Lakers’ LeBron James makes history with 20th All-Star selection

LeBron James became the first player to ever be named to 20 All-Star teams Thursday night, when he was selected as a starter for the Western Conference All-Stars as part of the league’s unveiling of the 10 starters for next month’s All-Star Game in Indianapolis.

James, who surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most All-Star nods in NBA history with the selection, was joined in the Western Conference starting five by Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

In the Eastern Conference, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo led the voting, and was joined by Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and Bucks guard Damian Lillard.

It is the second All-Star selection, and first All-Star start, for both Haliburton, who is representing the host Pacers, and Gilgeous-Alexander.

James, who is in his 21st NBA season, continues to defy Father Time, averaging 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists for the Los Angeles Lakers, and breaks Abdul-Jabbar’s All-Star mark a little less than a year after surpassing his once seemingly unbreakable all-time scoring record.

Meanwhile, it will be the 14th All-Star appearance for Durant; eighth for both Antetokounmpo and Lillard; seventh for Embiid; sixth for Jokic; and fifth for both Doncic and Tatum.

In reality, there was little drama within the voting in either conference. The voting totals among the fans virtually didn’t change from week-to-week, with Antetokounmpo, Embiid and Tatum far ahead of the field of Eastern Conference frontcourt players; Haliburton lapping the field among East guards; and James, Jokic and Durant far ahead of the pack in the West frontcourt.

The only two spots where there was some drama was the second guard spot in the East, where Trae Young and Lillard went back-and-forth among the fan voting over the last few weeks; and among the three guard spots in the West, where Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander and Stephen Curry were closely bunched together through each of the three rounds of voting.

Ultimately, though, it was Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander who got the nod for the two starting spots in the West, finishing in first and second among media and player voting, respectively, to edge Curry out. Lillard, meanwhile, finished well ahead of Jalen Brunson in fan voting to earn the starting spot next to Haliburton in the East.

While there wasn’t much drama about who will be starting for both teams, who will be coaching both teams will likely go right down to Feb. 4, with the standings that day determining who will be on the sidelines in Indianapolis. Last year’s selections — Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla and Nuggets coach Michael Malone — are ineligible, because coaches cannot be selected two years in a row. There are three teams within one game of the loss column of each other in the West — the Minnesota Timberwolves, Thunder and LA Clippers — while the Bucks and 76ers are tied in the loss column in the East.

The Bucks, in particular, would be a unique circumstance, with Doc Rivers taking over this week for the fired Adrian Griffin. It’s the same scenario that played out in 2016, when current Clippers coach Tyronn Lue coached the All-Star Game after replacing David Blatt in another midseason coaching change.

Last season, the voted-in starters were Antetokounmpo, Tatum, Durant, Donovan Mitchell and Kyrie Irving in the Eastern Conference, and James, Jokic, Doncic, Curry and Zion Williamson in the West, though both Durant and Williamson wound up missing the game due to injuries.

The game, which will be played Feb. 18, will see the NBA go back to its traditional All-Star format, having announced earlier this year it’s going to scrap the captains format that saw the top vote-getter in each conference pick their respective teams, and go back to East versus West.

The reserve selections from each conference, which will be voted on by the NBA’s head coaches, will be announced on TNT next Thursday.