After previously announcing the starters, the NBA revealed the reserves for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game on Thursday.
The Western Conference reserves will be Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, and Karl-Anthony Towns, while the Eastern Conference will feature Jimmy Butler, Darius Garland, James Harden, Zach LaVine, Khris Middleton, Jayson Tatum, and Fred VanVleet.
Shortly after the reserves were announced, Green revealed on TNT that he will not be able to participate due to injury, meaning NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will name a replacement.
The Los Angeles Lakers are represented by LeBron James, who will serve as one of the game’s captains for the fifth consecutive year. However, James’ costars Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook were not selected as reserves.
It is hardly surprising to see Davis and Westbrook left off the team given the Lakers currently own a 25-27 record and are fighting for a playoff spot. Despite that fact, Davis figures to be a front-runner to replace Green in the All-Star game given he is putting up All-Star numbers but has missed time due to injury.
Booker and Paul were no-brainer selections for the 2022 All-Star Game as the Phoenix Suns own the NBA’s best record at 41-9, while Mitchell and Gobert were logical choices for the No. 4 seed Jazz. Doncic and Anthony-Towns were also deserving because of how they have led the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves to winning records.
On the other side, Garland and VanVleet were named as first-time All-Stars for how they have made the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors surprise playoff teams. Butler and Harden have led the way for the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets, respectively, and Middleton and Tatum round out the group despite their relatively underwhelming team records.
James and Kevin Durant will select their teams on Feb. 10 in the All-Star Draft broadcast by TNT with the former having the honors of the first pick by virtue of being the leading vote-getter. Like previous drafts, James and Durant will alternate choosing players from the starters and then move on to the pool of reserves.
NBA reveals 2022 All-Star Game jerseys
As is the custom, the 2022 All-Star Game will feature a new jersey for each team to don. Lakers Nation previously revealed the Team LeBron design, with Team Durant sporting a red look.
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