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Tim good morningESPN
Los Angeles Lakers striker LeBron James and Brooklyn Nets striker Kevin Durant were named the captains for next month’s NBA All-Star Game on Thursday night.
James and Durant will choose their respective teams from the remaining 22 All-Stars on March 4 after getting the most votes from any player in both conferences. The All-Star game – which the NBA officially announced earlier on Thursday – will take place on March 7 in Atlanta.
The players who joined them in front of both conferences went exactly as expected, Durant was joined by Milwaukee Bucks striker Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid in the starting pool for the east, in time what James joined LA Clippers striker Kawhi Leonard and the Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in the west.
However, the appellants have been more controversial. Golden State Warriors keeper Stephen Curry was a starter in the west, while Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic tied Portland Trail Blazers keeper Damian Lillard. Doncic finished second in the fan vote, but was third – behind Lillard – in both the media and player votes. That being said, Doncic became the choice to start with, as the fan vote – which accounted for 50% of the vote, with players and the media getting 25% each – was a draw.
In the east, Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal, the NBA’s top scorer with 32.8 points per game, earned a starting spot after being left out of the team last year. It was his first nod. The other starting point went to Nets star Kyrie Irving when she joined teammate Durant.
Lakers striker Anthony Davis and Clippers striker Paul George finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in voting on the West End, while Utah Jazz goalie Donovan Mitchell finished fourth among the Western Guardians. In the east, Boston Celtics striker Jayson Tatum and Miami Heat striker Jimmy Butler finished fourth and fifth in the front row, while Durant and Irving’s teammate James Harden finished third. , Chicago Bulls goalkeeper Zach LaVine finished fourth, and Celtics goalkeeper Jaylen Brown, who finished second in the media vote, landed fifth.
The other 14 All-Star seats will be determined by the coaches in both conferences. They will vote for seven from East and West in the next few days, the results will be announced on Tuesday night on TNT.
James’ team in the All-Star Game will be led by jazz coach Quin Snyder, who won the honor with a victory on Monday over the 76ers. Meanwhile, 76ers coach Doc Rivers will drop the other team’s training if the Sixers win one of the next two games or the Bucks and Nets lose again this week.