East Side Royalty: Meet Your 2025 NBA All-Star Starters
NEW YORK — Let’s be real: we all knew the Eastern Conference voting was going to be a bloodbath this year. The results are finally in, and while some of us are high-fiving, a lot of fans in New York and Boston are probably staring at their screens in disbelief. The NBA just announced the five guys who will represent the East at the Chase Center in San Francisco, and the lineup is a heavy-hitting mix of “obvious” and “intense.”
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It’s no surprise that **Giannis Antetokounmpo** is your captain again. The “Greek Freak” continues to put up video-game numbers while carrying Milwaukee on his back. Joining him are **Jayson Tatum** and **Joel Embiid**. For Tatum, this is a victory lap after bringing a banner back to Boston. For Embiid, it’s a reminder that when he’s on the floor, he’s still the most unstoppable force in the paint.
But let’s talk about the “snub” in the room. How does Jaylen Brown—a Finals MVP—not crack the starting three? It’s the classic All-Star dilemma: too many stars, not enough seats at the table. Fans went with the scoring titles and the MVP pedigree, leaving the “energy guys” to wait for the coaches’ reserve picks.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo: Leading the East in fan votes for the fourth year running.
- Jayson Tatum: Averaging a career-high in assists, proving he’s more than just a bucket-getter.
- Joel Embiid: Still the king of the mid-range despite the missed games earlier this season.
The Backcourt: A New King in Town?
The real shake-up happened in the backcourt. **Tyrese Haliburton** and **Donovan Mitchell** are officially the faces of the East’s offense. Haliburton is a pass-first wizard who turned Indiana into the fastest team in the league, and fans clearly rewarded that “must-watch” TV style. Mitchell, meanwhile, has been the engine behind Cleveland’s rise to the top of the standings.
I know, I know—Knicks fans are currently screaming about Jalen Brunson. It’s a tough pill to swallow when your guy is playing out of his mind at the Garden but gets edged out by the “Spida” and the Pacers’ prodigy. If it’s any consolation, Brunson is a lock for a reserve spot, but seeing him miss the starting intro definitely stings for the blue-and-orange faithful.
Inside the Huddle
“You look at these five names and you realize there isn’t a single ‘weak link.’ The East has caught up to the West in terms of raw star power, and these guys are the reason why the playoffs are going to be a total war zone this spring.” — NBA Scout, Eastern Conference Division
The Bottom Line & What’s Next
What does this mean for the actual game? Expect a track meet. With Haliburton pushing the pace and Giannis finishing every lob in sight, the East is built to put up 160 points without breaking a sweat.
Keep your eyes on the reserve announcement next Thursday. That’s where the real drama lives. We’ll see if the coaches reward winning basketball (looking at you, Jaylen Brown and Bam Adebayo) or if they stick to the stats. Either way, the East is coming into San Francisco with a chip on its collective shoulder. If you thought this was just an exhibition, you haven’t been watching how hard these guys are competing for seeding lately. The All-Star break is just the halftime show for what’s shaping up to be the wildest Eastern Conference playoff race in a decade.
