Tom Thibodeau says choosing All-Star reserves is ‘impossible job,’ prioritizes winning over stats

With the NBA All-Star starters set for the Feb. 16 showdown successful San Francisco, the spotlight present shifts to the reserves.

While fans, players and media collaboratively find the starters, the work of selecting the seat lies solely with the league’s 30 caput coaches.

Knicks caput manager Tom Thibodeau understands the value of the determination — and the inevitable heartbreak that comes with it.

Someone who deserves to beryllium an All-Star volition alternatively walk the play arsenic a spectator.

“It’s an intolerable occupation due to the fact that of the fig of players having All-Star seasons and the constricted magnitude of spots,” Thibodeau said aft signifier astatine the team’s Tarrytown grooming installation connected Friday. “Usually, the past 3 oregon 4 spots, you tin marque a lawsuit for immoderate of those guys, and they’re deserving.”

Thibodeau shed airy connected his decision-making process, hinting that squad occurrence often outweighs idiosyncratic numbers erstwhile finalizing his ballot.

“Unfortunately, somebody’s gonna beryllium near out,” helium said. “Usually, erstwhile you’re trying to decide, it comes down to which squad is winning more. It’s unfortunate, but that’s our reality, and you consciousness severely for the guys that are deserving. There are a fig of large players successful the league.”

This attack could spell occupation for Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball.

Despite averaging 29 points per crippled — fourth-best successful the league — and being a instrumentality favourite with his electrical play style, his Hornets (11-29) languish adjacent the bottommost of the Eastern Conference standings.

Ball’s stellar stats haven’t translated to wins.

On the flip side, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham appears to beryllium a lock.

With the Pistons sitting supra .500 and primed to extremity their playoff drought since 2019, Cunningham’s vocation twelvemonth — 24.6 points, 9.4 assists and 6.5 rebounds per crippled — cements his All-Star case.

The Eastern Conference starting 5 is already stacked with Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Knicks duo Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. That leaves constricted country for reserve selections from a crowded excavation of talent.

Reserve candidates successful the East include:

• Cleveland: Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley
• Boston: Jaylen Brown, Derrick White
• Milwaukee: Damian Lillard
• Atlanta: Trae Young
• Indiana: Tyrese Haliburton
• Miami: Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo
• Charlotte: Ball

The West presents an adjacent stiffer challenge. With Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, Los Angeles’ LeBron James, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Golden State’s Stephen Curry anchoring the starting five, a heavy excavation of All-Star-caliber endowment is near to vie for reserve spots.

Eleven teams successful the West boast records of .500 oregon better, and players similar San Antonio rookie Victor Wembanyama besides request consideration.

Likely reserve candidates include:

• Memphis: Ja Morant
• Houston: Jalen Green
• OKC: Jalen Williams
• Los Angeles Clippers: James Harden
• Los Angeles Lakers: Anthony Davis
• Dallas: Kyrie Irving
• Minnesota: Anthony Edwards
• Sacramento: De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan
• Phoenix: Devin Booker

With lone 12 roster spots per conference, the All-Star Game cannot accommodate each deserving player. The decisions coaches marque volition undoubtedly permission immoderate stars connected the extracurricular looking in.

Fans, players and media alike volition soon find retired who makes the cut. NBA All-Star reserves volition beryllium announced adjacent Thursday astatine 7 p.m. ET connected TNT. The NBA is unveiling a caller All-Star format, breaking the 24 All-Stars into 3 teams of 8 with a 4th squad emerging from the younger players competing successful the Rising Stars Challenge.