NBA All-Star Game 2015 Rosters: Players Guaranteed to Be Named Reserves
So far, the 2015 NBA All-Star Game voting is perfect in many ways.
Just don't tell that to fans.
Anthony Davis will attend for good reason. The Gasol brothers, Pau and Marc, will square off in a battle for the ages. Stephen Curry even justifiably received more votes than LeBron James, per Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle:
The complicated matter that are reserves now hogs the spotlight.
There is an opportunity for the reserves list to correct a few wrongs. Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony are the highlights in that regard. Kyle Lowry, while deserving, may have knocked a few surefire starters out of place thanks to Justin Bieber.
The reserves announcement is in the pipelines, but for now, there are a few obvious names who are sure to obtain the status based on individual performance and team standing.
2015 NBA All-Star Starters
| John Wall (WAS) | G | Stephen Curry (GS) |
| Kyle Lowry (TOR) | G | Kobe Bryant (LAL) |
| LeBron James (CLE) | F | Blake Griffin (LAC) |
| Carmelo Anthony (NYK) | F | Anthony Davis (NO) |
| Pau Gasol (CHI) | F | Marc Gasol (MEM) |
Western Conference Surefire Reserves
James Harden, Houston Rockets
With the Houston Rockets at 30-14, James Harden is a serious MVP contender.
Harden exemplifies what is wrong with the Internet, as his lackadaisical approach to defense in past years seemingly continues to burn him as memes make the rounds. In reality, Harden has improved this year on the defensive end of the court.
Pair that with a 27.3/6.8/5.5 slash line and a 27.78 PER, and it is easy to see why even Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr sings his praises, per the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen:
Look, Harden even ranks fourth in the league in steals (1.95 per game) due to an uptick in intensity when it comes to that facet of the game.
No matter which way someone looks at Harden, his continued evolution as a player ensures he will make the trip to New York.
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Kevin Durant is an All-Star. Fans know it. The league knows it. He knows it.
Durant has appeared in only 20 games this season. Fine. Talk to his slash line, which reads 25.3/3.9/6.8. Or his PER of 28.49, which ranks second-best in the league.
Eric Freeman of Yahoo! Sports puts it best:
Well, actually, Durant does, via NBA on ESPN:
The Thunder rest at just 22-21, but Durant's resume is impossible to ignore, as is the fact that his team will surely head to the postseason regardless.
Durant will obtain the title—whether he wants it or not.
Eastern Conference Surefire Reserves
Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls
Call the 2014-15 season the breakout of Jimmy Butler.
A ludicrous amount of Beliebers ruined his shot at being a starter, but a reserve is all but a guarantee.
To be fair to fans around the globe, this year was less of a popularity contest than ever. Butler's numbers, as explained by Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders, personify that notion:
Butler's Bulls are 29-16 and in first place in the Central Division. He averages a cool 20.5/3.3/6.0, although coach Tom Thibodeau may need to ease off the pedal considering Butler averages 39.4 minutes per game.
There is room for Butler in New York. As an added caveat, it is likely just the first of many for a superstar who continues to evolve right before the eyes of the globe.
Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks
It seems a travesty that what the Atlanta Hawks continue to do seems trivialized by the voting process.
As Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer points out, there are a number of names on the 36-8 Hawks who are more than worthy of a trip to New York:
Paul Millsap, now nine years deep at the age of 29, is the most deserving of the bunch. It is not just that he averages 16.9/8.0/0.9/. The Louisiana Tech product also shoots 48 percent from the field and averages 3.1 assists.
Millsap continues to be one of the most productive all-around players in the league. While "undersized" at 6'8" and 253 pounds, his flexibility and the team's reliance on him are a major reason the Hawks rank No. 1 overall in terms of average points allowed, too.
Should Millsap miss the contest, it may warrant reconsideration of the game's existence, too.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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