LOS ANGELES (AP) – Magkasanggang muli sina Russell Westbrook at Kevin Durant sa West All-Stars, habang matitikman nina Gordon Hayward ng Utah, DeAndre Jordan ng LA Clippers at Kemba Walker ng Chrlotte ang aksiyon sa All-Star Game.
Hindi naman masisilayan ang iba pang NBA superstars, kabilang sina Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki at Carmelo Anthony.
Tulad ng inaasahan, kabilang si Westbrook — ang nangunguna sa scoring title at tinaguriang Mr. Triple Double – sa 14 na reserve player na pinili ng mga NBA coch para maglaro sa All-Star Game sa Pebrero 19 sa New Orleans.
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Tangan ng two-time reigning All-Star MVP ang averaged na 31 puntos, 10.6 rebound at 10.2 assist.
“There’s no question in my mind that he should be starting,” pahayag ni Thunder coach Billy Donovan.
“However, I understand that there’s certain things that have to do with who does start. I’m not taking anything away from anybody who is starting, but ... Russell, in my opinion, should be starting.”
Sa pagkakapili, muling magkakasama sa locker room sina Westbrook at Durant. Napantayan ng Golden State ang marka sa pagkakaroon ng apat na player sa All-Star sa pagkakapili nin Klay Thompson at Draymond Green. Sina Durant at two-time MVP Stephen Curry ay kabilang sa starting line-up.
Kasama rin sa West team sina DeMarcus Cousins ng Sacramento, Marc Gasol ng Memphis, at first-timer Hayward at Jordan,
Nasa Eastern Conference reserve sina Indiana’s Paul George, Cleveland’s Kevin Love, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, Atlanta’s Paul Millsap, Boston’s Isaiah Thomas, Washington’s John Wall at si Walker.
Ang East starter ay sina Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Chicago’s Jimmy Butler, Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan at Cleveland’s LeBron James at Kyrie Irving, habang West starter sina Curry, Durant, Houston’s James Harden, San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard at Anthony Davis ng New Orleans.
