The NBA announced the reserves for the 2016 All-Star Game, with Chris Paul, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler and DeMar DeRozan headlining the list.
Here are the top things to know about the notable reserves in the All-Star Game:
Western Conference
Chris Paul – 9th All-Star selection
Paul joins Dominique Wilkins for the most selections among players who have never made a Conference Finals, according to Elias Sports Bureau research. Paul was named the MVP of the 2013 All-Star Game.
In the 16 games without Blake Griffin this season, Paul is averaging 20.0 points per game and 10.8 assists per game. The Clippers are 13-3 during that span.
James Harden – 4th All-Star selection
Harden is averaging a career-high 27.5 points per game, second to Stephen Curry’s 29.9. The Beard is also averaging a career-high 6.3 rebounds per game.
His 24.6 player-efficiency rating in the NBA this season ranks eighth-highest.
Draymond Green – 1st All-Star selection
The Warriors power forward is averaging career-highs in points (14.5), rebounds (9.4), assists (7.2) and PER (20.2).
Green leads the NBA with eight triple-doubles. He is also seeking to become the eighth player in NBA history to average at least 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in a single season (would be first since Grant Hill in 1996-97).
DeMarcus Cousins – 2nd All-Star selection
Cousins is the third-highest scorer this season with 27.3 points per game. He is also averaging 11.3 rebounds per game, ranking fourth in the NBA. Cousins would be the first player to average at least 27 points and 11 rebounds in a single season since Shaquille O’Neal in 2002-03.
The Kings big man is the only player to rank top-5 in multiple categories.
Eastern Conference
Jimmy Butler – 2nd All-Star selection
Butler is averaging career highs in points (22.3), assists (4.2) and PER (21.5).
He is third in the Eastern Conference in Basketball-Reference.com win shares (6.9), trailing only LeBron James (7.4) and Kyle Lowry (7.2). This season, Butler scored 53 points on January 14, most by a Bulls player since Michael Jordan.
For more on win shares, visit here.
DeMar DeRozan – 2nd All-Star selection
The Raptors shooting guard is averaging a career-high 23 points per game and became Toronto's third-leading scorer in franchise history.
With Lowry named as a starter, Toronto becomes the first host city since Los Angeles to have two guards named to the All-Star Game.
Andre Drummond – 1st All-Star selection
Drummond is having a career year in both points (17.3) and rebounds (15.2). He’s doing it in dominant fashion.
This season, Drummond has grabbed at least 20 rebounds in nine games. No other player has had more than two such games.
Drummond is second in the NBA in defensive win shares (3.5), trailing only Kawhi Leonard (3.6).
Chris Bosh – 11th All-Star selection
Since the 2005-06 All-Star Game, Bosh joins LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade as the four players to make every All-Star team in that time span. Bosh also becomes the 30th player in NBA history with at least 10 All-Star selections.
Bosh returns to Toronto, where he is the franchise’s leading scorer.
Biggest Snubs?
Lillard was seeking his third All-Star selection. His 24.3 points per game is sixth-highest in NBA, while his 7.1 assists per game rank seventh in the NBA. Both are career highs.
The Portland point guard is averaging a career-high 3.0 3-pointers per game this season, third-most in the NBA.
However, advanced metrics are not in Lillard’s favor. He has a real plus-minus of 1.25, which ranks 76th in the NBA. His 4.8 win shares and 21.8 PER do not crack the top 20 in the NBA.
Gasol was looking for his sixth All-Star selection. At 35 years old, he would have been the oldest All-Star in Bulls history.
The Bulls center is one of two players (Anthony Davis) in the NBA averaging 15 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per game.
Like Lillard, Gasol’s advanced metrics are not supporting his case. He ranks 21st in the NBA in PER at 21.9, and his 4.7 win shares are not in the top 20. However, Gasol is in the top 10 for defensive win shares with 2.6, tied for eighth overall.