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NEW YORK — Five players each from the East and West have been named the starters for the 2023 All-Star Game, the NBA announced Thursday. Here’s what you should know:

LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo were named as the captains with the most votes in their respective conferences. James has captained every All-Star his game since the league changed to its current format six years ago and has never lost.
Fan votes account for 50% of starter votes. Certain media voters make up 25% of his, and players’ votes make up 25% of his.
The NBA will announce the All-Star Reserve (coach’s choice) on February 2nd. For the first time ever, the captains will choose sides minutes before the All-Star Game kicks off in Salt Lake City on February 19th.

all-star game starter

yeast starter

western starter

Biggest all-star starter snub

Voters were required to select three frontcourt players and two guards from each conference, with no substitutions. Neither Durant nor Tatum, for example, could be transferred to a guard, even though they handled the ball as well or better than the average guard. That meant his four forwards/centers were worth three spots, and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid (33.4 points, 9.8 rebounds) was easily the biggest (and tallest) snub.

Doncic, who averages 9.1 rebounds per game at 6 feet 7 inches and weighs 230 pounds, is as good or better than many others, but has never been able to move into the forward spot. That led to a jam of starter-worthy guards between Curry, Ja Morant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Other big snubs include Kings’ Domantas Sabonis (NBA leader in rebounds), Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton (NBA leader in assists) and Celtics’ Jaylen Brown (averaging 27 points and 7 boards for top teams in the league). included. — Verdon

special moment

It’s Mitchell’s first choice as an All-Star starter, and he’s playing in a game being held where he spent the first six seasons of his career. Mitchell has made three All-Star Game appearances with the Jazz and was traded to Cleveland last summer as part of an organizational restructuring. Lauri Markkanen, one of the players Utah acquired in Mitchell’s deal, will almost certainly be named as a reserve.

James, meanwhile, was named to his 19th All-Star Game at age 38, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record. But assuming he’s healthy, Kareem only appeared in his 18 games, which would be his NBA record for most All-Star games when LeBron makes it to Salt Lake City. James recently overtook Kareem to become the all-time leading scorer in sports history.

The 22-year-old Williamson is making his second All-Star appearance and his second starting lineup, but it is the first time he has been voted as a starter in ASG. He was previously promoted to the starting lineup for Embiid’s 2021 game, which was included in the league’s health and safety protocol. Williamson has appeared in just his 29 games this season and is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Irving will be heading to his eighth All-Star Game, but his first since the 2020-21 season. He’s had a rough run in his last two campaigns, with multiple suspensions and extended absences. — Verdon

Who are you looking for next week?

Voting is done by the league’s 30 coaches and you cannot vote for your own player. They must select 2 guards, 3 forwards/centers and 2 players at any position in each conference.

Let’s start with the snub. In the East, Embiid (forward/center), Brown (guard) and Halliburton (guard) are rocks. And in the West, Sabonis (forward/center), Morant (27.3 points guard, 8.0 assists average — an easy starter number) and Gilgeous-Alexander (guard).

The rest of the East’s reserves include Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan (guard) or Nikola Vucevic (forward/center), possibly Hawks’ Trae Young (guard), possibly Knicks’ Julius Randle (forward/center), or possibly Miami might include big man Bam Adebayo. Darius Garland (guard) and Jarrett Allen (forward/center) of the Cavaliers were All-Stars last season, but it’s unclear if either will be available now.

Markkanen (forward/center) has never been a ‘snub’ per se, but he will be noted as one of the Jazz’s representatives and one of the season’s top statistical performers. Damien Lillard (guard) of the Trail Blazers certainly has a chance (usually he’s a 60-pointer useful), Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards (guard), and potentially Pelicans’ CJ McCollum (guard). It is possible to complete the western reserve. The Lakers’ Anthony Davis (forward/center) was admirable in his limited on-court action, but given his lack of play (26 games), it would be nice to see coaches pick him. I’m having a hard time — Verdon