Who are your predicted starting five on each conference for this upcoming 2024 All-Star?
These are my objective (realistic) guesses:
West: G: Stephen Curry (popularity, inconsistent atm); G: Luca Doncic (ridiculously efficient so far); F: LeBron James (popularity); F: Kevin Durant (Just great atm); C: Nikola Jokic;
East: G: Tyrese Maxey (marketable narrative and playing great atm); G: Donovan Mitchell (good and popular); F: Jason Tatum (ofc); F: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Ofc); C: Joel Embiid (ofc);
These are my personal preferences:
West: G: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Just better overall vs Steph atm); G: Luka Doncic (I dislike Luca but seems like he’s locked to start bc he is popular and just ridiculous stat wise); F: Paul George (Currently playing great atm. Hoping LeBron numbers would dip and George get a bit better for him to have a case); F: Kevin Durant (This one’s kinda locked stats wise too); C: Nikola Jokic (JOKER);
East: G: Damian Lillard (Playing quite well atm. Hoping Bucks linger on top 3 in the east for him to make a case against the stat padding guards in the east); G: Donovan Mitchell (Still prefer a legit SG rather than two PGs even tho it’s All Star game); F: Jason Tatum (Tatum fan and he’s locked); F: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Even his stats dipped a bit he’ll still start bc he is charismatic); C: Joel Embiid (no C in East comes close);
So whose yours? I would love to see your predictions as well and your arguments why.
I think Haliburton makes it over every other guard in the east the way he is playing this year. Passes based on basic stats, the eye test, and advanced stats. 25/12 on hilariously low turnovers relative to volume, insane efficiency, and oh ya currently the best offense in the history of the league. On a better team record then people expected.
For advanced stats he is 4th in the league in EPM, 4th in BPM, 11th in RAPTOR.
And finally just watching him he is so clearly insanely valuable and good on offense, incredibly clutch, and is just such a good passer, decision maker, and shooter.
Honestly hard for me to see a case right now for any guard in the east over him. I think right now Haliburton is closer to people like Jokic, and Embiid, than he is to Dame Lillard in terms of just performance this year.