most selections in team history behind Elvin Hayes (eight). Wall is averaging at least 19.0 points and 9.0 assists for the third season in a row.


Western Conference

  • LaMarcus Aldridge, Spurs (6th All-Star selection): He is averaging team highs of 22.3 points and 8.7 rebounds, his highest marks in three seasons with San Antonio. The Spurs have now had at least one player selected to 20 consecutive All-Star Games, the NBA’s longest active streak.
  • Jimmy Butler, Timberwolves (4th All-Star selection): Making his fourth straight All-Star team, Butler is shooting a career-high 47.6 percent from the field to complement averages of 21.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists in his first season with Minnesota.
  • Draymond Green, Warriors (3rd All-Star selection): The 2016-17 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year earned his third All-Star nod in a row. Green joins James, Westbrook and the 76ers’ Ben Simmons as the only players averaging at least 11.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists.
  • Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers (3rd All-Star selection): Lillard is one of four players averaging at least 25.0 points and 6.0 assists, a group that includes Curry, Harden and James.
  • Klay Thompson, Warriors (4th All-Star selection): An All-Star for the fourth consecutive year, Thompson (20.6 ppg) is shooting a career-high and NBA-best 45.3 percent from three-point range as well as career highs of 48.6 percent from the field and 88.1 percent from the free throw line.
  • Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves (1st All-Star selection): The 22-year-old has recorded an NBA-high 41 double-doubles. Towns (20.2 ppg, 12.1 rpg) joins Butler to give Minnesota two All-Star selections for the first time since the 2003-04 season (Sam Cassell and Kevin Garnett).
  • Russell Westbrook, Thunder (7th All-Star selection): Westbrook, the NBA leader in assists (10.1 apg) to go with 24.8 points and 9.7 rebounds, is the only player to win the Kia NBA All-Star MVP outright in back-to-back years (2015 and 2016 games).