A few notable injuries among selected All-Star Game participants have provided opportunities for a few other players.
Including the Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen.
Already selected as an All-Star reserve by the Western Conference’s coaches, Markkanen on Friday was bumped into the starting lineup as a result of the Pelicans’ Zion Williamson being ruled out with a strained right hamstring. More than that, The Athletic reported Friday that Markkanen has been invited and will participate in the league’s 3-point contest the night prior.
An already brilliant campaign for the Finland native — he is having a breakout season in his sixth year in the league, which led to him becoming a first-time All-Star — will now see him get to begin the game on the court in his own basketball building, when the game tips off on Sunday, Feb. 19 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.
Two other starters for the game were also ruled out Friday due to injury — Warriors guard Stephen Curry (left superior tib/fib sprain), and forward Kevin Durant (right knee MCL sprain), who was voted in as an Eastern Conference starter while a member of the Brooklyn Nets, who who was subsequently traded to the Phoenix Suns.
Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid will replace Durant among the Eastern Conference’s frontcourt starters, while Grizzlies guard Ja Morant will supplant Curry from the West’s backcourt contingent.
In order to fill out the All-Star rosters, NBA commissioner Adam Silver named the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox, the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards, and the Raptors’ Pascal Siakam as injury replacements.
It’s not yet known who Markkanen will team with in the game.
Previous seasons have seen the highest vote-getters in each conference serve as team captains, then participate in a televised draft roughly a week before the game, first alternating picks from among the pool of players chosen as starters, then from the reserves.
In a twist this season, captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo will choose their teams playground-style — on the court, just 30 minutes before the scheduled 6:30 p.m. MT tipoff.
Markkanen is now guaranteed to be among the first eight players picked, along with Morant, Embiid, the Mavs’ Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, the Celtics’ Jason Tatum, and Cavaliers guard — and former Jazz star — Donovan Mitchell.
The contingent of reserves now includes Fox, Edwards, Siakam, Bam Adebayo (Heat), Jaylen Brown (Celtics), DeMar DeRozan (Bulls), Paul George (Clippers), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers), Jrue Holiday (Bucks), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies), Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers), Julius Randle (Knicks), and Domantas Sabonis (Kings).
