The NBA announced it’s Eastern and Western 2015 NBA All-Star reserves earlier today. Here is how the East and West teams shaped out after the coaches filled the rosters.
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Eastern Conference Starters
PG — John Wall
SG — Kyle Lowry
SF — LeBron James
PF — Carmelo Anthony
C — Pau Gasol
Eastern Conference Reserves
Western Conference Starters
PG — Stephen Curry
SG — Kobe Bryant
SF — Blake Griffin
PF — Anthony Davis
C — Marc Gasol
Western Conference Reserves
The Snubs
- DeMarcus Cousins — For the second straight year, Boogie was left off the Western conference all-star team. Although, he could still be added on later with Kobe Bryant — a starter selected by the fans — out for the remainder of the season and will need to be replaced. Cousins is averaging 24 points, 12 rebounds and 1.6 blocks this season. Albeit, he did miss 10 straight games early in the year due to an untimely illness.
- Kyle Korver — Korver is having a historic shooting year this season in Atlanta, who been having a season to remember themselves. The 11-year veteran is averaging 13 points per game on a career-high 52 percent shooting from the field and an absurd 53 percent from three. Korver has been out of this world good, but it’s understandable that he didn’t make the all-star team. Many believe he’s a one-trick pony, an excellent shooter. He’ll be in consideration to replace Dwyane Wade, who’s likely to miss the all-star game with a hamstring injury.
- Damian Lillard — The third-year point guard from Weber State is having his best year to date, averaging 22 points, six assists and five rebounds per game. He’s also shooting a career-best 43 percent from the field, including 37 percent from distance. But with the immense talent that is flowing through the Western Conference, a few A-list guards had to be left off the roster. Unfortunately, Lillard happened to fall on the short side of the stick this season.
- Other notable snubs: Nikola Vucevic (Magic), Dwight Howard (Rockets), Brandon Knight (Bucks).
Random Musings
- If you want to ding one player because of injury, you have to hold it against all the players that suffered injuries and missed time. Wade missed seven-straight games early this season and three sprinkled in-between. But let’s not make it seems as if he’s missed more than Kevin Durant (has missed 25 games this season) and/or Russell Westbrook (missed 14), who got in as reserves in a much more talented West. Stop with the narratives. Wade deserved it based on his first half of the season.
- Kevin Love wasn’t an all-star snub. Simply hasn’t played well enough to deserve it.
- Glad Chris Paul got in. For a minute it didn’t look too good. Then again, there’s so much talent in the Western Conference — 16, 17 guys vying for 12 spots. Not fair.
- Lillard, Cousins or Mike Conley — one will replace Kobe Bryant on the West team. Should be Cousins, but I bet it’s Lillard.
- Dwight Howard has been hurt this season, but he’s still having a 16-point, 11-rebound per game season. C’mon, man. The West just isn’t fair.