2021 NBA All-Star Draft: 5 key takeaways

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From the time the NBA decided to appoint the two players with the most fan votes in the East and West as All-Star Game captains and gave them the authority to choose their teams, the suspense and tension became palpable. It appeared as though everyone in the basketball universe was eagerly anticipating the grand moment:

Who’s the last pick?

It appears that LeBron James and Kevin Durant are not particularly confident in the team that currently holds the league’s best record. LeBron, in his explanation, further intensified the situation, though in a playful manner, it should be noted.

No one is disparaging the Utah Jazz. It’s akin to our childhood video game habits, where we never chose to play as Utah. Despite the greatness of Karl Malone and John Stockton, we never selected those players in video games.

There you go. The last two players selected in Thursday’s 2021 All-Star Draft were Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, respectively. This is akin to remaining in the green room on draft night, albeit on a far less intimidating scale.

The Jazz capitalized on a robust February to climb the West standings, significantly aided by their two All-Stars. They will undoubtedly have new motivational fodder, should they deem it necessary to utilize. While Mitchell and Gobert have the potential to defy all odds, Malone and Stockton, conversely, can only observe from their couch.

The draft for LeBron-KD otherwise unfolded as anticipated. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the first starter picked, by Team LeBron; while James Harden was the first reserve chosen, for Team Durant.

LeBron opted for Paul George from the Clippers, albeit with a caveat: “This will be the only instance I’ll support this guy and his team.”

In any case, the distribution of players has led to intriguing situations, matchups, and partnerships for Sunday’s game, which we examine here:

Point guard advantage, Team LeBron

If we consider that creativity in All-Star Games is predominantly generated by point guards – which seems logical, as they control the ball and generally dictate subsequent actions – then Team LeBron is likely to be the clear favorite to bag the majority of the style points. As you’re probably aware, in an All-Star format, style points are nearly as crucial as actual points.

Team LeBron boasts five point guards, or six if you include LeBron himself, in contrast to Team Durant, which has only one natural point guard, Kyrie Irving. If you consider Harden, who won’t be classified as a point guard when he enters the Hall of Fame one day, then Team Durant has two.

Chris Paul, Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, Damian Lillard and Ben Simmons will each trigger more than a few fast breaks and lob passes and how-did-he-do-that passes headed straight for YouTube. Team LeBron therefore ranks as Sunday’s likely leader in video starts.

Brooklyn 1-2-3

Durant shrewdly maintained Brooklyn’s Notorious B.I.G. Three, a move that would’ve been more advantageous had he been able to play. Regardless, Durant’s decision to keep Irving and Harden together was prudent, allowing them to further develop their chemistry within the Nets, albeit at the expense of the All-Star Game. Are Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid aware that they might be falling into a trap laid by their All-Star captain, especially since they might face the revitalized Nets in the playoffs?

Truce, or consequences

The most delicious subplot is the coupling of Lillard and George, implying that a peacemaker from Team LeBron is required to mitigate a situation that appears to be delicate and possibly uncomfortable.

Just to jog your memory: George taunted Dame on social media during the bubble last fall for missing decisive free throws, sparking a squabble between the two basketball stars. Unfazed, Dame recalled the time he “sent him packing” from the playoffs with a legendary 35-foot buzzer-beater, remembered for its symbolic puppet wave. Later, when George faced difficulties in the bubble, he faced ridicule on social media from those who aligned themselves firmly with Dame.

Time may heal or at least soothe any anger, but Dame, one of the league’s more prideful players, feels he is not given the respect he deserves. He even subscribes to a conspiracy theory that he is being overlooked. Remember, it was Doncic, not Dame, who was chosen by fans to start in the All-Star Game, a recent blow to Dame’s ego.

Durant and Russell Westbrook were All-Star Game teammates four years ago, and the situation was far from pleasant. Their relationship, once solid as Oklahoma City teammates, cracked when Durant switched to the Warriors, leading to an infamous feud that persisted through the midseason classic. The two avoided each other at All-Star team events, maintained their distance in the locker room and on the bench, and only offered each other casual recognition during the game. Harden, who is friends with both, attempted to mediate the situation that weekend.

So, who will take on the role of peacemaker for Dame-PG? The most logical choice appears to be LeBron, as that’s a captain’s duty, isn’t it?

LeBron and Curry, teammates at last

They both hold a mutual respect for each other and have had numerous significant moments in the postseason where they outdid each other (Curry more so than LeBron, if championships are the ultimate measure). Thus, it will be a welcome change to see them on the same team. Both the game and the players themselves are worthy of such a change.

LeBron and Giannis, teammates at last

Last year, they served as captains which is one reason why this partnership will be intriguing. Another reason is the fact that Giannis claimed the last two Kia MVP awards. The previous season’s award was particularly noteworthy as it was won at the expense of LeBron, who ended up as the runner-up and voiced his dissatisfaction about the number of first-place votes he received.

However, they won’t need a mediator, unlike Dame and PG, so there’s that.

The best two centers square off

Isn’t it wonderful that Nikola Jokic and Embiid are set to compete against each other instead of playing on the same team? This is exactly how it should be, particularly this season, given that both towering players are eyeing the MVP awards due to their exceptional performances.

Embiid demonstrates dominance on both sides of the court, unmatched by a center since Hakeem Olajuwon. On the other hand, Jokic is amassing triple-doubles at an almost unparalleled pace for a center, proving that size isn’t a hindrance for leading a team, or at least being the focal point of the offense.

Thus, those are just the peripheral events to the main event. LeBron is currently on a three-game victory streak as a captain, and with KD not participating, there is nothing he can personally do to halt this.

Here’s the broader perspective: Complaints about the game have ceased. Moreover, the game held in Atlanta will result in the honoring and funding of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Furthermore, Sunday will be a day of pure enjoyment.

Even the Jazz will enjoy it.

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

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