Yesterday we brought you a list of Western Conference players who would be sure to provide fans with the maximum amount of entertainment if they were thrown together in an All-Star game.
Now it’s time for the Eastern Conference. If you’re sick of hearing the hundreds of different opinions about who should be All-Star reserves this year, then listen up. This is different. Throw your stats out the window. Throw every reasonable thing you know about basketball out the window. This team is going to be pure entertainment. Players earn their way onto the floor based on pure entertainment value, whether it’s high-flying monster dunks, or mental instability.
Eastern Conference All-Entertainment Team Starters:
Backcourt:
Kyrie Irving-This one is a no-brainer. One of the bright young talents in the league, fans (i.e. me) sometimes forget that Kyrie is only 20 years old. That’s not keeping him from dropping 40 on the Celtics, and making any reasonable defender somehow look incompetent. This kid has no fear, and wouldn’t even back down from Kobe while practicing with the USA basketball team this summer. Their first matchup this season didn’t disappoint, and neither will Kyrie’s debut in the All-Entertainment game.
J.R. Smith-I know, I know. How can I put Smith in the starting lineup when there are guys like Dwayne Wade in the Eastern Conference. But J.R. Smith brings everything you could possibly want in a game like this. What does he bring? This, this, and especially this. Thank me later.
Frontcourt:
LeBron James-LeBron is the most entertaining player of this generation. He has made incredible feats of athleticism seem absolutely normal, almost taking away the jaw-droppingness from some of the most amazing plays. As fans, we have the privilege to be watching an all-time great, and he needs to be on the floor in this game.
Paul George-Paul has had an outstanding year while taking on more of a load on offense with Danny Granger out in Indiana. After starting out slow, he’s quickly turned it around and become one of the most exciting players in the league. He showed off a bit of what he could do in last year’s dunk contest, and fans deserve more of that.
Joakim Noah-This team needs a big man in the middle, especially if they’re going to contend with DeMarcus Cousins on the Western team. Joakim Noah isn’t going to back down from anyone, including Cousins. He could also be the halftime show. Are you not entertained?
Eastern Conference All-Entertainment Team Reserves:
Backcourt:
John Wall-He’s only played in 7 games this year, but 5 have been victories and Wall has been showing more than just glimpses of what fans everywhere hope he can become. Try this on for size. His playmaking and passing abilities appear to be much improved, and you wouldn’t see a huge step down when Kyrie heads to the bench.
Ray Allen-I’m not a huge fan of giving All-Star nods for career achievements (Lookin’ at you, KG), but when you have a player who is an all-time great at a certain skill, you have to throw them in here. I used to love watching Reggie Miller light it up, and Ray Allen has taken that to a new level, breaking all sorts of three-point records along the way. Just watch the man shoot. Then repeat. Enjoy.
Frontcourt:
Josh Smith-Because when you have a guy who can do this, you have to include him. He is one of the best dunkers in the league, and a guy I’d love to see in a dunk contest with LeBron James. He could hold his own.
Terrence Ross-Hats off to @drivas23 and @j32jam for pointing this out to me. I should know about him, considering he plays for the homeland. But he slipped my mind. And he shouldn’t have, if this is any indication. Or this.
Carmelo Anthony-Whether you’d like to admit it or not, ‘Melo has been playing his way into the MVP conversation. He has a power forward’s body, but is ripe with guard skills and has sharpened his game into a lethal weapon this year, helping the Knicks out to an amazing start.
Wild Cards:
Jrue Holiday-Talk about flying under the radar. In the Golden Age of Point Guards, he has made perhaps the biggest jump over last season. Overshadowed in the East by Rondo, Irving, and even Deron Williams. But ask Brandon Knight if he should be left off this list. Or Tim Duncan. They’ll tell you otherwise.
Larry Sanders-I’ll give all the credit to @Spencer_Durrant and @drivas23 for this one. If you want under the radar, this is it. Sanders has been making regular appearances on the NBA’s Daily Top 10, and should be a regular. The funnest part? His blocks are probably better than his dunks.
Bench Cheer Squad:
No All-Entertainment team would be complete without Rasheed Wallace. He’d be heard throughout the arena, and his trash-talking just might give the East the edge.
Which Eastern Conference players entertain you the most? Leave them in the comments or come find me on Twitter and let me know!
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[...] Without further ado, here is the Western Conference team. Come back Thursday for the Eastern Conference version. [...]