It’s a good thing they didn’t pick the NBA All-Star team rosters in advance this year.
After Wednesday’s news that Zion Williamson won’t play in the All-Star Game, the starting lineups need a lot of reinforcements. Steph Curry was already expected to miss the game with a knee injury, and then Jaylen Brown sustained a facial fracture Wednesday.
Kevin Durant will also need an injury replacement.
That’s at least four replacement players. But it nicely works out to be one guard and one frontcourt player per conference. We assume Kevin Durant’s replacement will still come from the East even though he’s now a Phoenix Sun.
It’s an easy choice in the Western Conference. While it feels weird to have two Sacramento Kings as All-Stars, Team Beam is in third place. De’Aaron Fox and his 24.2 points per game deserve to replace Curry. And Devin Booker needs to rest his hamstring anyway.
Anthony Davis was playing like an MVP before he got hurt. He may have missed time, but he’s played two more games than Williamson. Send The Brow to Utah.
In the Eastern Conference, Pascal Siakam is having a career year: 25 points, eight rebounds, 6.2 assists. The Raptors may be having a disappointing season, but they’re still in the play-in, and that’s thanks to Siakam.
For the final guard spot, the two best guards would probably rather go on vacation than play in the All-Star Game. Jimmy Butler and James Harden are having great seasons, but they’d rather spend hanging out with Mark Wahlberg and Lil Baby, respectively. So, send Jalen Brunson (career-high 23.2 points per game), just so Knicks superfan Spike Lee will attend the All-Star Game in Salt Lake City.
