Team LeBron, Team Durant locked for NBA All-Star Game

National Basketball Association (NBA) players Lebron James of Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant of Brooklyn Nets have selected their teams for the 70th NBA All-Star Game, which will be held on Sunday in Atlanta at 5 pm ET. Team LeBron and Team Durant were announced on Friday.

According to the NBA’s official website, James, who had the first choice, selected Milwaukee Bucks’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić and Denver Nuggets’s Nikola Jokić as starters.

He reserved Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons, Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul, Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, LA Clippers forward Paul George, Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis and Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert.

Durant, who will be a non-playing captain in the game due to an injury, picked Nets guard Kyrie Irving, 76ers centre Joel Embiid, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum as starters.

Meanwhile, he reserved Nets guard James Harden, Suns guard Devin Booker, New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, New York Knicks forward Julius Randle, Orlando Magic’s Nikola Vučević and Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell.

While Team LeBron will play for Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Team Durant will play for United Negro College Fund.

Sunday’s All-Star Game has been scheduled during a mid-season break. which originally was meant to give every player a rest as part of a restructured campaign because of the shorter-than-usual off-season.

Also read: Michael Jordan vs LeBron James: The ‘GOAT’ debate

As per a report by AFP, James and other top players have criticised the decision to go ahead with the game.

The game will be aired on TNT and ESPN Radio.