The starters for the NBA’s 2015 All-Star game have officially been set. Announced on TNT as a pre-game special prior to Thursday night’s games, the league has revealed the starters for the 64th edition of the mid-winter event, to be played on February 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The NBA changed the ballot format this season to include all active players in the league, rather than just 60 per conference, resulting in five first-time starters and 10 starters from 10 different teams.
In just his second All-Star appearance, Golden State Warriors point guard and MVP candidate Stephen Curry received the most votes overall, moving past LeBron James by just over 42,000 votes in the final days of the voting proves after trailing James by 13,285 votes when the final update was announced. Curry, who becomes the first Warriors player elected to consecutive starts since Chris Mullin in 1991-92, has led a deep Warriors roster to the NBA’s best record at 34-6 under first-year coach and former NBA veteran Steve Kerr, who became the first rookie coach to assume All-Star coaching duties since Larry Bird of the Indiana Pacers earned the honors of coaching the Eastern Conference team back in 1998 season.
“This means a lot, it’s something that I don’t take for granted,” Curry said in a statement released shortly after the votes were announced. “To have support of fans not only in the Bay Area but across the nation and across the world, supporting not only myself but our team, it means a lot. I want to represent the Warriors the best way I know how, every single game, and will do that proudly in New York thanks to the fans and their votes. Something that’s definitely a dream come true, and to be two times in a row, I’m proud of that.”
[related_post_one]
Curry is joined on the Western Conference team by New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (first start, second appearance overall), Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (first start, second appearance overall), Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (fourth start, fifth appearance overall), and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (17th consecutive appearance). Bryant is likely to decline the invitation following the announcement that he tore the rotator cuff in his right shoulder during Wednesday night’s game against the Pelicans. Houston Rockets guard and current NBA-leading scorer James Harden would most likely take Bryant’s place in the starting lineup if so, thus opening another bench spot to be named by Kerr on January 29th.
The Eastern Conference team will feature LeBron James, (11th appearance), New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (eighth appearance), Washington Wizards point guard John Wall (first start, second appearance), Chicago Bulls center/forward Pau Gasol (first start, first appearance since 2011, fifth overall), and Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry, who makes his first All-Star appearance in nine seasons after beating out Miami guard Dwyane Wade in the final stages of voting. Wade actually led Lowry by as much as 100,000 votes at the last official count. Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer, whose team is currently enjoying a 14-game winning streak, will coach the East.
Marc and Pau Gasol, who at one point were traded for one another, will make history as the first two brothers to play against each other as starters in an NBA All-Star Game. Brothers Dick and Tom Van Arsdale played each other in two previous All-Star Games in 1970 and 1971, but were not starters.
”Knowing that I will be facing my brother Pau for the opening tip, it will be a true accomplishment for our family and a memory I will cherish for the rest of my career,” said Marc Gasol in a statement through the Grizzlies earlier Thursday evening. ”It holds special meaning to be voted in by the fans, and I look forward to representing my teammates, the organization, the city of Memphis and entire Mid-South community and Grizzlies fans across the world.”
All-Star reserves will be officially announced on January 29 in another TNT pre-game special.
