All Star Starters

West:

• G - Curry
• G - Harden
• F - Durant
• F - Leonard
• F - Davis

East:

• G - Irving
• G - DeRozan
• F - James
• F - Antentokounmpo
• F - Butler

No starting trio of Harden/Bestbrook/Durant.

Thoughts? Snubs? Agree? No Zaza?

Source.

I'm glad to see sanity prevailed, though I still think they need to redo the ballot in order to curb social media campaigns to vote in completely undeserving players as a joke.

Westbrook will still make the team, of course, but I believe he should be starting. Still, looking at the performances of those players, I think they're fairly good picks across the board. Proof that fan voting doesn't always get it wrong, but yeah...Zaza shouldn't have even been A Thing, so make those changes to the ballot.

Proof that fan voting doesn't always get it wrong

Fans will account for 50 percent of the vote, while all current players and a panel of basketball media will account for 25 percent each.
Source.

I think the other 50% helps. Fans are morons.

I think Lowry should've started before Irving too.

Fair enough. I suppose that's an OK solution, too.

Like I've said before though, fan voting has worked out OK in the past. Having everyone on the ballot, combined with the presence of social media campaigns and the way they can give weird campaigns a push, definitely makes it more problematic than it used to be.

I will let other people express their anger. emotional distress and etc., etc. caused by Westbrook not making the starting lineup. I feel really, really disappointed about Lowry and Isiah Thomas not being there with the first 5. To get both of them in was nearly impossible, but at least one of them could've made the starting lineup and my night better.

No Embiid makes me sad. No Russ makes me sad. Then I saw Kyrie destroyed every other guard in the east and all was right with the world.

I feel really, really disappointed about Lowry and Isiah Thomas not being there with the first 5. To get both of them in was nearly impossible, but at least one of them could've made the starting lineup and my night better.

Agreed. One of those 2 easily over Irving

Looks like Melo won't be an allstar this year!

Westbrook and Isaiah are in the MVP run while Kyrie and Curry are not even close. Lowry having a spot should not have been even a discussiom.

Lowry is having a far better and efficient season than DeRozan, plus he plays waay better defense than everyone on the run for those spots. I get the point fans have to vote, but this only helps big fanbases.

There is no possible alternate dimension where Curry deserved to be there more than Westbrook. The second time in history a player is averaging a triple double for the full season and he won't start on the AllStar Game.

Funny how people throw in arguments to support Kyrie's spot such as "he is the most clutch player in the NBA". Thomas and Westbrook are the leaders in points in the 4th and points in the last 2 minutes.

End of my rage.

IIRC, a very deserving Jimmy Butler was like 10th in forwards in fan voting.

I don't really care about this stuff anymore. years of pure fan voting led to some dumb stuff. the rise of the Chinese vote led to the league fudging numbers. Then the league realized pure fan voting was dumb when zaza nearly got voted in so they use "player and media" votes to set their own lineups. wonder if leaving westbrook off will lead to another change next year.

Will Porzingod make the team this year??

I doubt it Eric, he's being good at times but I wouldn't say allstar level yet and I don't think the coaches will give him many votes either though I'd love it if we had at least one allstar from our "Superteam"

wonder if leaving westbrook off will lead to another change next year.

Won't be long before they opt for just 5 players with no regard to positions. Before it was C-PF-SF-SG-PG, then they went to F-F-F-G-G and soon it'll just be P1-P2-P3-P4-P5.

Curry
Harden
Bestbrook
Leonard
Durant

^Next year.

Starters are fine - all ten of them would have made the team regardless. Not a big deal that Westbrook will come off the bench in a game that doesn't count.

Who would you guys pick for the reserves? I'd have:

West: Westbrook, Lillard, Conley or Jordan (replacing Paul), Hayward, Green, Cousins, Gobert
East: Isaiah, Wall, Lowry, Walker, Millsap, Embiid, Whiteside or Drummond

Starters are fine - all ten of them would have made the team regardless. Not a big deal that Westbrook will come off the bench in a game that doesn't count.

