3 superstars that can play in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game as replacements
The 2023 NBA All-Star Game is just around the corner and will take place next Sunday, February 19, in Salt Lake City, featuring some of the top superstars in the league.
The league has already announced its Eastern and Western Conference rosters, with LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo being the captains and the ones that will select their teammates prior to the NBA All-Star Game.
Unfortunately, three starters have already been ruled out, namely Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Zion Williamson. All three of them are dealing with injuries and will not be ready in time for the NBA All-Star Game.
Commissioner Adam Silver will announce their replacements in the coming days as we move closer to the NBA All-Star Game.
That said, we take a look at 3 superstars who can join the NBA All-Star Game as replacements:
#1 James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers
James Harden has been playing very well this season and has his sights set on winning the NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers.
He has appeared in 37 of the Sixers' 53 games, after missing 16 games with a sprained tendon on his foot.
He is averaging 21 points, 10.9 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game, joining reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic as the only player with an average of 20-10-5.
He is also shooting 45% from the field, including 39% from beyond the arc, both of which are career highs.
James Harden has worked on his chemistry with fellow superstar Joel Embiid, with Philadelphia scoring a league-leading 121.1 points per 100 possessions with both on the floor.
James Harden has been equally impressive even when Embiid is on the bench and his elite performances have helped the Sixers maintain a top-2 spot in the East (34-19). It remains to be seen if this will be enough to get him to play in the NBA All-Star Game.
#2 De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis have been the best players on a Sacramento Kings team that is looking to snap a 16-year playoff drought.
Both are playing at the highest level on both ends, but it was Sabonis who was selected for the All-Star Game. However, the young guard has a great chance of replacing Curry, given his stat line this season.
Sacramento has been a top-4 team in the West and Fox is the main reason why. He’s averaging 24.3 points, 4.3 boards, and 6.1 assists per game, shooting at a career-high 50.6% from the field.
De'Aaron Fox has played an instrumental role in making the Kings a playoff contender once again, playing the best basketball of his career.
He’s among the league leaders in points scored off drives and in isolation per game and leads the league in points scored in clutch situations.
The Kings are third in the West with a 30-23 record and have the third-best offense in the league, thanks to Fox and Sabonis' stellar play. Based on what he has done on the floor this season, he should be a prime candidate to replace Stephen Curry.
#3 Anthony Davis - LA Lakers
Despite missing almost half of the Lakers' games this season with a stress injury to his foot that kept him sidelined for about five weeks, Anthony Davis has been a top-10 player this year.
He is averaging 26.7 points, 11.9 boards, 2.5 assists, and two blocks in 31 games this season, playing mainly as a center for the 17-time NBA champions.
He’s scoring and rebounding more than he has had over the last five years, shooting at a career-high 57.6% from the floor.
With him on the floor, the Lakers, who rank 21st in defensive efficiency this season, have conceded only 111.3 points per 100 possessions, good for fourth in the league.
Despite playing the best basketball of his career, though, he has been left off the main roster for the NBA All-Star Game, but this could change with Zion Williamson out for the contest.