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Tim BontempsESPN
The NBA announced Tuesday night the reserve selections for the All-Star Game next week in Atlanta, a list headed by Brooklyn Nets star James Harden, as well as center Rudy Gobert and guard Donovan Mitchell of the leading Utah Jazz.
Harden, the NBA’s most valuable player in 2018, represents Brooklyn for the first time in his ninth consecutive All-Star appearance. The previous eight come with the Houston Rockets, who traded Harden to Brooklyn last month as part of a four-team deal. Since the trade, Harden has averaged 24.9 points and 11.4 assists in 18 games with Brooklyn. He will team up with teammates Kevin Durant, one of the two captains, along with LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers star, and Kyrie Irving, who were both named beginners last week.
In addition to Harden, the other six Eastern Conference selections were: the guard Jaylen Brown and forward Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics; New York Knicks forward Julius Randle; Chicago Bulls await Zach LaVine; Philadelphia 76ers await Ben Simmons; and Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic.
Brown, the frontrunner for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award this season, is an average of the Celtics’ career highlights, including points (25.5), assists (3.9) and all three shooting percentage categories: field goal (49.7), 3-point (40.9) and free throw (76.6), helping him earn his first All-Star pick. Tatum, meanwhile, scored a career-high 26.4 points and made his second consecutive appearance in the league’s mid-season showcase.
Vucevic will make his second All-Star appearance, after making his first two seasons ago, achieving a career high of 24.1 points per game and achieving a career-best 40% of the 3-point. Simmons will make his third consecutive All-Star appearance; the well-rounded wait, along with starter Joel Embiid, is a big reason why the Sixers entered Tuesday with the best record of the Eastern Conference.
There will be two first All-Stars from two of the league’s flagship franchises in Randle and LaVine, both of which have career years. Randle, who helped lead the 15-16 Knicks in a surprising battle for a playoff spot, averaged some of his best careers in virtually every category playing under Tom Thibodeau, while LaVine had a career high of 28.6 scored points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists.
Over the past few weeks, there has been intense debate about who deserves the last few places in the East, with a deep pool of candidates gaining support. Eventually, however, the league’s coaches liquidated and left out several of them, including Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo and forward Jimmy Butler; Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton; 76ers forward Tobias Harris; Fred Raptors of Toronto awaits Fred VanVleet; Indiana Pacers await Malcolm Brogdon and forward Domantas Sabonis; Trake Young, the Falcons of Atlanta, is waiting; and Gordon Hayward, Charlotte Hornets forward.
Out West, Gobert and Mitchell were the main streak candidates, as they were the two representatives for the Streak Jazz, which was Wednesday’s match against the Lakers on ESPN with the NBA’s best record, and won 20 of their last 22 games. Gobert, who is in a position to win his third Defensive Player of the Year award, is making his second consecutive All-Star appearance this season after a few nearly missed in previous seasons. It is also the second consecutive appearance for Mitchell, who has a career high of 24.5 points and 5.2 assists.
They were accompanied by: Portian Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard; LA Clippers forward Paul George; Anthony Davis, Lakers forward; Phoenix Suns await Chris Paul and New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson.
Lillard could easily be an appetizer as he experiences another stellar season averaging 29.8 points and 7.7 assists and keeps Portland in the playoffs, though guard CJ McCollum and center Jusuf Nurkic with long-term injuries are gone. George, meanwhile, is back in the All-Star Game for the seventh time after missing it last year, his first in Los Angeles, after injuries delayed the start of his season. On the other hand, Davis is almost certain that he will be replaced by someone before the All-Star Game due to the calving tension that is currently causing the Lakers star to tip over.
The last two places in West have participated in one of the league’s oldest stars in Paul and one of his youngest in Williamson. Paul, who acquired Phoenix before the season, makes his 11th All-Star appearance and his second consecutive series after being ranked for Oklahoma City last year. Williamson, the best overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, makes his first appearance after scoring 25.1 points and shooting more than 60% off the field.
The two have beaten a field of candidates for the final few spots that include the following: San Antonio Spurs forward DeMar DeRozan; Donderwag Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; Jazz guard Mike Conley, who still holds the unofficial title of best player for never making an All-Star team; Sunscreen Watch Devin Booker; and Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram.
As in last season, the NBA will combine the All-Stars into one pool, which will be split by captains James and Durant into two teams. Jazz coach Quin Snyder will coach James’ team, while Sixers coach Doc Rivers will lead Durant’s team.
The match will also, like last year, feature the Elam Ending, in which the teams play to a final score against a set fourth quarter. Like last year, the final score will be determined by the combined score of the team ahead, taking three quarters and adding 24 points – in honor of Kobe Bryant.