Who would you guys pick for the reserves? I'd have:

West: Westbrook, Lillard, Conley or Jordan (replacing Paul), Hayward, Green, Cousins, Gobert
East: Isaiah, Wall, Lowry, Walker, Millsap, Embiid, Whiteside or Drummond

West: Westbrook, Conley, Lillard, Cj McCollum, Hayward, Green, Cousins, Marc Gasol.
East: Isiah Thomas, Lowry, Wall, Paul George, Carmelo AAANTHONYYYY, D. Wade, Millsap and Drummond.

I see one player in the east getting picked because of the fan votes, so the crowd doesn't get pissed. I guess, since these might be the last years we see him play, D. Wade will be chosen over Embiid who has enough time left to prove himself and make 10 all star teams.

wonder if leaving westbrook off will lead to another change next year.

Won't be long before they opt for just 5 players with no regard to positions. Before it was C-PF-SF-SG-PG, then they went to F-F-F-G-G and soon it'll just be P1-P2-P3-P4-P5.

Curry
Harden
Bestbrook
Leonard
Durant

^Next year.

I could also see a G-G-F-F-G/F team so the last spot is like a utility spot in fantasy sports

Some further info on the new voting system, and the specific results that led to the selections.

Q: I just did the math, and that means Curry and Westbrook tied with a 2.0 average ranking using those percentages. So why are Curry and Harden starting?

A: That's right. If there's a tie, the fan vote is the tiebreaker. Harden also ended up with a 2.0 average -- the lower the number, the better -- and finished second among fans, media and players. Curry and Harden won the tiebreaker. It was close but Westbrook lost out.

Yeah Ernie gave a good break down of it on Inside the NBA.

https://streamable.com/pojxo

I guess what I'm hoping for now is for the game to return to what it was, and be less of a farce. I know, I know, it's always been an exhibition for the fans as much as an achievement for players. It always had more of a playground atmosphere, with defense that was a bit more casual and the intention of putting on a show. I really enjoyed that though, especially as it was still reasonably competitive. That's all gone now; defense has gone from somewhat casual to almost completely non-existent, and the games have basically become impromptu three-point shootouts, everyone standing back while someone tries to pot threes. It's hard to take any of the big scoring numbers in recent All-Star games seriously, because it feels like every basket is handed to players on a silver platter. The difference between the games of yesteryear - even going back only a few years here - and the last couple of All-Star games, is staggering to observe.

I guess one of the factors that have made defense in the All Star Game pale is the concern of coaches and teams of players getting injured. On top of that, if the defense in these kind of events has always been one step backwards to the regular season defense, i would kindly agree it is where it should be

I suppose, but Brad Miller is the only player I ever recall getting injured in an All-Star game (and not too seriously, I believe).

Brad Miller did once break his leg during the pregame layup drill when he played for the kings. Fun fact.

It is an exhibition for the players. I thought it was reported that making all star teams are no longer used as pay incentives for the players.

It is what it is. Maybe for the ones wanting competition will just have to enjoy the skills challenge and 3pt contest

If u want the "best" players, get rid of the conferences. How many all star teams did Zeke make because of the lack of pg's in the East

It certainly is what it is, but I don't have to love what it's become. I guess grumbling doesn't change anything, but it bugs me because I used to really enjoy the All-Star game, and the last couple of years, its been a shell of what it used to be. Oh well.

Embiid didn't even make it as a reserve!? I knew the all star game was poorly managed but I didn't know it was this poorly managed.

Glad kemba made it. He deserved it last year. Hayward was an interesting pick, but good for him. His numbers definitely get in him conversation. No lillard is not surprising, he keeps getting snubbed and mccollum had an argument to be there. CP3 will probably replace the next injured player.

I haven't been following embiid this year. How's he been doing? Is he really deserving of a spot?