Starters for the NBA 2017 All-Star Game in New Orleans have been formally announced. Although Russell Westbrook took the top spot from media and players votes the tie went to the fans who placed him third.
On January 12th, second returns from fan votes for the NBA 2017 All-Star game starters experienced few shifts from the initial round. As the starters were announced this evening on a special episode of TNT Inside the NBA, the final results were revealed for the 10 starters.
This season a change was added to the voting process where fan votes will account for only 50% percent of the total. The other 50% being made up from an even split of player and media votes. In the event of a tie the fans would make the decision which occurred once in each Conference.
Unfortunately for Westbrook, it was the fans vote which kept him out of the staring line-up.
Western Conference All-Stars:
With the loss at Oracle still fresh in mind there is little solace for OKC Thunder guard, Russell Westbrook who failed to surpass Stephen Curry adding salt to the already open wound.
Fans who like drama missed out on a big opportunity to add a little more to the proceedings by `having to see what would happen by putting Westbrook and Durant on the court together. Now whoever coaches (likely Gregg Popovich’s staff) will be able to avoid playing the two together.
What many considered was a foregone conclusion ultimately didn’t occur as now the starters for the West will feature just 2 of the former OKC Thunder players.
The West backcourt features Warriors, Stephen Curry and the Rockets, James Harden. The West frontcourt is comprised of the Warriors, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard of the Spurs and host town/team Pelicans big man Anthony Davis.
Fans miss opportunity to force reunion of OKC Big 3:
The three former OKC Thunder teammates last shared the court in 2011-12 in the finals.
Related Content: All-Star starters reflect what former OKC Big 3 could have been.
With the tension palpable between defector Durant and current Thunder superstar Westbrook it could have been the hot topic leading up to the February 19th All-Star Game. But it’s a lost opportunity and fans only have themselves to thank.
Consider the fodder you could have had if Westbrook had started – –
Would Westbrook have passed Durant the ball? Would the two have been able to put aside their standing feud,? Or would this event only served to widen the already massive abyss between the pair? Suffice to say if James Harden ever felt awkward with the pair while with them in Oklahoma City, he would have been in between a rock and a hard place as he undoubtedly would’ve been tasked with creating the illusion of detente at the game.
I was eager to see if Harden also held ill will toward Durant (his rumored good friend) for not bothering to deign Houston with a courtesy free agent recruitment trip.
In fact, It would have been rather funny (at least for Thunder fans) if Westbrook and Harden had started and chose to only pass to Leonard, Davis and each other. The NBA’s biggest event could have served as the venue for Westbrook and Harden to ice Kevin Durant in front of a worldwide audience?
Long considered the ‘good guy’ of the trio, Durant is famous for saying one thing to media and fans and then contradicting himself later. We’ll have to wait for Sunday, February 19th, now to see if the two even take the court together. Depending on how many Warriors make the team, now the narrative will likely be those players trying to ensure Westbrook has no chance at three-peating as NBA All-Star MVP.
Related Content: Why Westbrook deserves to start All-Star Game, a statistical comparison of backcourt players
Eastern Conference Starters:
Like the West there was little shifting in the East where it was a foregone conclusion LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jimmy Butler would form the front court.
The only real question was – would both (equally deserving with an edge to Kyle Lowry) Toronto Raptors guards get the start? Would only one make it or would the splitting of votes between the pair result in neither making the starting line-up.
In the end the result was DeMar DeRozan will get the start and be joined by Kyrie Irving (though I’d argue he was fifth on the list of deserving backcourt members).
images taken on my phone while watching Inside the NBA
Fans become the x-factor:
As much as Thunder fans may be upset Westbrook didn’t get the start, ultimately the onus was on us since the deciding factor came down to fan votes.
More from Thunderous Intentions
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
The real shaft of the starters lies in the Raptors backcourt as neither DeRozan or Lowry were selected first or second by their peers.
Considering Kyle Lowry is one of only four players averaging 22+ points, 5 or more rebounds, and 7 or more assists (LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and James Harden are the others) that’s a pretty major slight.
Lowry also stands alone in the this small group as the only one who is shooting the three ball at over 44% . Only one other person has accomplished that feat : Stephen Curry in his first MVP campaign.
Suffice to say the Raptors backcourt now have great motivation to finish their second half considering none of their peers deemed them worthy of starting. That’s what I call real shade!
Now the next task falls upon the coaching staffs who will select the remaining 7 players to form the reserves.
Must Read: Dissecting the NBA All-Star Vote
A week from tonight we’ll learn the results from those votes on another Inside the NBA special edition.