The NBA announced its starting lineup for the 2023 All-Star Game on Thursday. In the West, LeBron James — who also captained the drafted team — leads a field filled with two-time MVPs Nikola Jokic, Zion Williamson, Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic. formed team. In the East, Giannis Antetokounmpo will serve as captain, as will Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell and Kyrie Irving. Here are three thoughts on the starting group.
Domantas Sabonis and Joel Embiid snubbed
Every meeting has major snubs. In the West, Williamson was unexpectedly endorsed by Sabonis. Zion’s stats are insane. He must have played at an All-Star level. The problem is he doesn’t play much. Sabonis played 16 more games than Williamson, and while his stats may not be as flashy, he has just as much impact on winning. (As a good measure, Sabonis even played with an injury and barely missed a game despite a broken right thumb.) We’d all love to see Williamson in action. He should probably be a backup. With his stamina and all-around offensive impact, Sabonis feels like the better starting option.
In the East, Embiid must have wondered why he was left out of the starting five. There are four players who are perfectly deserving of the three frontcourt spots, and Embiid is the odd one. But he seems like a better option than Giannis. Both are defensive elite. And this season, Embiid scored more points and was more efficient than Antetokounmpo. In an ideal world, the NBA would have people pick their five best players instead of positional constraints. In the current setup, though, Embiid seems to have more reason to start than Giannis. I’m not envious of those who formally make these decisions, though.
Curry averaged 29.3 points per game this season, ranking third
David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports
Stephen Curry beats Ja and Shay
Outside of the Eastern frontcourt, the most intriguing battles are at defense in the West. Luka appears to have locked up one of those starting spots. That opens up a three-way battle between Curry, Ja Morant and Sergey-Alexander for another starting spot. Curry is my pick, he’s definitely a worthy starter. He’s been coming surprisingly close to the level of his unanimous 2016 MVP campaign. If anything, the Warriors’ struggles are a reflection of their convoluted front office, which for some reason isn’t fully committed to going all-in on Curry. Morant and the SGA will have the opportunity to earn starting spots throughout their careers. Now, let Stephen’s choice be a reminder that he hasn’t slipped one bit. The Warriors still have a super-super-elite player on their roster. Hope they take action!
Kyrie Complications
Kyrie Irving getting the starting job has caused some trouble for the East. Jalen Brunson, Trae Young, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Haliburton are probably more deserving All-Stars, with the latter two especially starters. Irwin’s numbers are pretty solid, but then there’s the fact that he was suspended by his own team for using his massive platform to share a link to an anti-Semitic film. Obviously Irving is still welcomed by a large number of fans. Given the amount of controversy Irving has brought himself over the past few years, having him as an ambassador for the sport doesn’t look like a good thing for the NBA. Irving’s popularity may also outweigh his efficiency compared to other players in the East. As an All-Star, he wasn’t an egregious choice based purely on what happened on the court. Given Kyrie Irving’s overall experience, and what other players have accomplished, there are better options in the starting five.
