Picking the entire Eastern Conference All-Star team

Picking the Eastern Conference All-Star team wild cards

The final two spots on the roster can be from any position, and this is the crunch for Darius Garland. Theoretically, there could be frontcourt players to consider, but this is ultimately picking two more guards. There are six guards who all probably have a stronger case than any other frontcourt player. The candidates:

Darius Garland

Garland was on the fringes of the All-Star roster as recently as last week when we highlighted the DeMar DeRozan problem forcing one deserving guard off the roster. Since then he has been white hot, earning Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors. He has been the best offensive player for a team in the top four of the Eastern Conference, averaging career-highs in 3-pointers, points, assists, rebounds, steals and free throws. He is a rising star who should have a place on this roster for years to come, even if he just misses out this year.

LaMelo Ball

This second-year offensive phenom has been incredible with the ball in his hands, nailing teammates on hit ahead passes and dissecting defenses, all while scoring in his unique way. He is averaging 19.4 points and 7.6 assists for the Charlotte Hornets, currently in seventh place and four games over .500. His best case over Garland, who has a similar profile, is that the Hornets are ranked fifth in offensive rating while the Cavs are 11th.

Trae Young

Trae Young is the player most would expect to be a lock for the team, and in reality he will probably get the nod to start. He is averaging 27.7 points per game and hitting a career-best 36.5 percent from deep. For the second-straight season he is averaging 9.4 assists, orchestrating the league’s second-best offense. Yet he is also a complete defensive catastrophe, while Garland and Ball at least provide something akin to resistance. Add in that the Atlanta Hawks are last in defense and seven games under .500, and Young’s offensive wizardry is mitigated to some extent.

James Harden

A former MVP should be a lock for the All-Star Game as long as he is still putting up solid numbers, but James Harden has found the path to unraveling his own case. His 22.7 points per game are the lowest since he was a bench player in Oklahoma City, and he’s shooting the worst percentages since his rookie season. Defensively he looks disinterested and he has visibly checked out of games multiple times this season.

Bradley Beal

Another perennial All-Star, Bradley Beal is not having a great season overall. His 23.7 points per game are down 7.6 points from last season, and he is shooting just 29.8 percent from deep. His assists are up, to a career-best 6.4 per game, but Washington is a middling 17th in offensive rating despite Beal missing just eight games. He has been outside the top 50 in most impact metrics, and the Wizards have been a significant negative with him on the court.

Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown has had some truly marquee games, but he has paired them with complete stinkers. Overall he is averaging 24.2 points per game on decent efficiency, but his regression as a playmaker and increased turnovers tell the painful story of the Celtics’ season.

The Verdict: Who makes the cut?

Trae Young and Darius Garland make the final two spots. Guards primarily drive offense while bigs and big wings drive defense, and Young is at the helm of the league’s second-best offensive no matter his defensive struggles. Garland is the less drastic Young, not quite the scorer and playmaker that Young is at this point but also not the defensive problem. Both are having excellent seasons and take the final two wild card slots.

Some final notes. If we fudged the rules we would put DeRozan in the frontcourt where he belongs, drop Jayson Tatum and add in LaMelo Ball as the last wild card. Also, if Durant is ruled out then Domantas Sabonis should probably get his spot, as he is interestingly playing better than either of the past two seasons when he made the team. Also, if Bam Adebayo is absolutely awesome over the next two weeks he could be a viable injury replacement in the frontcourt as well.

In the end, two members of the Cleveland Cavaliers make the cut, and that’s where we seem to be heading given the Cavs’ current winning streak and Garland’s solid play. Winning Player of the Week was the boost his candidacy needed. With Allen playing in the frontcourt it will be easier for him to make the cut. The hometown fans should enjoy two of their own taking the court in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland, Ohio.