By Peyton Schultze

LeBron James and Luka Dončić may be near the top of the MVP race this season, and they’ll both take the court together at this year’s All-Star Game in Chicago after being selected as starters (via Flipboard).

Both conference’s starting lineups were announced yesterday as voted on by the fans, players, and media, and hype for the 2020 All-Star Weekend has officially begun to build. With the grand stage of Chicago hosting this year’s collection of the greatest basketball players on the planet, it should be awesome to once again watch some of the best face off with one another.

With the announcement of the starters yesterday on TNT’s Thursday night pregame set, here’s who ended up placing at the top among the best,and most popular, players in the NBA:

Western Conference

G/F Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks
SG James Harden, Houston Rockets
SF LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
SF Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
F/C Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers

Eastern Conference

PG Kemba Walker, Boston Celtics
PG Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
SF Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
PF Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors
C Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

With superstar players already in the starting lineup, it will be very interesting to see how the reserves round out the teams. This year of NBA Basketball has seen a great mix of players young and old dominating and playing at a high level, which makes it interesting to see how the teams will shape up. With all of that being said, here’s our predictions for who should round out the rest of the All-Star teams (all statistics as of 1/23/2020):

Western Conference

Point Guard Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

Continuing his play as a top-three point guard in the league, Damian Lillard has been exceptional once again despite Portland’s struggles this season (via NBC Sports).

27.9 PPG, 7.6 APG, 4.1 REB, .368 3PT%, .886 FT%

Putting up a All-Star starter worthy season any other year that Luka Dončić and James Harden weren’t putting up their insane numbers, Damian Lillard is once again an easy selection to represent the Trail Blazers at All-Star Weekend.

Even though the Trail Blazers have been a massive disappointment in the standings, Lillard is on pace to put up his best statistical season while averaging the most points per game of his already ridiculous career. With limitless range from three and plenty of clutch moments over the past few seasons, Dame is truly an offensive killer that is as tough to guard as any player in the league. With so many offensive tools in his bag, Lillard is the face of the Trail Blazers and a Hall of Fame talent at his own current pace.

About as easy as any reserve to pick in this year’s pool, Lillard could find himself in the MVP conversation late in the year if he can guide the Blazers into the playoff picture in the West with the limited supporting cast around him. But even with Portland’s issues this season, the stud point guard is a lock for the All-Star Game this year

Center Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz

After being a notable snub from the team last year, Rudy Gobert will get his shot to shine at All-Star Weekend this season (via TheJNotes.com).

15.6 PPG, 14.5 REB, 2.0 BLK, .683 FG%, 33 Double-Doubles

Rudy Gobert has been a foundational block for the Jazz since entering the league in 2013, and his play seems to have taken another jump to the next level this season.

As the playoff picture stands right now, Utah remains a legitimate Western Conference contender who could challenge the Lakers and Clippers for a shot at a title. Although Donovan Mitchell makes a strong case, no player on the Jazz has more of an impact on each game on both sides of the court than Gobert, who reigns over some of the NBA’s elite centers. With immense wingspan to swat shots and plenty of dominant control in the paint, Gobert has done all that head coach Quin Snyder could have asked for in the 2019-2020 season.

Gobert has been one of the best centers in the league for a few years now, and he truly deserves the nod this year. With Utah playing so well near the top of the Western Conference, Gobert won’t be snubbed this year in the midst of another dominant campaign from the French center.

Point Guard Chris Paul, Oklahoma City Thunder

Chris Paul has had an exceptional season in his first year with Oklahoma City, especially since it has the Thunder sitting in the middle of the playoff picture (via Flipboard).

17.0 PPG, 6.4 APG, 5.0 REB, .479 FG%, .894 FT%

A year ago with the Rockets, Paul seemed like he was on the downslope of his career after a disappointing season that ended with another playoff exit. Now, after what was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Thunder, Paul has transformed Oklahoma City into a fringe playoff team in the loaded Western Conference, inspiring hope that the future Hall of Famer still has some prime years ahead of him.

Although Paul’s numbers do not jump off the page, his impact has been immense. The Thunder are the league’s most surprising team in the league right now, and the pressure of filling the gigantic void left by Thunder legend Russell Westbrook has been a major challenge in itself. Nevertheless, Paul has been able to stay healthy and play at his typically high level all season long, which immediately makes him worthy of his tenth All-Star Game appearance.

