Which side has the better starting five? Which selection was most surprising? What All-Star reserve battles should we expect? Our NBA insiders answer them all.
The starting lineups for the 2023-24 NBA All-Star Game have been unveiled — and there are plenty of big names and marquee matchups to look forward to on Feb. 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
LeBron James made history by being named to his 20th All-Star Game, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most All-Star nods in NBA history. He’ll be joined on the court by Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will be joined by Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Bucks guard Damian Lillard and Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton.
The 73rd edition of the event — hosted by the Pacers — will be a return to the traditional Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format. LeBron will captain the West against an East side led by Antetokounmpo.
After Thursday’s announcement, there is still plenty to break down: Which side will win? Which players were overlooked? Whose selection was the most surprising? Is the return of the East vs. West format actually a good thing?
Our NBA insiders are here to answer the biggest questions.
Andrew Lopez: Damian Lillard getting to be a first-time starter this late into his NBA career is great and he’s deserving, but Donovan Mitchell could have certainly been the backcourt starter alongside Tyrese Haliburton. Mitchell, who has missed nine games this season, has done his part to keep the Cleveland Cavaliers in the top four of the Eastern Conference despite injuries to Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, who each have now missed half the season. Mitchell is scoring 27.6 points per game (above his career average of 24.8 points) —while posting career highs in assists per game (6.2), rebounds per game (5.4) and steals per game (1.9).
André Snellings: Kawhi Leonard. He’s has been outstanding this season for the LA Clippers and has played almost every game — including the first four back-to-backs of the season — with little to no load management. Though his box-score numbers are good, his true value shows up in the impact stats that estimate how his presence has correlated with team success. The Clippers have outscored their opponents by 11.3 points per 100 possessions with Leonard on the court, but have been outscored by 2.9 points per 100 possessions with him off, per Basketball-Reference. And the Clippers have won 18 of their last 20 games in which Leonard has played with an average scoring margin of a whopping 11.1 points per game.
Bobby Marks: No offense to Lillard, but I do not understand how the voters (fans, media, and players) overlooked Jalen Brunson. The New York Knicks guard is averaging a career-high 26.6 points and shooting 42.3% on three-pointers. In January, Brunson ranks fifth in points per game (29.0 ppg) and ninth in assists (9.0), and has four 40-point games this season, matching his total from last season. New York has the fifth-best record in the Eastern Conference and are 19-0 against teams below .500.
Kevin Pelton: All of the starters are deserving, so I wouldn’t say anyone was snubbed, but I thought Mitchell was the strongest candidate left out. He got my vote alongside Haliburton in the East backcourt. Brunson, Lillard and Mitchell all have relatively similar box-score stats, but Mitchell scores as better by advanced metrics by virtue of his higher usage rate (32% of the Cavaliers’ offense) and a steal rate about double the other two contenders.
Ohm Youngmisuk: Leonard will likely be named as an All-Star reserve, but he deserves to be a starter as much as anyone. The red-hot Clippers have won 25 of their last 32 games and Leonard has been their best player. In the last 20 games Leonard has played, the two-time Finals MVP has averaged 25.4 points while shooting 56.5% from the field, 49.5% on 3-pointers and 92.1% on free throws. He has been the focal point of double teams almost nightly and he is still the only player averaging 25 points on 55% shooting and 90% on free throws since Dec. 1.
Kevin Pelton: I’m pleasantly surprised that fans picked up on what Tyrese Haliburton is doing in a small market. The Pacers’ run to the in-season tournament final undoubtedly buoyed his candidacy given how little exposure Haliburton had previously gotten on national TV during his career with lottery teams in Indiana and Sacramento.
