NBA All-Star Game 2015 Rosters: Stat Predictions for East and West Starters

The NBA All-Star starters have been named, and the results aren't all that shocking.

NBA on TNT announced the Eastern Conference and Western Conference starters via Twitter:

For the most part, the fans did a fine job choosing the starters for the 2015 All-Star Game to be played at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 15. There are a few arguments to be made about certain selections. James Harden has the numbers to deserve more votes than Kobe Bryant, and some will argue that Dwyane Wade should start over Kyle Lowry.

One has to remember, though, that this event is for the fans. There's a reason why they're given the chance to vote. They choose whom they want to see. This year, it was Bryant over Harden.

Now that we know the starters, it's time to make some stat predictions for the top players of the East and the West.

Eastern Conference

Position	Player	Predicted Stats
G	John Wall	11 Pts, 16 Ast, 3 St
G	Kyle Lowry	9 Pts, 7 Ast
F	LeBron James	33 Pts, 4 Ast, 8 Reb
F	Carmelo Anthony	22 Pts, 1 Ast, 4 Reb
F	Pau Gasol	13 Pts, 12 Reb, 8 Ast

A player to keep an eye on in the East is Lowry. He just barely made it as a starter, inciting the help of a certain Canadian pop star, according to Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy:

CBS Sports' Matt Moore tweets that the vote was the correct one:

"

Wade did miss time and the Raptors would be nowhere without Lowry. It’s deserved.

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) January 23, 2015"

Lowry is surrounded by superstars in LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony as well as fellow first-time starters John Wall and Pau Gasol.

Predicting stats in these types of exhibition games is nearly impossible. There's very little defense involved, so most shooting percentages are high, as shots frequently go uncontested. This tends to favor the guys who slash to the basket, like James and Lowry. So either player could go off and have a big game against the West.

The two guys who should have the most eyes on them are Gasol and Wall. Two of the best passers at their respective positions, Gasol and Wall will make their best plays when setting up other players.

Wall is more of the flashy passer. He takes risks with the basketball that some other point guards wouldn't, but his court vision and creativity when passing the ball are second to none. Check out this dime he used to give Marcin Gortat an easy bucket:

There's a very, very good chance the Washington Wizards floor general notches 15 assists in this one given the talented running mates at his disposal.

Gasol is more of a clever passer compared to Wall, using his basketball intelligence and anticipation to outsmart defenders and find cutting teammates. He's one of the best all-around big men in the sport because of this unique ability.

It's unlikely, but Gasol could finish with a triple-double that includes assists if given enough opportunities.

Western Conference

Position	Player	Predicted Stats
G	Stephen Curry	29 Pts, 6 Ast, 4 St
G	Kobe Bryant*	18 Pts, 3 Ast
F	Blake Griffin	24 Pts, 13 Reb
F	Anthony Davis	37 Pts, 18 Reb, 5 Blk
F	Marc Gasol	12 Pts, 8 Reb

King James didn't lead the charge in voting. It was a passing of the torch, of sorts, as the fans instead bestowed the most love on Stephen Curry. The Golden State Warriors' top player was humbled by the result:

James is certainly still the face of the sport, but it's time for newer faces to begin stepping into the spotlight as well. That's likely why NBC Sports' Kurt Helin was also pleased with the outcome:

There's so much to like from the West's starters. Harden was snubbed, but CBS Sports' James Herbert described something that could bump him into the starting five: "He's at or near the top of the league in terms of PER, win shares, real plus-minus and pretty much any other metric you care to use. With Bryant potentially sidelined, Harden's a lock to replace him in the starting lineup if needed."

A potential lineup of Curry, Harden, Blake Griffin, Anthony Davis and Marc Gasol would perhaps be one of the most explosive starting fives ever put on the hardwood. Think about it: This grouping has a little of everything.

Curry and Harden are your lights-out shooters, though both can also create on their own. Griffin is the high-flyer who can bring the house down with one dunk. Davis is the young phenom, capable of wowing audiences with his offensive talents and also his defensive devastation. Gasol is a rock under the basket, dominating post defenders and those trying to grab a rebound against him.

Davis, though, is the star who will shine brightest.

The Brow can do it all. He has a polished mid-range jumper, a solid arsenal of back-to-the-basket moves and the power to go up hard to the rim. There are few in the league who can out-rebound him given his length and ability to box out. Defensively, good luck getting a shot off uncontested. Even if he doesn't block it, he'll make it hard for the player to get a good look at the cup.

If the West wins, Davis will be responsible. He's the MVP.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn