Was Brooklyn Nets’ James Harden snubbed out of an East All-Star starting spot?

The NBA introduced the starters for the All-Star Recreation in Cleveland on Feb. 20. As anticipated, Kevin Durant will characterize the Brooklyn Nets as a captain for the East, though he gained’t have the ability to play resulting from his sprained MCL. As for James Harden, he gained’t be a starter. Atlanta’s Trae Younger acquired extra votes than Harden to secure a starting spot.

The 5 starters for every convention are made up of two guards and three frontcourt gamers. The gamers are chosen by a mix of fan votes (50%), present gamers (25%), and media (25%).

The 29-19 Nets are fourth within the Jap Convention and the 22-25 Hawks are in twelfth place.

Harden’s performed in 43 video games (yet another than Younger) and is averaging 23 factors, 10.1 assists, and eight.1 rebounds in 37 minutes per sport. He’s capturing 42% from the sector and 33.7% from the 3-point line.

Younger’s averaging 27.7 factors, 9.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds in 34.5 minutes per sport. He’s capturing 45.3% from the sector and 38% from the 3-point line.

Trae Younger is an East All-Star starter over Brooklyn Nets’ James Harden.

For the second time in his four-year profession, Younger will begin. He began for Group Giannis in 2020 and wasn’t voted as an All-Star final 12 months. As everyone knows, Younger then went on to guide Atlanta to the Jap Convention Finals.

In case you have a look at Harden’s numbers, he’s not having one of the best 12 months statistically. His factors per sport are the bottom that it’s been since 2011-12, his area purpose proportion is the bottom that it’s been since his rookie 12 months in 2009-10, and his 3-point proportion is the bottom that it’s ever been. In the meantime, his minutes per sport is the very best that it’s been since 2015-16.

His rebounds and assists per sport are much like the numbers that he put up final 12 months within the 36 video games that he performed in for Brooklyn.

However, Younger’s area purpose and 3-point percentages are career-highs for him.

The 23-year-old took the league by storm within the playoffs final 12 months however Atlanta has fallen within the rankings this season. If the season ended as we speak, the Hawks wouldn’t make the playoffs.

Harden has been the Nets’ most constant participant. With Durant out, he’s been tasked with main Brooklyn within the video games that the workforce performs at Barclays Heart without Kyrie Irving.

This 12 months, his struggles began after he spent the offseason rehabbing his hamstring injury and whereas he was making an attempt to get again in a groove, he needed to modify to the league no longer calling fouls on non-basketball strikes. It didn’t assist that the Nets had been with out Irving for the primary half of the season, and now that he’s again, Harden’s sport has significantly benefitted.

Primarily based on Brooklyn’s place within the East, together with the elevated workload that Harden has needed to tackle, he ought to’ve been chosen as a starter over Younger. It’s spectacular that Harden’s numbers are nonetheless excessive in mild of all the pieces that he’s been tasked with to this point this 12 months.

The All-Star reserves will likely be introduced on Feb. 3 and Harden will most probably be one among them. And hey, perhaps he’ll truly benefit from the change of tempo that he’ll get from coming off the bench.