Devin Booker (left) and LaMelo Ball were both popular All-Star reserve picks by our writers.
The 2022 All-Star starters were announcement last week. What are your choices for reserves in each conference? Pick seven players from the West, but pick eight players from the East since it’s already expected Kevin Durant will not play.
The 2022 All-Star reserves will be announced on TNT this Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
Eastern Reserves: LaMelo Ball, Jimmy Butler, Darius Garland, James Harden, Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, Jayson Tatum, Fred VanVleet
I like the breakdown of my East roster: the top team, Chicago, gets two All-Stars in DeMar DeRozan and LaVine. The next nine teams in the conference standings get one each. Then there’s Sabonis, whose 19-12-5 stats are too strong to ignore. Granted, I went with a guard, Ball, as my “eighth reserve” to fill Durant’s spot because of his numbers and as a Hornets delegate. By the time the playing field draft is completed and play begins, we will not know positions, affiliations or otherwise.
West Reserves: Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, Dejounte Murray, Chris Paul, Karl-Anthony Towns
In this era of so-called “positionless basketball,” the NBA needs to abandon the “guard” and “frontcourt” designations — which it did anyway when it announced the starters. I had to fake and list Doncic from the start because a) every guard on my roster deserved to go and b) Doncic or Booker can handle the (ahem) defensive demands of an All-Star Game from the start . As for snubbing Draymond Green, that hurts because he is the best interviewee in the league and arguably its best defender. But Golden State doesn’t really deserve three All-Stars this season, Draymond missed a lot of games and the Andrew Wiggins “gimmick” skewed their representation.
What chance does Fred VanVleet have of earning a reserve All-Star title?
East Reserves: Jarrett Allen, Jimmy Butler, Darius Garland, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, Zach LaVine, Kyle Lowry, Khris Middleton
It was the most difficult mission. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, LaMelo Ball and Fred VanVleet are all going to feel snubbed. But the Celtics weren’t successful even when Tatum, Brown or both were healthy. The Hornets and Raptors might not even sniff the playoffs, without Ball and VanVleet. But the players selected have had a bigger impact in ensuring their teams are among the best in the Eastern Conference. Butler and Lowry battled injuries of their own, while keeping Miami afloat as it absorbed other ailments. Allen and Garland (along with Evan Mobley) propelled Cleveland into contender status. LaVine has remained consistent, while leaving room for DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso. Holiday and Middleton continue to compliment Giannis Antetokounmpo well.
West Reserves: Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Karl-Anthony Towns
I viewed Green as a more worthy starter than his teammate, Andrew Wiggins, because he was always the main reason for the Warriors’ defensive excellence. Chris Paul continues to defy Father Time and leave his leadership mark, while Devin Booker has become one of the best scorers in the league. Towns is one of the most effective big players in the game. While it remains uncertain whether the Mavs can take the next step, Doncic still has enough of an impact to make them a playoff team. Mitchell and Gobert showed their continued value simply because the Jazz’s successes and failures were tied to whether or not they were healthy.
Will the Jazz have two All-Star reserves or will someone else land one of their spots?
East Reserves: Jarrett Allen, LaMelo Ball, Jimmy Butler, James Harden, Zach LaVine, Khris Middleton, Jayson Tatum, Fred VanVleet
LaVine deserved initial consideration. Harden, despite a less effective year for him, remains one of the best offensive players in the game. Butler was exceptional before and since his injury. Allen has become a scoring threat. Middleton delivers much like he did last summer in the finale. Ball is having a solid sophomore year. VanVleet has become a capable replacement in Toronto for Kyle Lowry. Tatum has had his ups and downs, but still remains an elite scorer (one tough omission for this spot is Darius Garland).
West Reserves: Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Draymond Green, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Karl-Anthony Towns
Paul, just like LeBron James, defies the ages by playing at a high level. Doncic is the only reason Dallas is even respectable. Green is having a solid year defensively while running the Warriors’ offense from the top position. Gobert, as of right now, is the best defender in basketball and is also slightly better offensively. Towns is the most effective center after Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. Booker brings buckets to the team with the better record. Mitchell had the Jazz near the West Penthouse before injuries took hold.
Zach LaVine and James Harden will be among the favorites to land reserve East All-Star spots.
Eastern Reserves: Jarrett Allen, LaMelo Ball, Jimmy Butler, Darius Garland, James Harden, Zach LaVine, Jayson Tatum, Fred VanVleet
The East was much more difficult than the West. First pass: Garland, Harden, LaVine and Tatum. Next up are Allen, Butler and VanVleet. Allen has team success, defense and efficiency. Butler has only played 32 games, but he’s one of the few six players with an average of 20, 6 and 6, has been effective and also defends at a high level. VanVleet had solid numbers throughout, a huge on/off differentialAnd lots of big shots. The injury replacement spot went to Ball, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton and Pascal Siakam. Brown has Ball in efficiency and defense, but Ball has a slight edge in numbers per game and total games/minutes played. And in the end he ran a top-five offense.
West Reserves: Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Karl-Anthony Towns
On the first pass, Booker, Doncic, Gobert, Paul and Towns are easy picks. They all have success and numbers as a team, and they have all played over 40 games. Green only played in 34 games, but he still had more wins (28) than some of those guys, and he was seriously considered when starters were chosen. Last place goes to Donovan Mitchell and Mikal Bridges, who deserve the same credit as Green for their defensive impact. The choice here is Mitchell, given that it ranks seventh in terms of usage ratedirecting what was the league’s #1 offense by a wide margin. But Bridges should be there in case of injury.
East Reserves: Jarrett Allen, LaMelo Ball, Jimmy Butler, James Harden, Zach LaVine, Khris Middleton, Jayson Tatum, Fred VanVleet
While Kevin Durant is expected to sit, Tatum gets the nod. But you could also make the argument that Middleton hangs out with the starting five. Tatum hasn’t been a model of efficiency, but he’s still in the NBA’s top 10 in scoring. Ball’s selection will probably surprise some, but this kid and his game are built for the All-Star stage. VanVleet is an underdog, who earned his way into the league and played a starring role after the departure of Kyle Lowry. VanVleet also worked his way to All-Star recognition. Allen and Butler are arguably the most important players on their respective teams, which rank first and fourth respectively in the East.
West Reserves: Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Karl-Anthony Towns
The two best players – Booker and Paul – on the hottest team in the league should be on this team, and as happy as everyone is about Andrew Wiggins’ success, Green is probably the Warrior who should be on the roster. starting lineup for the West All-Star. team. Mitchell missed seven games with a concussion, and although there are rumors of his relationship with Gobert deteriorating as the team continues to fall apart, the former can downright put on a show, and the latter is the key to Utah’s defensive success. Towns is posting nearly identical numbers to his 2018-19 All-Star season, and Doncic has practically carried Dallas on its current streak.
Phoenix has the best record in the NBA: how many All-Stars does it deserve to have in 2022?
