Our CBS Sports NBA team reveals their picks for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game reserves, which will be announced live on TNT on Thursday. We'll have full coverage and analysis right here. Picks consist of two reserve guards, three reserve forwards/centers and two "wild card" selections. The official selections will be made by the coaches.
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| WILD CARD | |||
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Explaining the East picks
Matt Moore
Take all the guards. All of them. Especially since DeMar DeRozan snagged what should have been Kyle Lowry's starting spot. Isaiah Thomas' defensive rating issues are significant but he's just been too much of a firecracker to leave off. Kevin Love is the underrated one; the Cavs have their best net rating when Love is on the floor this season and he's rebounding like his old self again. John Wall is a no-brainer, he keeps getting better and better. Joel Embiid's minute-restriction and inability to play on back-to-back matters, but he's also been way too impactful to leave off ... and he's who the fans want to see. Even his opponents know how good he is already.
The biggest snub here is Paul Millsap, who is still averaging 18-8 for the Hawks who are fourth in the East despite losing Al Horford. I also considered Otto Porter, who is shooting 45 percent from 3-point range this season and needs to be in the 3-point contest for sure.
Ananth Pandian
The East has a plethora of great guards and that is showcased with these selections. Isaiah Thomas should probably be starting and there is a similar argument to be had for Kyle Lowry. Kevin Love is in the midst of his best season with the Cavs. The Pacers have been inconsistent yet Paul George is doing what he can to keep Indiana in the playoff hunt. The Hornets have fallen off a bit yet Kemba Walker's play earlier in the season and overall steadiness deserve to be recognized. John Wall has been simply amazing. Joel Embiid may be bit of a stretch, especially since he is on a minutes restriction and hasn't played in all of the Sixers' games but this is an All-Star Game, so let the social media-loving rookie play as he will surely inject the exhibition with some levity.
James Herbert
I surprised myself here -- before completing this exercise, I just assumed I'd use both wild-card spots on point guards. With apologies to Kemba Walker, I ended up settling on Paul Millsap for the last spot. Millsap is not a particularly exciting All-Star Game performer, but he's been stellar on both ends for a Hawks team that is now just half a game behind the Boston Celtics for the third spot in the East. If I could replace starter Kyrie Irving with Walker, I would.
The rest of the choices were pretty simple. Lowry has been the best guard in the conference. Thomas and Wall can both make the case that they should have been selected to start. Love's numbers speak for themselves, George is having the most efficient year of his career and Embiid ... well ... he's a monster. Some might disapprove of giving the rookie the nod because he's only played 758 minutes (as opposed to, say, Al Horford's 1128 minutes), but he has been outstanding in those minutes. If the coaches put him in, Sam Hinkie needs to have a courtside seat.
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| GUARD | |||
| GUARD | |||
| FRONTCOURT | |||
| FRONTCOURT | |||
| FRONTCOURT | |||
| WILD CARD | |||
| WILD CARD | |||
| *CP3 INJURY REPLACEMENT |
Explaining the West picks
Matt Moore
Yes, all four Warriors go. What can I say? If it wasn't for last season we'd be marveling at this team and wondering if they can make a real run at 73 wins. Plus, Klay Thompson has legitimately been a consistent go-to secondary scorer through those times when Steph Curry took a backseat to Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green is the Defensive Player of the Year and leads the best offense in the NBA in assists. Eric Gordon deserves a nod, scoring 17 points for the mighty Rockets offense and looking like a two-way player again. Rudy Gobert is the best shot blocker and the only real player who can challenge Green for Defensive Player of the Year.
One of the hardest ones to leave off is Mike Conley, who's just never going to make it into this game despite all his success and leadership, which is cruel. Also wish I had a spot for Nikola Jokic, averaging 15 points and eight boards on the season despite early season-minute shenanigans and he's also top-10 in win shares and box score plus-minus via Basketball Reference, along with a 25.8 PER.
Ananth Pandian
The Jazz are legit this season and that's due in large part to the stellar play of both Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert. And while Utah having two All-Stars may seem like a bit much, both Hayward and Gobert are among the best at their position and having career years. Marc Gasol has been excellent and kept Memphis in the win column during Mike Conley's injury. DeMarcus Cousins is a beast. Damian Lillard as Chris Paul's replacement may seem strange, especially since the Blazers have been terrible this season, but Lillard is averaging 26.2 points (shooting 45 percent and 34.3 from three), 5.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds. Those are excellent numbers and Lillard is one of the few reasons the Blazers have been competitive this season. Klay Thompson will likely actually get selected to replace Paul, which is warranted. But let's spread the love around and have Lillard in the game instead of Thompson.
James Herbert
Three centers! I want to see Steve Kerr play DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol and Rudy Gobert together just to see what happens. Put Draymond Green and Kevin Durant in the backcourt with them, too. Let's get nuts.
Gobert and Green, by the way, have been the best defenders in the NBA this season, to my eyes. Their inclusions were obvious, and I had to think about DeAndre Jordan, too. I couldn't justify leaving Klay Thompson off the team, though, so Jordan didn't make the cut. If Jordan keeps being overlooked for the next few years, we can start calling him the Mike Conley of big men.
Speaking of Conley, it was tough to exclude him, Gordon Hayward and Eric Gordon, but I didn't want to punish Damian Lillard for the Blazers' record. Individually, Lillard has had the best season of his career, and unlike some people, I don't blame him for what's gone wrong in Portland. If you'd prefer to pick one of those other guys from a more successful team, though, I wouldn't argue with you.
