NBA All-Star Game 2015: Eastern, Western Conference Rosters and Players to Watch
The Association is a wild place.
Seriously, as the 2015 NBA All-Star Game approaches, it is difficult to recall a wilder period.
Where to start? The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are historically bad. LeBron James' return to Cleveland is something of a debacle. The Los Angeles Clippers are more style than substance. Kevin Durant is a reserve at the All-Star Game. A guy named Hassan Whiteside is the best center in the Eastern Conference.
Don't count on the Feb. 15 spectacle to sort much of anything out. The lineup continues to alter by the day, and which players will put on a show is a worthy topic of discussion.
As the contest nears, be sure to know a few of the top names to watch.
Eastern and Western Conference All-Star Rosters
| Pau Gasol | Chicago Bulls | FC |
| LeBron James | Cleveland Cavaliers | FC |
| Carmelo Anthony | New York Knicks | FC |
| John Wall | Washington Wizards | BC |
| Kyle Lowry | Toronto Raptors | BC |
| Paul Millsap | Atlanta Hawks | FC |
| Al Horford | Atlanta Hawks | FC |
| Chris Bosh | Miami Heat | FC |
| Kyrie Irving | Cleveland Cavaliers | BC |
| Jimmy Butler | Chicago Bulls | BC |
| Dwyane Wade | Miami Heat | BC |
| Jeff Teague | Atlanta Hawks | BC |
| Marc Gasol | Memphis Grizzlies | FC |
| Anthony Davis | New Orleans Pelicans | FC |
| Damian Lillard | Portland Trail Blazers | FC |
| Kobe Bryant | Los Angeles Lakers | BC |
| Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | BC |
| LaMarcus Aldridge | Portland Trail Blazers | FC |
| Kevin Durant | Oklahoma City Thunder | FC |
| Tim Duncan | San Antonio Spurs | FC |
| Klay Thompson | Golden State Warriors | BC |
| James Harden | Houston Rockets | BC |
| Chris Paul | Los Angeles Clippers | BC |
| Russell Westbrook | Oklahoma City Thunder | BC |
Top MVP Candidates
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the season's biggest disappointments to date.
Outside of the playoff race looking in, the Thunder need Durant in a bad way. Last year's MVP has only appeared in 23 games, although his stat line remains as impressive as ever at 25.3/4.2/6.6 with a 27.77 PER, according to ESPN.com.
Sometimes a frustrated superstar is a great thing for the showcase and a strong way to predict who comes down with the MVP.
Not only is the Texas product surely irritated with the season's current course, but whispers about his status as a reserve also continue to be a topic of discussion.
As Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman captures, Durant sounds both confident and agitated about his selection and the talk around it:
If healthy, what better way is there for Durant to show the globe he deserves the spot and is the best of the best?
Look for Durant to have a huge outing to silence any doubters. After that, more important team-based objectives will come back into perspective.
Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
The Knicks are one of the jokes of the league, but the All-Star Game is all about the future for Carmelo Anthony.
Now 30 years old and the owner of a 24.1/3.0/6.7 slash line, Anthony is sure to vent some on-court frustration against his peers in front of a home crowd.
Not only that, he plans on using the locale to help lure fellow superstars to join him in New York, according to Fred Kerber of the New York Post:
"“That was kind of the talk of All-Star Weekend last year,” Anthony said. “I’ve had that experience maybe twice now, last year and then the one in LA a couple of years back right before I got to New York. Now it’s my turn. Now it’s my turn to extend the favor.”
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The result of potential sales pitches are impossible to know, but Anthony's actions will speak no louder than when he is on the court.
There, one of the league's most prolific scorers will have a field day in a contest that annually lacks defense.
James Harden, Houston Rockets
Right now, few rest above Houston Rockets star James Harden in the league MVP race.
It may be much of the same during the All-Star Game.
Magic Johnson put it best:
Forget that Harden has a 27.5/6.8/5.6 slash line. Forget the 39 percent conversion rate from long range. Also throw out the 27.63 PER.
This version of Harden has the Rockets in contention despite the spotty appearances by Dwight Howard. Craziest of all, and what silly social media memes do not reveal, is that the former Arizona State star is doing damage on the defensive end of the court, too.
Harden ranks among the league leaders in steals, minutes per game and a bevy of offensive categories. This all-around form is sure to shine through among the league's best, making the new and improved Harden a must-see attraction for fans around the globe.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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