Who will start in 2020 NBA All-Star Game? Here are our picks
Who will start in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago on Feb. 16? The answers will be delivered tonight on TNT.
We think we have a good handle on who the starters will be, especially in the Western Conference. There are a few more questions in the East.
Will Toronto’s Pascal Siakam be a starter in his first All-Star appearance? Or will Miami’s Jimmy Butler get the nod? Or will it be Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid who is left out in the frontcourt?
In the East backcourt, it looks like the final spot will come down to either Atlanta’s Trae Young or Philadelphia's Ben Simmons.
In the West, the only spot that seems in question is the final frontcourt spot after the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard has the inside track, but Denver's Nikola Jokic or Utah’s Rudy Gobert could sneak in as a starter.
Fans account for 50% of the vote, players 25% and media 25%.
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Paste BN Sports’ Mark Medina and Jeff Zillgitt and The Oklahoman’s Maddie Lee reveal who they think should start, along with their toughest omission:
Mark Medina's picks
East
Backcourt: Kemba Walker, Boston; Ben Simmons, Philadelphia
Frontcourt: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee; Joel Embiid, Philadelphia; Pascal Siakam, Toronto
West
Backcourt: James Harden, Houston; Luka Doncic, Dallas
Frontcourt: LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers; Anthony Davis, Lakers; Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
Toughest omission: Butler deserves an All-Star starter’s nod after for his play and attitude with Miami. But he was excluded because he was only eligible to be voted as a front-court player.
Maddie Lee's picks
East
Backcourt: Walker; Trae Young, Atlanta
Frontcourt: Antetokounmpo; Siakam; Embiid
West
Backcourt: Doncic; Harden
Frontcourt: James; Davis; Leonard
Toughest omission: Although I labored over who should get the second backcourt spot in the East – Young or Bradley Beal – the player I really wanted to vote for doesn’t qualify as a backcourt player. Butler is designated as a forward, and I couldn’t quite justify bumping Siakam or Embiid. So, the two-way threat who has led his team to No. 2 in the East didn't make the cut as a starter.
Jeff Zillgitt's picks
East
Backcourt: Walker; Young
Frontcourt: Antetokounmpo; Embiid; Siakam
West
Backcourt Harden; Doncic
Frontcourt: James; Davis; Leonard
Toughest omission: Mark and Maddie are right – Butler was difficult to leave off. But Simmons was equally as difficult, given what he has done this season: 16 points. 8.5 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 57.6% from the field. He also has 24 double-doubles and four triple-doubles for a team near the top of the East standings.