My Picks for the NBA Eastern Conference All-Star Starters

The NBA has decided to change up the way the All-Star game is done this year due to growing concerns of how non-competitive the game was getting. This year, the players will not be divided into East vs. West, but rather will be drafted by captains for each conference. Unfortunately, this draft will not be televised and the results will not be shown to the public, which really cuts down on the drama. With all that being said, here are my picks for Eastern Conference starters with the previous year's format installed.

The Locks:

LeBron James - SF - Cleveland Cavaliers

Anyone's list that doesn't begin with this man should be thrown out and that person's opinion should be thought of as incorrect from now until the end of time. With that out of the way, let's discuss the particulars. LeBron is playing some of the best basketball of his entire life. This coming from a guy who is now in his 15th season! LeBron is averaging 28 points per game, 8 rebounds per game, and 9 assists per game and has his team playing inspired basketball after an underwhelming start to the season. If it weren't for James Harden and the next man on this list, LeBron would be a shoe-in to win this year's MVP award. He still has a great chance, but at this point in his career, LeBron is focused solely on championships and not MVP awards.

Giannis Antetokounmpo - PF - Milwaukee Bucks

The same thing can be said about Giannis that was said about LeBron. If you don't have him starting in the All-Star game for the Eastern Conference, then your opinion loses all value to me. Everyone had crowned Giannis the MVP of the league after the first two weeks, and while he has come back down towards earth, he is still having an absolutely incredible season. Averaging 29/10/8 while also averaging 1.4 steals a game and 1.8 blocks a game is staggering. While the Bucks have struggled mightily this season and underachieved compared to their early season mark, you can't fault Giannis for the Bucks inability to win games.

The "Near Lock":

Kristaps Porzingis - PF - New York Knicks

Despite a minor injury costing Porzingis a few games recently, the Knicks front man has quietly become one of the best young players in the game. The fact that Phil Jackson even entertained the idea of trading Porzingis seems absolutely ludicrous based on the way the young big has been playing. Averaging 25/9/1 and a staggering 2.1 blocks per game, Kristaps has surged onto the scene in his third year. What separates this year's Porzingis from last year's is his ability to protect this rim without fouling. He has shown NBA executives across the league what a modern-NBA center will look like. He has the ability to protect the rim, shoot from anywhere on the floor, and has enough off the dribble to punish less athletic defenders.

The Swingmen:

Kyrie Irving - PG - Boston Celtics

This choice is probably a bit up in the air. Kyrie's averages across the board are down from a year ago when he played for the Cavaliers, but he has made up for it with his newfound defensive intensity and his movement off the ball on offense. Obviously, this is due in large part to not playing off of LeBron James which meant fewer touches for Kyrie as the primary ball-handler. Despite losing Gordon Hayward five minutes into the season, the Celtics have still managed an impressive record and currently lead the Eastern Conference. Finding themselves atop the East is due in no small part to Kyrie's ability to run the show in Boston. His connection in the pick-and-roll with Al Horford has been a defense killer so far this year. Depending on how Irving plays from now until the All-Star draft, I could see him potentially falling out of the starting five. I don't think it's likely, but it could happen with Bradley Beal playing well so far this season.

Ben Simmons - PG - Philadelphia 76ers

This is probably going to be seen as the most controversial of the picks. Simmons has carried a slumping 76ers team on his way to what is most likely a Rookie of the Year award. While he is scoring the fewest points of any of the Eastern Conference All-Star starters, he has a statline that would make Oscar Robertson proud. Simmons is averaging a 17/9/8 as well as two steals per game. Simmons is by far the most likely to drop out of the starting five and I could honestly see Bradley Beal taking his spot, but as of right now I think the nod goes to Simmons. A few poor games by Ben could easily sway me, but Simmons is definitely deserving of a spot on the team as of right now.

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So there you have it. My current starting five for the Eastern Conference All-Star team. While technically this year's game will not be divided up into East vs. West, this is how I would see things shaking out if the game were played under the previous rules. A lot can change between now and then though, so don't be surprised if a few days or weeks from now, this list looks very different. I would love to hear what your thoughts are on who would start in the East. If you liked this post, consider signing up for my weekly NBA newsletter by entering your email here:mailchi.mp/dfef9429318a/swish-weekly-signup. Please also consider following @brandonp here on Steemit to get all of my posts directly to your feed.