With age creeping up on him and his numbers not quite as good as they were in the past, there is a chance that this could be CP3’s last appearance at All-Star Weekend. After being dumped by Houston in an exchange for Westbrook, Paul’s first appearance as a member of the Thunder could be his sweetest yet, and it should be awesome to watch him take the floor in Chicago on February 16th.

Small Forward Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans

In the midst of a breakthrough season, Brandon Ingram is certainly worthy of an All-Star selection for a rising Pelicans’ squad (via NewsProd.ABC).

25.5 PPG, 6.6 REB, 4.3 APG, .471 FG%, .394 3PT%

After being traded to New Orleans in the huge package for Anthony Davis, few could have expected Ingram to have the type of season that he is having.

In the middle of one of the most surprising individual seasons in recent history, Ingram is the league leader for the Most Improved Player award on a New Orleans team that is slowly starting to play their best basketball of the season. However, even with poor play early on from New Orleans, Ingram has been the offensive focal point for the Pels all season long and has truly shown his superstar potential that was only seen in flashes during his time with the Lakers. With unique length that makes him an extremely tough cover in the paint and from mid-range, Ingram is a budding star that could be in this situation for years to come.

Although he is certainly the youngest possible All-Star of the group, there is no question that the former Duke product deserves this nod. With some dominant stretches of offensive basketball all season long, Ingram should grab the first All-Star appearances of his career among the West reserves.

Shooting Guard Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz

As the leading scorer for the second-seeded Utah Jazz, Donovan Mitchell is worthy of the first All-Star selection of his career (via Flipboard).

24.7 PPG, 4.2 APG, 4.2 REB, .462 FG%, .856 FT%

With the Jazz firing on all cylinders to end the first half of the season, it only makes sense for Donovan Mitchell to represent Utah alongside Rudy Gobert at All-Star Weekend this season.

Since entering the league in 2017, the explosive Mitchell has certainly put up two consecutive cases for an All-Star bid in the first two years of his career. However, after boosting his offensive repertoire in the offseason and shooting much better from the field overall in his third year in the league, Mitchell should make it to Chicago this year for his first appearance in the All-Star Game. Mitchell is already one of the best shooting guards in the league and one of the game’s most notable rising stars, which makes his talents so fascinating to watch on a nightly basis.

All-Star Weekend typically has one or two players per year that rise to the occasion and become household names overnight. Two years ago, Mitchell took the world by storm with insane hops in the Slam Dunk Contest, capturing the title and getting everyone on their feet. The electric guard definitely knows what it takes to rise to the occasion and shine when all the lights are on him, which makes him a must-watch player when the game tips off on Sunday afternoon.

Center Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Even though he has not had quite as good of a year so far, Nikola Jokic is still worthy of an All-Star appearance for the second straight season (via News.CGTN).

19.4 PPG, 10.0 REB, 6.4 APG, .509 FG%, 25 Double-Doubles

Selecting Nikola Jokic for the All-Star team for the second straight season was somewhat of a tough call after not putting up the same numbers from a year ago, but Denver’s place in the standings gets him over the hump.

With a unique ability for a big man to score, pass, and create immediate offense for himself and others, Jokic is one of the supreme talents in all of basketball. Although it was clear that Jokic showed up to training camp a little bit out of shape after a long offseason following a disappointing playoff exit, the superstar center has still put together an exceptional season according to most standards. Having to push the Nuggets through tough injuries that have somehow kept them in the upper half of the Western Conference for most of the season, Jokic has earned the second All-Star berth of his career by carrying Denver on his back and into the middle of the title picture.

It is often debated which center reigns at the top of the NBA, and Jokic has as good of a case as anyone after another year of great basketball. Although he has defensive limitations that make him somewhat of a liability from time-to-time, Jokic is a true playmaker for his size and as tough as a cover on offense for any defender in the league. The stud center will be another player to watch over All-Star Weekend, especially with his awesome skillset that finds a way to stand out among other great players.

Point Guard Russell Westbrook, Houston Rockets

After a slow start, Russell Westbrook has had a strong finish to the end of the first half of the regular season (via Rockets Wire-USA Today).

25.3 PPG, 8.1 REB, 7.3 APG, 1.6 STL, 8 Triple-Doubles

This was the toughest call in the Western Conference at the end of the day.

In a tight battle between Devin Booker, Paul George, and Ja Morant, we gave an extremely slight edge to the veteran Westbrook, who has been a mainstay at All-Star Weekend for years. However, what gave Westbrook the push over the top was his recent play over the past couple of weeks. Suddenly finding his groove on offense after somewhat of inconsistent start to the year, the dynamic point guard is averaging an exceptional 27.3 points per game in the month of January and has formed one of the best duos in the league alongside James Harden.

