The 2013 NBA All-Star Game starters were officially announced Thursday evening, and you can count on seeing the usual suspends in uniform at tip-off.
LeBron? Check. Kobe? Yep. Carmelo and Durant? You bet.
See, there are players who remain popular for a reason: They're really, really good.
All-Star reserves will be filled in based on votes from NBA coaches, and, as always, there will be players who appeared deserving that don't make the cut.
But, as the clock ticks toward Feb. 17 in Houston, the day of the big game, we will be certain which players were awarded spots in the starting lineup.
Start SlideshowLet's just make this deal: For as long as LBJ is in the league, he has a spot in the starting lineup. Seriously. His 26.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game don't come close to saying what he means to his team and the league at large.
NextAnthony has played MVP-caliber ball (29.3 ppg) in the season's first half, maturing into the type of player that not only is an All-Star starter but also a team leader?that whole KG and the bus thing notwithstanding.
NextAt 36, KG won't have many more chances to start in an All-Star Game. Are his numbers (14.6 points, 7.0 rebounds) electrifying? Nope, but fans recognize that he's deserving of what might be his last go-round.
NextSure, he's not as athletic as he used to be, but he's still hitting more than half his shots from the floor (37 percent from beyond the 3-point arc), which is on a pace to be the best of his All-Star career.
NextThe lightning-rod guard has stepped up to carry a bigger load for the Celtics. He is a brilliant passer and playmaker (league-best 11.2 assists per game), though some say his defense hasn't been up to his usual standards?as if that matters in an All-Star Game.
NextDurant's quest to shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line for the season will intensify, but suffice it to say he's having the best season of his career and, scary as it may seem, he's getting better.
NextHas Superman been super in Los Angeles this season? No. Does he lead the league in rebounding (12.6 per game)? Yes. And, most important, does he bring the kind of personality that fans love in their All-Stars? Absolutely.
NextIt came down to Griffin vs. the Spurs Tim Duncan, who by most measurements is having a better defensive season. But the All-Star Game is about offense, and Griffin is having the better year at that end of the floor, averaging 17.7 points on 53.4 percent shooting despite fewer minutes this season.
NextYou could argue that Bryant is needing too many shots (almost 28) to score his 29.3 points per game, but you also know that he is one of the game's transcendent scorers. Another no-brainer pick.
NextTops in the league in steals (2.9 per game) and second to Rondo in assists (9.7), Paul arguably is the first-half MVP. More important for this discussion: He's the perfect All-Star Game point guard.
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