With the Eastern Conference
All-Star starters set, let’s look at the players who deserve a
reserve slot for the East All-Star team this season. Check out our Western Conference
All-Star reserve picks here.
Guard: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
This pick is a no-brainer.
Brunson is the head of the snake for a New York Knicks team that’s
been the best in the NBA since the turn of the calendar, going an
NBA-best 14-2 in January. If not for falling short in fan voting
(ranking just fifth), he would have been an All-Star starter. The
6-foot-2 guard ranked third and second in player and media voting,
respectively, earning the respect of his peers and the media alike
due to his ongoing stellar season. He’s currently averaging 27
points, 6.5 assists and 4 rebounds per game for the third-place
Knicks. Brunson is surefire and deserving All-Star.
Guard: Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland
Cavaliers
Equally as deserving as Brunson,
Mitchell is the second player (and guard) I’d select as an East
reserve. He’s averaging 27.7 points, 6.3 assists and 5.5 rebounds
per outing and is leading one of the hottest teams in the NBA, as
the Cavs recently went on an eight-game winning streak. What makes
this recent stretch even more impressive is that Mitchell did this
without All-Star backcourt mate Darius Garland and forward Evan
Mobley, who have been out with injuries. Despite surfacing in some
trade rumors early in the season, Mitchell put his head down and
went to work, earning himself an All-Star spot this
season.
Forward: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Celtics forward Jaylen Brown has
certainly picked up right where he left off last season after
recently signing his lucrative $300 million extension. Brown has
been the second-best player on the best team in the NBA, averaging
22.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists a game. He provides ample
support for Celtics teammate and All-Star starter Jayson Tatum and
at times carries the offensive load when Tatum is not on the floor.
Boston would not be the juggernaut they are without the 6-foot-6
Brown’s perimeter defense, dynamic three-level scoring and improved
pick-and-roll decision-making.
Forward: Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
Blossoming into a true alpha for
the Magic this season, Banchero has turned heads with his play. The
2022 No. 1 overall pick is averaging 23 points, 7 rebounds and 5
assists and he has yet to miss a game (47 games played). Banchero
is one of only three players with the same numbers this season
while shooting 38% from three, with the other two being All-Star
starters LeBron James and Luka Doncic. The Magic are in the thick
of a tight Eastern Conference playoff race, and Banchero has been a
big reason why. The 6-foot-10, 250-pound forward has produced in
clutch moments and had a number of dominant performances despite
being just a sophomore in this league. Without him, Orlando would
be a totally different team.
Center: Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Although the Miami Heat have
been in a slump as of late, Bam Adebayo has shown up night in and
night out while producing the same type of efficiency and numbers
he’s known for. Adebayo is averaging 20.7 points, 10.5 rebounds,
4.2 assists, 1.1 blocks and a steal while serving as a two-way
anchor for the Heat. A lot of Miami’s offensive possessions have
been initiated by Adebayo, whether it be dribble handoffs,
screening actions or him going to work from the free-throw line. He
is having a career-year in terms of scoring while still playing at
a high level on defense. For a Heat team that’s been missing key
players all season long, Adebayo has been rock-solid and that will
likely earn him another All-Star nod.
Wildcard: Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
A Most Improved Player
candidate, Maxey has taken his game to new heights this season.
He’s bumped up his scoring average from 20.3 to 25.7 points a game,
and transitioned into a full-time point guard after James Harden’s
departure. Maxey has learned to balance his scoring and
facilitating, emerging as a perfect No. 2 option alongside reigning
MVP Joel Embiid. Their partnership has been lethal, averaging the
most combined points by a duo this season. Maxey’s ascension to a
legit second option this season didn’t go unnoticed, as he earned
the respect of his fellow players and media, ranking second and
fourth, respectively, in their voting ballots. This all adds up to
the first All-Star berth for the 6-foot-3 guard.
Wildcard: Trae Young, Philadelphia 76ers
Even though the Atlanta Hawks
have been underperforming, it’s hard not to notice Young’s exploits
this season. He is the only player in the league averaging 26
points and 10 assists, and he has the most 30-point, 10-assist
games (13). Although Young finished second in fan voting among East
guards, he’ll likely need to earn a wildcard spot in order to make
the East team. Sure, one can argue Young’s stats do not impact
winning and somone like Boston’s Derrick White deserves the nod
over him because his team is atop of the standings. But I believe
Young’s sheer excellence this season has earned him a
spot.
Snubs: Julius
Randle (Forward, New York
Knicks); Derrick White (Guard, Boston Celtics);
Kristaps Porzingis (Center, Boston Celtics); Jimmy
Butler (Forward, Miami
Heat)
Probably the toughest cut was
Julius Randle, who was having a good season with the now
third-place Knicks before dislocating his shoulder. He might still
be named an All-Star and then a replacement would be named in his
place, which would allow Randle and his replacement to be
recognized. White’s impact on winning for the top-ranked Celtics
stands out and should warrant an All-Star spot if the East didn’t
have several star guards who are putting up ridiculous stats.
Porzingis and Butler, on the other hand, have missed a considerable
amount of games, which weakens their case.
Check out our Western Conference All-Star
reserve picks here.
