Early Predictions for the Eastern Conference All-Stars

Dec 20, 2013

The NBA season has been going on for a good little amount of time now, do its only right that I hit you guys with some predictions.

One way to measure a player’s individual success and dominance is by how many individual awards that player gets. Only one person can be MVP but every year there are 24 special players that get the honor of being called an all-star.

So now I’m going to make a few predictions on which players will be all-stars in the Eastern Conference.

Starters:
Point guard: Kyrie Irving
It’s no knock on Kyrie but he’s starting by default. With Derrick Rose out, Rajon Rondo still not playing and the eastern conference being as weak as it, who else would start? Also being a former number one pick gives Kyrie a one up on the competition as he’s definitely the most popular point guard in the East right now. His Cavs haven’t been that good but it’s no entirely his fault. Expect to see Kyrie Irving starting the all-star game.

Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade
This one is a no brainier. Nobody’s starting over Way of Wade for a long time. He’s on one of the best teams in the East and is coming off back to back championships that he was a big part of winning. I’m usually not a huge Wade fan but he’s been quietly having a beast season. No questions asked Way of Wade will start.

Small Forward: Paul George
If you read Sports Passion often you know how I feel about Paul George. This guy is a straight up baller. He’s transformed into an NBA superstar right before our eyes and he’s only getting better. He scores, defends, rebounds, and passes at a elite level. What’s not to like? PG24 has lead the Pacers to the top seed in the East so it’s only right for George to receive his first all-star game start.

Power Forward: Carmelo Anthony
When the fans get to vote, this is what happens. I’m not saying Melo doesn’t deserve to start, I’m just saying his team has been terrible and there’s still no question of his all-star selection. I will be nice though, Carmelo has been impressive, his team hasn’t though. Alright that’s over, time to move on.

Center: LeBron James
Remember two seasons ago when the all-star ballot had a section for center? If you do, you might also remember LeBron’s teammate Joel Anthony (who averaged 2 points, 3 rebounds and 1 block) being included on the ballot under centers. The NBA has made sure that will never happen again. Now with the center position taken out and fans being given the option of voting for 3 front court players instead, LeBron will suit up for the All-star game at center. The 3 best front court players in the East are all small forwards so looks like Bron Bron will play out of position. I bet he’ll dominate too.

Front court Reserves:
Chris Bosh:
Lets get this one out the way real quick. Even during a down year Chris Bosh is still an all-star. He gets it done when the Heat need him too and honestly it would be odd if all three of the Big 3 didn’t make it. Especially in a pretty bad year for the East.

Roy Hibbert:
This guy has been entertaining as hell this season, Hibbert always finds some way to make me laugh. He also always finds a way to dominate the paint. This guy is defensive player of the year right now hands down. Hibbert is defending the paint, rebounding and doing some scoring too. His team is first in the conference, so it’s about time to reward the big fella with another all-star appearance.

Al Horford:
The Hawks have been one of the few decent teams in the East. Horford has been a huge reason why this team has been good. There’s no one to steal shots or the spotlight from Horford in Atlanta anymore and he’s stepped up with the major players of the past leaving in the previous off seasons. There’s no excuse for Horford not to make the team, he’s had an all-star worthy season.

Josh Smith:
You could read this and think I’m going to great lengths to not include Luol Deng, and I wouldn’t even try to deny it. I don’t think Deng should be an all-star (didn’t think so the last two season either) and I had Rudy Gay in this spot but now he’s in the Western Conference. So what I’m saying is that Josh Smith will get this spot by default. He’s always been a borderline all-star and maybe with a lot of teams being pretty bad he won’t be forgotten when voting time comes. It’ll be Smiths first appearance and I say I guess it’s time.

Backcourt Reserves:
John Wall:
Yeah you know it’s an off year when a member of the Washington Wizards makes the all-star team. When you look past the injuries to all the other star point guards, Wall has had a pretty solid year. The Wizards aren’t completely horrible but aren’t great either. Simply put Wall is having a good enough season to warrant his selection. He got me after he swatted Deron Williams lay up the other day, really look it up, it’s nasty.

Kemba Walker:
Wouldn’t it be cool if in the last season of the Charlotte Bobcats existence they had a all-star? The only other all-star in Bobcats history was Gerald Wallace, and look at him now. Besides all that, Kemba has been playing like a star. He’s the leader of a Bobcat team that is slowly approaching a 500 record. Kemba has been balling his ass off and has proven to be the closer on this Bobcats team. Walker has been doing his thing and should be rewarded this year.

Aaron Afflalo:
Yeah the East has been that bad that Aaron Afflalo should be an all-star. The Magic never seem as bad as their record shows when you watch them play. They may lose but they seem like a good group of players who need to pull it together. Now Afflalo has been playing like different dude this season. He’s mostly been known to be a 3 and D player but now he’s scoring anyway he wants. Afflalo has embraced that go to scoring option and is doing pretty well in it averaging 21 points. There aren’t many above 500 teams in the East anyway so that shouldn’t matter. Afflalo should make the all-star team this year hands down.

Snubs/Replacements:
Deron Williams
Luol Deng
Brook Lopez