Complete Prediction Of 2020 NBA All-Star Teams
Jan 24, 2020, 10:13 AM | Updated: Aug 13, 2024, 4:46 pm
Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers stands on the court before their game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on October 25, 2019 in Sacramento, California.(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Trae Young is starting in the All-Star game? I did a double-take when I saw that happen.
Raise your hand if you predicted it…
That’s what I thought.
Just before the starters were announced, Hema Heimuli, Jr. and I hopped onto our podcast – SportsBeat Afterhours – to predict the 2020 All-Star Teams.
New ep. up, @x_hems and @zakhicken make their picks for the All-Star teams.
Apple: https://t.co/qAETOMYQKd
Google Play: https://t.co/Zz8tPtY3yk
Web: https://t.co/hee8zfdQvl— X (@FTERxHOURS) January 24, 2020
Neither of us had Trae as a starter (but we both at least had him making the team).
There weren’t really any other surprises in the ten players picked so far, and maybe our picks for those are irrelevant, but I just really wanted to be another media outlet that put in writing that Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert should be in the All-Star game.
Here are our picks-
Zak’s Western Conference Starters:
Luka Doncic: 29.1 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 9.0 apg
James Harden: 36.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 7.4 apg
LeBron James: 25.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 10.8 apg
Kawhi Leonard: 27.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 5.4 apg
Anthony Davis: 26.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg
I was 5-5 on these picks. It’s hard to dispute any of them. Luka and AD are two of my three front runners for MVP and as much as I know we’re not supposed to like James Harden in Salt Lake City, I’d be stupid to at least not recognize the league leader in scoring who’s also putting up six boards and seven-and-a-half assists per game.
MAMA IMMA ALL STAR😭🙏🏽❤️❄️ https://t.co/DnPP3UdhQ0
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) January 24, 2020
Reserve Team:
Damian Lillard: 27.9 ppg, 7.6 apg
Rudy Gobert: 15.6 ppg, 14.5 rpg, 1.9 bpg
Nikola Jokic: 19.4 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 6.4 apg
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 19.8 ppg
Donovan Mitchell: 24.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.2 apg
Brandon Ingram: 25.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg
Chris Paul: 17.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 6.4 apg
Lillard was so close to a lock for me, but honestly, it’s hard to put him over Doncic and Harden. If Doncic is 1A, Harden is 1B, and Dame is 1C. He’s the only exciting thing about Portland right now and honestly, it’s great to see a local talent succeed to the degree he is.
🔥 Dame drops 47 PTS in encore to 61-PT performance! 🔥@Dame_Lillard joins Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Michael Jordan, Elgin Baylor, Pete Maravich and Devin Booker as the only players to score 108+ points in back-to-back games. pic.twitter.com/oH9caNiuO6
— NBA (@NBA) January 24, 2020
In my opinion, Gobert is a lock this year. We make the case EVERY game about the different ways he impacts the game that don’t show up in a score box, but he’s putting up MASSIVE stats this year too.
In five of the last six games, he’s scored 20+ points. Honestly, any coach that DOESN’T vote for him as an All-Star (same goes with Mitchell) should probably lose their job (the only coach that immediately comes to mind is Jim Boylen).
I’m personally most excited for Mitchell. Utah fans have known for a long time that this kid is a superstar, and the league is beginning to recognize it. The next step for him is earning a trip to the All-Star Game, and just like Gobert, I would be SHOCKED if he didn’t make it. Mitchell has taken a huge leap this year not only in his play, but recognizing the moments when it’s time for him to take over, or when it’s time to hand the keys to someone else.
.@rudygobert27 and @spidadmitchell weren't voted in as @NBAAllStar game starters. Will the coaches select them as reserves next week? #TakeNote #NBAAllStar https://t.co/ZpKkQWQDwp
📷: Getty Images pic.twitter.com/eblb8DJ3hU
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 24, 2020
In years past, Mitchell was forced to be the guy and found himself in tough situations, but this year he’s been cool, calm, and collected under pressure and has really been the leader the Jazz need.
