2024 NBA All-Star Game Starters Announced
The 2024 NBA All-Star Game will be held on Sunday, February 18 in the Indiana Pacers' very own Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. This year’s NBA All-Star Game will also return to its old Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format for the first time since the 2017 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans. While there are still many details to be confirmed about the game such as coaches, full rosters, etc., if you were wondering about the starters for both sides there is no need to debate about it any longer as the 2024 NBA All-Star Game Starters were officially announced earlier today.
Indiana Pacers' young star point guard Tyrese Haliburton will start for the Eastern Conference squad on his home court playing in his second NBA All-Star Game. He is in the midst of his monstrous best season ever averaging nearly 24 points a game, dropping nearly 13 assists in every contest, meanwhile shooting 50% from the field and 40% from behind the arc. Haliburton will be joined in the backcourt by Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard playing in his eighth NBA All-Star Game and first-ever time playing as a part of the Eastern Conference side. While there has been much debate about whether or not Lillard’s starting spot should have been given to New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson or Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, there is no debate Lillard is having a great season on his new team dropping over 25 points a night.
Haliburton and Lillard will be joined by Boston Celtics small forward Jayson Tatum, playing in his fifth NBA All-Star Game, and Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, playing in his eighth NBA All-Star Game, filling out the three and four positions for the Eastern Conference. Tatum is averaging 27 points and 8 rebounds so far this season, while Giannis is having an MVP-caliber season scoring 31 points and grabbing 12 rebounds every game. Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, playing in his seventh NBA All-Star Game, will close out the Eastern Conference starters at the center position as he is coming off his recent 70-point and 18-rebound game versus Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in a season where he is averaging over 36 points a game, the most we have seen a player average in a season since James Harden’s 2018-2019 unstoppable stepback season with the Houston Rockets.
Oklahoma City point guard Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, averaging 31 points a contest this year, will alongside Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic, averaging nearly 34 points and 9 assists a game so far this season, make up the Western Conference backcourt. They will be joined by Los Angeles Lakers small forward LeBron James, averaging 25 points through 40 games played this year, and Phoenix Suns power forward Kevin Durant, averaging 29 points through 37 games played this season, in the frontcourt. These two gentlemen, prime examples of people who it seems like will never leave their prime, will be playing in their fourteenth and twentieth NBA All-Star Games. LeBron, being named an NBA All-Star for the twentieth time earlier today made history, passing NBA Hall of Fame center and scorer of the second most NBA points all-time Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s nineteen NBA All-Star game appearances for the most all-time. Denver Nuggets center and recent NBA Champion Nikola Jokic, averaging a near triple-double with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists a game this season, will close out the Western Conference starters at the five position.
Were these ten guys all deserving of their starter spots for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game?