Westbrook and Harden still have plenty to prove over the course of the season, and even more so in the playoffs, but Russ has played great as of late. As he usually does over All-Star Weekend, look for the superstar point guard to put on an offensive show in front of the city of Chicago.

Eastern Conference

Small Forward Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat

Jimmy Butler has been everything the Heat could have hoped for in his first year in South Beach (via NBC Sports).

20.3 PPG, 7.0 REB, 6.5 APG, 1.8 STL, .440 FG%

Jimmy Butler doesn’t have the most impressive numbers among the Eastern Conference All-Stars, but there is no doubt that he probably should be a starter in this year’s group after putting together a shocking regular season so far on a very good Miami Heat team.

A year ago, Butler was playing at a pretty high level between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers, but never seemed to hit his full potential. Fast forward to this year, and Butler has become the best player on a Heat team that is a fringe contender in the East under head coach Erik Spoelstra, which certainly proves that he is worthy of an appearance in Chicago this year. Putting Miami on his back while playing at an extremely high level on both sides of the floor, Butler has defied the odds and become the leader of the Heat, and it should be fun to see the veteran forward back in the All-Star Game.

With timely shot-making and some of the best defensive efforts from any player in the league this season, Butler is a lock to be selected to the All-Star Game next week after Miami’s phenomenal season. With all eyes back on basketball in South Beach, Butler should be able to put together a great second half of the season at this rate in the first year of the post D-Wade era.

Shooting Guard Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards

Despite playing for a bad Wizards’ team, Bradley Beal is one of the best overall guards in the sport (via Fox Sports 1340 AM).

27.8 PPG, 6.4 APG, 4.5 REB, .452 FG%, 1.0 STL

Bradley Beal has certainly had an interesting career so far under the roof of a poor Washington organization, but there is no question that he is one of the best shooting guards in the league with some of the best three-point shooting found anywhere in the NBA.

With John Wall absent from the Wizards for the season, Beal has become the true centerpiece for everything that Washington does. With one of the best three-balls in the league and with the skills to create any shot that he wants, the shooting guard has become one of the best offensive players in all of basketball. If Beal were to go down at any point during the season, there is little doubt that the Wizards would be one of the three worst teams in the NBA. This truly speaks to the greatness out of the young shooting guard, who may be nearing a Wizards’ exit very soon if this type of overall team play continues.

A great example of a great player on a bad team, Beal may need to get out of Washington soon if he wants people to view him in the same conversation as other great shooting guards such as James Harden and Klay Thompson. Nevertheless, All-Star Weekend will give Beal another opportunity to get some national recognition, and he should be a near-lock for the third appearance of his career.

Power Forward Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat

Bam Adebayo’s ascension has been one of the surprise stories throughout the NBA so far this season (via Flipboard).

15.8 PPG, 10.5 REB, 4.6 APG, 1.2 BLK, .685 FG%

Although Jimmy Butler has been the leader of the Heat so far this season, nobody really could have expected this type of play from their explosive young forward, Bam Adebayo.

Among all of the possible All-Stars this season, Adebayo has a real case at being the most surprising. Even though he entered the season with plenty of nice hype after a solid rookie season, it is hard to find anyone who said that the high-flying forward would be a possible All-Star in his second full season with Miami. With an ability to dominate inside and control the paint on both ends of the floor, Bam has had a ton of success around the rim on both ends and has become a true building block for the future of Pat Riley’s Miami Heat.

Miami has been considered such a surprise this season that they are certainly worthy of having two All-Stars in this year’s game. With Bam and Butler getting a shot to represent South Beach up in Chicago over All-Star Weekend, expect plenty of thrilling moments between two players with bright future ahead of them with the Heat.

Small Forward/Power Forward Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

In the third season of his career, Jayson Tatum has started to turn the corner on the path toward superstardom for the Celtics (via RDS).

21.5 PPG, 6.9 REB, 2.9 APG, 1.4 STL, .366 3PT%

Coming into the season, not many people knew what to expect from the Celtics’ young core of players with the addition of Kemba Walker. However, forward Jayson Tatum has taken his game to the next level once again, helping to transform Boston into a contender in the East.

