2024 NBA All-Star Game: Eastern and Western Conference Starters Announced
The excitement is building as the 2024 NBA All-Star Game approaches, and this year’s game is set to take us back to the old-school days of basketball. Gone are the captains drafting teams playground style and the target score in the fourth quarter. Instead, it’s going to be a classic East vs. West matchup, just like the games we watched growing up.
The starters for the highly anticipated game were announced on Thursday, and they were determined through a combination of fan votes (50% of the total), player votes (25%), and media votes (25%). Each conference had to select two guards and three frontcourt players.
Let’s take a closer look at the Eastern Conference starters. In the guard position, we have Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard. The frontcourt players for the East are Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and Jayson Tatum.
Moving on to the Western Conference starters, we have Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the guards. The frontcourt players for the West are LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Nikola Jokic.
While these starters have been announced, the real excitement lies in the selection of the reserves. The coaches will have the responsibility of choosing seven players for each conference, and those names will be revealed next week. This is where we often see some surprising snubs and heated debates among fans.
One player who was thrilled to hear that he would be starting in Indianapolis is Kevin Durant. He took to social media to express his gratitude to the fans, media, and his peers for voting him into his 14th All-Star Game. Durant is looking forward to locking in and playing alongside some of the greatest players in the league.
Now, let’s delve into a few interesting observations about these starters. New York fans were left disappointed when Jalen Brunson didn’t secure an East starting spot. He was tied with Damian Lillard in weighted scoring across fans, media, and player voting. However, the tiebreaker is the fan vote, and Lillard came in third while Brunson landed in fifth place. Despite this setback, Brunson is expected to be a lock as a reserve.
In the Western Conference, the fan vote initially had Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic as the starting backcourt. However, the player and media votes pushed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander into the starting spot alongside Doncic. Curry is still expected to make it as a reserve. It’s worth noting that Devin Booker, who was ranked fifth by both the media and players, surprisingly came in eighth in the fan vote.
The frontcourt selections for both conferences were unanimous among fans, players, and media. Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James once again proved their popularity by being the top vote-getters in their respective conferences. This marks LeBron’s 20th consecutive NBA All-Star selection, extending his own record.
It’s also worth mentioning that this will be the first All-Star start for both Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. These young talents have shown their skills on the court and are now being recognized on a grand stage.
As we eagerly await the announcement of the reserves, it’s clear that there were no major surprises in the selection of the starters. The top three frontcourt players in each conference were well ahead of the competition, leaving no room for debate. However, the reserves will undoubtedly bring some interesting discussions and potential snubs.
Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 18th, as the All-Star Game will take place at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will be televised on TNT, along with other exciting events such as the All-Star Saturday Night Dunk Contest, 3-point Contest, and the Rising Stars games on Friday night.
Get ready for a nostalgic showdown between the Eastern and Western Conference as the best players in the league come together to showcase their skills and entertain fans worldwide. The 2024 NBA All-Star Game promises to be a memorable event that will keep us on the edge of our seats.