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Tim BontempsESPN
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant were named as captains for next month’s NBA All-Star Game on Thursday night.
James and Durant will select their respective teams from the remaining 22 All-Stars on March 4 after receiving the most votes from any player in any conference. The All-Star Game – which the NBA officially announced earlier this Thursday that this season will take place – will be played on March 7 in Atlanta.
The players who joined the forecourt from both conferences went as expected, while Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid center were in the starting lineup for the East with James, while James with Kawhi Leonard and Denver of Cl Clippers and Denver was. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in the West.
The back seats, however, were more controversial.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry was one of the forerunners in the West, while Dallas Mavericks warden Luka Doncic tied up Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard. Doncic finished second in the poll by fans, but was third – behind Lillard – in both media and player voting. It was said: Doncic was ultimately the choice to start, because the voting right of fans – who made up 50% of the votes, with the players and the media getting 25% each – was the break-even point.
In the East, Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal, the NBA’s leading scorer at 32.8 points per game, got one starting spot after being controversially left off the team last year. This was his first starting nod. The other starting point went to Nets star Kyrie Irving, when he joined his teammate Durant.
Lakers forward Anthony Davis and Clippers forward Paul George finished fourth and fifth in the West frontcourt poll, respectively, while Utah Jazz Donovan Mitchell finished fourth among West guards.
In the East, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler finished fourth and fifth, respectively, while Durant and Irving’s teammate James Harden were third, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine fourth and the Celtics guard Jaylen Brown – who finished second in media voting – landed fifth.
The remaining 14 All-Star places will be determined by the coaches of both conferences. They will vote for seven from the East and the West for the next few days each, with the results to be announced on TNT on Tuesday night.
James’ team in the All-Star Game is led by Jazz coach Quin Snyder, who achieved the honor with a victory over the 76ers on Monday. Meanwhile, 76ers coach Doc Rivers will coach the other team if the Sixers win one of their next two games, or lose the Bucks and Nets again this week.