On Wednesday night, the NBA revealed the starters for the upcoming All-Star game in Cleveland. To little surprise, LeBron James and Kevin Durant received the most votes from fans, players, and the media.
For LeBron, he ties Kobe Bryant with his 18th All-Star selection. He’s one shy of tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the record. As for Durant, it’s his 12th All-Star selection, though he’s already confirmed he’ll sit out the game to rehab an MCL sprain. His replacement in the starting lineup will be announced at a later date.
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From the Western Conference, Stephen Curry joins LeBron with his eighth All-Star selection. Curry’s teammate Andrew Wiggins makes his first All-Star appearance of his career. Reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic and first-time All-Star Ja Morant round out the starters. From the East, Durant is joined by standout DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls in his first appearance since 2017-18. In the frontcourt, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo make their fifth and sixth appearances, respectively. Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks narrowly edged James Harden and Zach LaVine for the final starting spot.
LeBron and KD will serve as team captains for the second consecutive year. They’ll draft their squads from the group of eight starters, then from the additional fourteen reserve players. Since switching from an East vs. West format in 2018, LeBron has served as a captain every season and has yet to lose a game.
The All-Star reserves will be announced on February 3rd, with the draft taking place one week later. Both events will air on TNT.
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