Last week, the NBA revealed the ten starters for this year’s All-Star Game in Charlotte and the team captains who would represent their respective conference. Now, it’s time to find out who will be the reserves that LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo can choose from to fill out the rest of their rosters.
Check them out below.
Eastern Conference
- Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers
- Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
- Blake Griffin, Detroit Pistons
- Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
- Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
- Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
- Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic
As for Oladipo's spot, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski has the answer.
Western Conference
- Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
- Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
- LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs
- Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
When the Eastern Conference reserves were revealed, the Inside the NBA crew was surprised to see that Brooklyn Nets guard D’Angelo Russell didn’t make the cut. Russell, who has come into his own in his fourth year in the league, is posting career-highs in points (19.5) and assists (6.4) per game, as well as field goal (44.0) and three-point percentage (37.6). Aside from Russell, a case could also be made for Pascal Siakam, who has been just as impressive this season as his Raptors teammate and Eastern Conference reserve Lowry. Since Oladipo’s spot needs to be filled, the East can get it right by taking either Siakam or D’Angelo.
For the Western Conference, the decision was tough. Derrick Rose and Luka Doncic were fan favorites, but it’s not hard to argue why any player picked as a reserve for the West deserved it more than Rose or Doncic. The Luka fans out there can take solace in knowing that there should be plenty of selections down the road for him for years to come.
The NBA All-Star Draft Show will be held on Thursday, February 7 at 7 p.m. on TNT. The 2019 NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, February 17.
