Picking the 2022-23 NBA All-Star rosters from top to bottom

Picking the Eastern Conference All-Star Roster

Each Conference will send 12 players to the All-Star Game; that number is insanely low given the expansion of the league in both teams and players since the early days of the league, but it’s the rule for now. There are plenty of candidates, and a lot of really good teams in the East, but here are the 11 remaining players to make the cut.

Eastern Conference Starters

Tyrese Haliburton, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid

Tyrese Haliburton is leading the league in assists (James Harden will take that title when he hits the games played threshold) and showing an efficient scoring game for a team no one expected to be good. With Haliburton in the lineup, the Pacers were the sixth seed; they are winless since he has been out of the lineup injured.

The East frontcourt is the most difficult group to pick among all of the All-Stars, as there are four MVP candidates and only three slots. Kevin Durant was unconscious before he got hurt, not only scoring the basketball at an elite level but defending and rebounding as well. Jayson Tatum has taken yet another step forward as an offensive hub for the league’s best team.

Joel Embiid gets the final spot over Giannis Antetokounmpo, but any order for these players is defensible. Embiid has been mostly healthy since an early-season absence and has been a two-way force for the Philadelphia 76ers. EPM rates him as the second-most impactful player in the league behind only Nikola Jokic.

Reserve Frontcourt

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, Julius Randle

Giannis is the easy pick here, taking on a huge load in the absence of Khris Middleton for most of the season. Jimmy Butler is even more of an analytics darling for his elite per-minute impact on both the offense and defense of the Miami Heat. Finally, Julius Randle is having the best season of his career, with an improved 3-pointer and a lot of work on the boards.

Reserve Backcourt

Jrue Holiday, James Harden

Somehow Jrue Holiday has not been an All-Star since his days on the Philadelphia 76ers, and that will hopefully change this season. One of the league’s best defensive guard, he has had some massive offensive performances in the past few weeks covering for injured stars. James Harden is no one’s pick for an elimination playoff game, but he has stepped back into the role of running an offense and is still one of the league’s best passers.

Wild Cards

Bam Adebayo, Jaylen Brown

There are a lot of players worthy of an All-Star selection, so it’s a hard cut to end it at 12 players. Bam Adebayo has improved offensively and is still an anchor on defense, and the Miami Heat have righted the ship after a shaky start. Jaylen Brown is slightly overrated given the success of the team around him, but he is still a deserving All-Star having a career scoring year. Kyrie Irving is the first cut, a player having a sublime offensive season but who also missed weeks of games due to his own actions.

Missed the Cut (in no particular order): Pascal Siakam, DeMar DeRozan, Kyrie Irving, Kristaps Porzingis, Jarrett Allen, Trae Young, Darius Garland, Jalen Brunson