Many analysts thought that Tatum was due for his breakout season a year ago, which led to many people doubting how great he could be after his somewhat disappointing 2018-2019 campaign. However, that destined breakthrough period seems to have come in the third year of his career, providing hope to Boston fans for a great career while wearing the Celtic green. Tatum’s ability to play alongside Walker has made him one of the more lethal scorers in the Eastern Conference, and he looks like he is just beginning to hit his stride in terms of his illustrious offensive skillset with such size and length at the forward position.

Tatum may have edged out his teammate Jaylen Brown by a little bit for this selection, but he is still certainly worthy of the first All-Star appearance of his career. With an ability to create his own shot and take over down the stretch in big moments, Tatum should be a welcome addition to the All-Star Game lineup for this first time in his soon-to-be-great career.

Small Forward Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks

Khris Middleton is not a household name, but is certainly the second best player on perhaps the best team in the league this season (via Flipboard).

19.5 PPG, 5.7 REB, 3.9 APG, .500 FG%, .421 3PT%

Khris Middleton may not receive any of the national attention that his superstar teammate on the Bucks does, but he is one of the most underrated players in all of basketball with some of the best accuracy from three in the league.

Playing in a small market makes Middleton one of the lesser-known yet great players in the NBA, but don’t tread on him lightly. Middleton is one of the best offensive players in the league from mid-range and from three, with ridiculous accuracy and efficiency from both. Ranking 18th in the league in terms of three-point percentage, Middleton has been everything that Milwaukee could have asked for with so much attention constantly being put on last year’s MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo. If Middleton can continue this type of play for future years, he could be a mainstay at All-Star Weekend by representing one of the league’s most promising teams.

Middleton made the first All-Star appearance of his career a season ago and actually played surprisingly well in the game. Even though Middleton has not necessarily taken a massive leap forward this season, the Bucks are playing at such a high level that he has not needed to do anything out of his comfort zone. The versatile forward doesn’t have the benefit of being the surprising name in a class of great All-Stars anymore, but he should certainly make it back-to-back selections after a nice first half.

Power Forward Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers

Domantas Sabonis has been an offensive force inside for the Indiana Pacers this season, especially in a much improved Eastern Conference (via The Star Press).

17.9 PPG, 12.9 REB, 4.3 APG, .536 FG%, 34 Double-Doubles

Perhaps the best player on a very good Indiana Pacers’ squad, Domantas Sabonis has continued to shock the NBA with a great skillset all around the box score and a truly versatile offensive presence.

Waiting upon the return of superstar guard Victor Oladipo from injury, Indiana needed one of their own to step up in a huge way to total up some keys wins in a tight Eastern Conference. Alongside All-Star hopeful Malcolm Brogdon, Sabonis has truly helped carry the load for the Pacers all season long and has shown why he is considered one of the most underrated players in all of basketball. With outstanding technique and length at the power forward position, Sabonis has thrived on offense all season long despite a flurry of dominant bigs in the NBA this year, while also establishing himself as part of the future for the Indiana Pacers.

Sabonis may be the least recognizable name among this year’s crop of Eastern Conference All-Stars, but he is certainly worthy of his first selection after keeping Indiana in the middle of the playoff race in the East. While there is certainly still doubt surrounding Indiana in terms of how long they can continue this type of great play (7-3 in their last ten games), there is almost no concern surrounding just how great their power forward in Sabonis has been.

Shooting Guard Zach Lavine, Chicago Bulls

Zach LaVine has a chance to steal the show over All-Star Weekend if he is selected to participate in front of his home fans (via Chicago/Sun Times).

25.0 PPG, 4.7 REB, 3.8 APG, .445 FG%, .390 3PT%

Just like in the Western Conference, the battle for the last spot in the Eastern Conference came down to a battle of several great players worthy of a selection.

But in the end, we went with Zach LaVine over Ben Simmons, Malcolm Brogdon, and Derrick Rose in a matter of inches. Although the other three have great resumes, LaVine has continued to impress all season long and has somehow kept the Bulls near the edge of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. Although it still seems like LaVine has room to grow, the young shooting guard has shown why so many people consider him to be a building block for the future of the Bulls. In addition, seeing Chicago’s own play at home on All-Star Weekend would be a real treat, which is also a major reason why we decided to ride with him.

LaVine is the perfect type of player to dominate an All-Star game in his first appearance. Playing behind his home fans in a wild environment, LaVine’s high-flying package of dunks and three-point shooting should make for an excellent product on the United Center’s floor. In the first appearance of his career, look for the former UCLA product to put on a show for his home fans with some of the most jaw-dropping moments of the weekend.

NBA All-Star Team Predictions