The NBA is at it again trying to mix up the format of the All-Star game. Starters and reserves have been selected, but how are teams determined?
The line that divides conferences will be blurred this year as East and West All-Stars will be mixed into two different teams. The Basketball Movement is here to fill you in on how it is all going down.
LeBron James (top vote-getter in the East) and Steph Curry (top in the West) will be team captains, selecting players for their squads.
The starters and reserves are now set, barring any injuries. The starters are as follows:
East: Kyrie Irving, DeMarr DeRozen, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid.
West: Steph Curry, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and DeMarcus Cousins.
Starters must be picked first
LeBron and Steph will take turns selecting from the pool of starters, regardless on conference affiliation. LeBron gets the first pick, giving him a chance to steal Curry's Golden State teammate, KD.
Once the starters have all been selected, they move to the reserves, which are as follows:
East: Kristaps Porzingis, Kevin Love, Al Horford, Kyle Lowry, Bradley Beal, John Wall, Victor Oladipo.
West: Karl-Anthony Towns, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Russell Westbrook.
There you have it. The teams will be mix-and-match, though we will likely see Kevin Love on LeBron's team and as many Warriors on Curry's as he can get. Unfortunately, the selection won't be televised as Commissioner Adam Silver says "It could put the captains in a compromising position".
Big snubs this year?
Cases could be made for a lot of players to get in, as usual. Paul George and Lou Williams are on the outside looking in in the West. Andre Drummond is likely feeling left out in the East.
As always, it is tough to try and find spots for all those that are deserving. Please let us know in the comments below what you think of the new format or which players you feel should have made the cut. You can also let us know on Twitter @BBall_Movement