The 72nd NBA All-Star Game will take place Sunday, Feb. 19, in Salt Lake City. With voting officially open, The Crossover staff weighs in on potential starters and first-time All-Stars in the West. (Eastern Conference picks are here.)
1. Who would get your early votes for the West’s two starting backcourt spots?
Howard Beck: Steph Curry and Luka Dončić. Yes, Curry will be out for a few weeks, but his excellence over the first third of the season earns him a spot on my fictional ballot today. Dončić (32.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists) is posting career highs in scoring and effective field-goal percentage. In general, I’d prefer my All-Star starters come from winning teams, but it’s been a weird season so far for both the Warriors and the Mavericks, and there’s really no question that these two are the best guards in the West. They get the nod over Ja Morant and Devin Booker.
