The current NBA season is LeBron James’ 21st.
The Los Angeles Lakers legend broke a record he had shared with fellow Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and became the first player in NBA history to be named to the All-legend team 20 times after Thursday’s announcement of vote results.
With this All-Star nod, he has now been selected for the 20th consecutive year, and if he stays healthy and is available, he may extend his record for consecutive All-Star starts to 20.
James has been a mainstay at the NBA All-Star Game for the past 20 years. He currently ranks first all-time in scoring (426 points), minutes played (521), field goal attempts (345), and goals made (178). Three All-Star Game MVP awards are also his.Fan votes(50%), media votes(25%), and player votes (25%) were used to select the starting lineup.
Who should start for the All-Star Game on February 19 in Indianapolis? Here are the starters:Who will start for the NBA All-Star teams from the East and West?Conference in the EastIn the backcourt
Tyrese Haliburton, a guard with the Indiana Pacers, was named to the second All-Star team because he is one of just two players in the league to average 30 points and 12 assists a game. Two of his outings have had 20 points and 20 assists.Damian Lillard, a guard with the Milwaukee Bucks, is the seventh player named to the All-Star team. Lillard leads the team in scoring (25.3 ppg), assists (6.8), and rebounds (4.3 rpg). He is especially clutch when the game is on the line, a phrase he uses to describe his performance.
The Courtroom
The seventh All-Star, forward Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks: Antetokounmpo is in the MVP Һunt with 31.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 60.5% from the floor; the Bucks are 31-13 despite the coaching change this week.Center Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers (sixth All-Star): With Embiid at the helm, the Sixers are displaying their finest basketball play since Embiid’s arrival. He now ranks first in the league in scoring at 36.1 points per game, while also averaging 11.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists.
Forward Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics (five-time All-Star): Tatum, who averages 27 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, is a two-way superstar who is riding high after being named to the All-NBA team and signing a hefty contract extension this offseason.In the backcourt
In terms of the Dallas Mavericks, fifth-team All-Star guard Luka Doncic: In addition to his career-bests in scoring (33.6 ppg), 3-point shooting (37.3%), and assists (9.3 ppg), Doncic ranks second in the NBA in assists per game.
Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder (second All-Star): This season, the rising MVP contender is among four players who have averaged 30 points, five assists, and five rebounds.
The Courtroom
The 20th All-Star from the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James, a guard: Even at the age of 39, his statistics are nearly identical to his career averages: A career-high 24.8 points, 7.4 assists, and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 52% overall and 39.1% from beyond the arc.
The 14th All-Star for the Phoenix Suns, forward Kevin Durant: Even at age 35, Durant is still one of the top оffensive players in the NBA, averaging 29.1 points per game on a shooting percentage of 52.9% (including 45.5% from beyond the arc) and 87.3% from the charity stripe.
Nikola Jokic, forward for the Denver Nuggets and the sixth All-Star: Per game, Jokic averages 26.2 points, 12 rebounds, 9.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and shoots 59% from the field. He continues to do MVP things.