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A Fan’s Guide To Voting For The 2016 NBA All-Star Game

By Gerald Bourguet

Oct 28, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during the third quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 28, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during the third quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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January 5, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) look on during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 117-91. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Western No-Brainers:

Before we dive into the borderline players that deserve your attention the most, it’s worth mentioning the stars that are bound to get in — and actually deserve your vote anyway. Here are the no-brainers for the Western Conference.

Stephen Curry — Curry currently leads the NBA in scoring at 32.2 points per game, he’s the reigning MVP and he’s on pace to record the highest Player Efficiency Rating in league history. Not that this was ever in doubt, but his record-setting pace for made three-pointers and his instant supernova act make him a no-brainer for the All-Star Game.

James Harden — The Beard hasn’t been perfect by any means this season. His team is 11-12, his defense has reverted back to sleep mode and his shooting percentages aren’t great. But you can’t just ignore a guy who’s averaging 29.0 points, 6.9 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game, especially since the MVP runner-up from last season is bound to get in anyway.

Russell Westbrook — The league-leader in triple-doubles last season and reigning All-Star Game MVP, Westbrook is pure lightning in a bottle, only if you tossed that bottle 60 feet into the air and watched it shatter all over the basketball court. Averaging an Oscar Robertson-esque 26.2 points, 9.9 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game, Russ is an obvious choice.

Kevin Durant — Everyone’s been so swept up in Curry’s torrid start and Paul George‘s inspiring return that few have noticed KD’s sneaky return to MVP form. He’s averaging a staggering 27.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.3 blocks per game on .531/.468/.896 shooting splits and OKC is 11-5 in games he’s played. A healthy Durant is an obvious top choice.

Anthony Davis — His New Orleans Pelicans are seriously struggling, but the Brow has already emerged as one of the league’s premier talents. He also has the numbers to back it up, averaging 23.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. Davis is not as world-devouringly talented as last year, but he’s still a no-brainer.

Blake Griffin — The Western Conference has taken a step back this year, and Griffin’s Los Angeles Clippers are no exception. But with the Flyin’ Lion averaging 24.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game this season, he’s more than earned his reputation as more than just a fantastic dunker — even if that’s the skill that will really stand out in the All-Star Game.

Next: Eastern No-Brainers