NBA All-Star snubs: Devin Booker & Bradley Beal snubbed, Trae Young, Lou baffled by picks

Western Conference leader LeBron James and Eastern Conference leader Giannis Antetokounmpo have picked their NBA All-Star reserves. Sixteen-time NBA All-Star LeBron James picked the likes of Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Nikola Jokic, Brandon Ingram and Chris Paul in the Western Conference reserves. Reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, on the other hand, chose to go with Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, Khris Middleton, Jayson Tatum, Domantas Sabonis, Kyle Lowry and Bam Adebayo. While a number of these players were expected to make it to the pool of the NBA All-Star reserves, there was also some pushback from the surprising omissions.

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NBA All-Star snubs: Bradley Beal bitter over omission

Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine racked up impressive numbers over the season. At 28.7 points, Bradley Beal is currently averaging a career-high in scoring but is part of a Washington Wizards side with just 16 wins so far. The Wizards also have been among the worst sides in defensive numbers this season, which could be the argument to include Bradley Beal in the NBA All-Star snubs. However, Bradley Beal was anything but pleased after his omission.

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NBA All-Star snubs: Devin Booker racks up impressive numbers

Devin Booker is, perhaps, the most surprising omission from the Western Conference reserves. In a Phoenix Suns side just back of the eighth seed in the conference, Devin Booker is currently scoring 27.1 points per game and shooting a career-best 51 percent from the field. His numbers post the Christmas period are even more impressive. Post the holidays, Devin Booker is averaging close to 32 points and over six assists per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the field. In fact, the only players in history to average 27 points per game and six assists per game on a shooting 50 percent shooting in a season are the likes of LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Stephen Curry and Oscar Robertson. However, two months after LeBron James said that Devin Booker “could be an All-Star every year”, the Lakers star left Booker out of the Western Conference reserves.

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NBA All-Star snubs: Jaylen Brown impressing in Celtics defence

Part of the dynamic young core of the Boston Celtics alongside NBA All-Star starter Kemba Walker and All-Star reserve Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown is currently shooting at a significantly higher percentage and in fewer shots per game than Jayson Tatum. In scoring, rebounds and assists, Tatum leads Brown by a slender margin. However, the defensive flexibility he offers to the Celtics’ setup is noteworthy. Opponents are shooting only 33.1% against Jaylen Brown this season. Add to this the fact that he posterised LeBron James at TD Garden earlier this month, and Jaylen Brown’s omission seems a glaring miss from the NBA All-Star game.

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