Shai and Chris Paul lead a talented OKC backcourt that has overachieved immensely this season. It feels weird to give OKC two spots, but in all honestly the only other guard I would give it to is Ja Morant, and sadly I don’t think it’ll happen (he’ll get in next year).
Ingram is one of my favorite stories of the season. The way he’s flourished in NOLA shows why he drew comparisons to KD and the Lakers decided to take him with the second overall pick in the draft. He’s a future superstar and has a chance to be the focal point of a Pelicans team that will make plenty of deep runs in the playoffs.
The two players that just missed my list are Devin Booker and Bojan Bogdanovic.
📹| Bogey = automatic ⤵️

18p | 4 3pm | 3r | 3a | 1s pic.twitter.com/c3ZOC3VOQq— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 23, 2020
I didn’t give Booker the nod because it’s hard to reward a Western Conference player who leads a team as bad as Phoenix. Talk to me once what he does starts to translate to wins.
Bogdanovic is totally a homer pick, but I just want him to get recognized for the way he’s changed the Jazz. Giving Donovan a wingman who can take charge and be a number one player on a given night has been a game-changer. What he does translates to an All-Star bid from me.
He’s averaging 21.1 ppg (22nd in the league), is shooting 41.7 percent from deep (19th), and has eight games with 30+ points.
I just want him to get some recognition, but as Don Draper would say, “THAT’S WHAT THE MONEY’S FOR!”
Hema’s Western Conference Starters:
Luka Doncic: 29.1 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 9.0 apg
James Harden: 36.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 7.4 apg
LeBron James: 25.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 10.8 apg
Kawhi Leonard: 27.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 5.4 apg
Rudy Gobert: 15.6 ppg, 14.5 rpg, 1.9 bpg
Reserve Team:
Damian Lillard: 27.9 ppg, 7.6 apg
Nikola Jokic: 19.4 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 6.4 apg
Anthony Davis: 26.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 19.8 ppg
Donovan Mitchell: 24.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.2 apg
Brandon Ingram: 25.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg
Ja Morant: 17.5 ppg, 7.0 apg
This pass from Ja Morant is unbelievable https://t.co/fEu67BOXQj
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 18, 2020
Zak’s Eastern Conference Starters:
Kemba Walker: 21.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 5.0 apg
Kyle Lowry: 20.0 ppg, 7.5 apg
Giannis Antetokounmpo 30.0 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 5.6 apg
Pascal Siakam: 23.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg
Joel Embiid: 23.4 ppg, 12.3 rpg
Did I mention that I couldn’t believe that Trae Young was named a starter?
Reserves:
Jimmy Butler: 20.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 6.5 apg
Bam Abedayo: 15.8 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 4.6 apg
Domantas Sabonis: 17.9 ppg, 12.9 rpg
Khris Middleton: 19.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg
Trae Young: 29.2 ppg, 8.6 apg
Jaylen Brown: 20.0 ppg 6.8 rpg
Malcolm Brogdon: 17.1 ppg, 7.3 apg
Hema’s Eastern Conference Starters:
Kemba Walker: 21.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 5.0 apg
Kyle Lowry: 20.0 ppg, 7.5 apg
Giannis Antetokounmpo 30.0 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 5.6 apg
Jimmy Butler: 20.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 6.5 apg
Joel Embiid: 23.4 ppg, 12.3 rpg
Congratulations, Captain Giannis ⭐️#FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/pAF7cjpcHR
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 24, 2020
Reserves:
Pascal Siakam: 23.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg
Bam Abedayo: 15.8 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 4.6 apg
Domantas Sabonis: 17.9 ppg, 12.9 rpg
Khris Middleton: 19.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg
Trae Young: 29.2 ppg, 8.6 apg
Jaylen Brown: 20.0 ppg 6.8 rpg
Malcolm Brogdon: 17.1 ppg, 7.3 apg
If you want to hear our thoughts on each of these players, check out our full podcast below.
The minds behind SportsBeat bring you sports, pop culture and debauchery. The host with the most, Hema Heimuli Jr. is joined by the local, lovable, Canuck, Zak Hicken for a weekly podcast delving into the sports and pop culture landscape from a millennial perspective. This is SportsBeat Afterhours.
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