The current Houston backcourt and one former Rockets point guard will all play together on the same team at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game.
James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Chris Paul were all drafted by LeBron James to play on “Team LeBron” at the upcoming game, which takes place on Sunday, Feb. 16 in Chicago.
Harden will start the game, while Westbrook and Paul are each reserves.
The teams were drafted by James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who were deemed “team captains” for having the most fan votes in the Western Conference and Eastern Conference, respectively.
The All-Star rosters as drafted by @KingJames and @Giannis_An34 … pic.twitter.com/GOyY8dXFOm
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 7, 2020
The 2020 #NBAAllStar #TeamLeBron & #TeamGiannis rosters as drafted by @KingJames and @Giannis_An34! pic.twitter.com/zV0w37TgDN
— NBA (@NBA) February 7, 2020
Antetokounmpo took a lighthearted jab at Harden when drafting Boston’s Kemba Walker ahead of him, saying he wants someone “that’s going to pass the ball.” Antetokounmpo and Harden finished first and second, respectively, in last season’s MVP voting.
That assertion isn’t supported by data, however, since Harden ranks No. 9 in the NBA in assists at 7.3 per game, while Walker is No. 33 at 5.0.
Charles Barkley asks Giannis “you don’t want the dribbler?” in reference to James Harden
Giannis responds: “I want somebody that’s gonna pass the ball. That’s what I want.” #Rockets pic.twitter.com/0OnYKMEWWf
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) February 7, 2020
Led by two former MVPs, Harden and Westbrook have directed the Rockets (32-18) to the West’s fourth-best record entering Thursday.
Now 30 years old, Harden leads the NBA in scoring yet again at 35.8 points per game, along with 7.3 assists and 6.5 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Westbrook is in the NBA’s top 10 in points (26.4) and assists (7.4) per game, and he’s also near the league’s best among guards at 8.0 rebounds per game. It’s the ninth career All-Star berth for the 31-year-old Westbrook, and the eighth for Harden.
In Oklahoma City, Paul has led the Thunder (31-20) to a surprising No. 6 mark in the West standings, with averages of 17.0 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game. It’s the 10th All-Star berth of the 34-year-old’s career, and his first since 2016.
Paul was traded by the Rockets to Oklahoma City last offseason in the deal that brought Westbrook to Houston.
All three guards are future Hall of Famers whose career legacies are tied to at least one other member of the trio, making it a unique opportunity for them to all take the court together. The All-Star Game tips off at 7 p.m. Central time on Sunday, Feb. 16 in Chicago.
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