Christmas is around the corner. You know what that means — it's time to get those All-Star ballots in.
On Tuesday, Dec. 19, All-Star voting for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game opened at 7 a.m. ET. Once again, fans will be able to vote on the 10 players they believe should start in this season's All-Star Game. Fans will account for 50 percent of the vote while current players and a media panel will account for 25 percent each.
Voting for this season's All-Star starters will conclude at 11:59 p.m. ET on Jan. 20. A lot could change between now and then, but which players should earn the nod based on their play through almost a third of the season?
Here's one person's opinion on who is most deserving of All-Star starter honors.
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Western Conference All-Star starters prediction
- G: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
- G: Luka Doncic, Mavericks
- F: LeBron James, Lakers
- F: Kevin Durant, Suns
- C: Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
As always, there are a few no-brainers here.
LeBron James has no business being here at his age, but he's still one of the best and most impactful players in the league. He led the Lakers to the In-Season Tournament championship while taking home MVP honors. He's still good for 25-7-7 on a nightly basis. He's having one of the best shooting seasons of his career. And he's still one of the most clutch players in the league.
Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic are also easy calls. It's almost as ridiculous that Durant is still as good as he is. He's been one of the few constants for the Suns to this point of the season and he's the main reason the team hasn't fallen off a cliff with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal being in and out of the lineup.
As for Jokic, he is a two-time MVP widely considered to be the best player in the game today. A couple of rough games lately have hurt his shooting numbers, but he's flirting with a 30-point triple-double on a nightly basis and might be the front-runner for MVP through a third of the season. His passing and touch are both some of the best we've ever seen.
The backcourt is a little trickier. Booker would get more love if he was healthier. De'Aaron Fox has been incredible. You can never go wrong with Stephen Curry, but I'm giving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic the slightest of edges for now because, in addition to being awesome, they both have their teams near the top of the Western Conference standings. When it's this close, winning is a good tiebreaker.
Apologies to: Devin Booker, Suns; Stephen Curry, Warriors; Anthony Davis, Lakers; Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves; De'Aaron Fox, Kings; Kawhi Leonard, Clippers
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Eastern Conference All-Star starters prediction
- G: Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers
- G: Tyrese Maxey, 76ers
- F: Jayson Tatum, Celtics
- F: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
- C: Joel Embiid, 76ers
There are some familiar names in the Eastern Conference, too.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid are once again among the leading MVP candidates. Embiid is on pace to lead the league in scoring for the third straight season while having a career year in the assist department and being an All-NBA level defender. Antetokounmpo is quietly averaging 30 points per game while shooting 60 percent from the field, which has never been done before.
It's hard not to give the other frontcourt spot to Jayson Tatum. He's the best player on the best team in the Eastern Conference. Loaded as the Celtics are, they're a different team with him on the bench. He's one of the best two-way players in the game today.
Tyrese Haliburton is a lock for one of the starting backcourt positions. He earned his first All-Star selection last season. This season, he's looking like a superstar. He's playing like this generation's Steve Nash, leading the Pacers to the best offense in the NBA with averages of 25.7 points and a league-best 12.0 assists on .515/.435/.876 shooting splits.
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I like Tyrese Maxey as the fifth starter. He's taken his game to another level, emerging as Philadelphia's second-leading scorer with James Harden no longer on the team. Without him making the leap that he is, there's no way the 76ers would still be viewed as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. He's been special.
Apologies to: Bam Adebayo, Heat; Scottie Barnes, Raptors; Jimmy Butler, Heat; Damian Lillard, Bucks; Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
