NBA All-Star Game 2017 roster: Chris Paul, Damian Lillard both miss the West team

Choosing the NBA’s Western Conference All-Star team is always difficult due to the incredible depth of starpower in the conference. This year was no exception. For a third straight year, Damian Lillard missed the roster, while an injured Chris Paul (who wouldn’t have played in the game anyway) didn’t end up being selected.

The other two major snubs are Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, who each were passed over in favor of DeAndre Jordan.

There were some no-brainers. Russell Westbrook, who somehow didn’t earn a starting spot despite averaging a triple double, was a shoo-in for the first guard slot. DeMarcus Cousins earned his third straight appearance thanks to his work leading the Kings to the brink of the playoffs. Draymond Green also deserved his All-Star slot after putting together a first half that has him in the lead for Defensive Player of the Year.

Here are the reserves for the Western Conference All-Star team. They will join starters Stephen Curry, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, and Kevin Durant. The game will take place on Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. ET and will be televised by TNT.

Westbrook is having one of the best statistical seasons in NBA history, averaging a triple-double now for over half of the season. He’s doing something we’ve only seen from Oscar Robertson yet he’s not an All-Star starter this year thanks to the fan vote. Last year Westbrook was the All-Star MVP and given the starter snub plus all the time he’ll have to spend around Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry over the weekend, we should expect some peak Westbrook on and off the court.

Thompson was the first to say he “ain’t sacrificing shit” when the Warriors landed Kevin Durant in the off-season. And he wasn’t lying. Thompson is averaging just as many shots this season as he was last year, though he’s shooting the three ball at a career-worst .399 clip. Even better, he’s doing it on both ends and has been an important piece to a Warriors team with a league-best record.

Of all the pieces forming a perfect storm in Golden State, none are quite as important to the team’s sustained success as Green. The Warriors’ heartbeat stuffs the stat sheet on a nightly basis. Moreover, he keeps everyone on track and in the flow of the offense — and he doesn’t care who he has to yell at to get the win. Defensively, he’s as versatile as they come, with the ability to defend all five positions. But it’s his toughness and leadership that are carrying the Warriors to their third consecutive NBA Finals appearance.

Cousins can do it all. He can score from all areas of the floor, including a range that’s been stretched to a consistent three-point shot. Boogie is averaging a career-best 28.2 points per game along with 10.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks. He might have a bit of a hot temper, but Cousins is one of the most talented big men the NBA has to offer.

Marc Gasol

Centers are shooting threes now, and that includes Marc Gasol, who’s gone from zero to 3.5 attempts per game. Gasol has been the constant on both ends for a Memphis Grizzlies team no one wants to face in the West playoffs. The seven-foot Spaniard’s averaging 20.1 points per game and is shooting .388 from downtown. And he’s the enforcer patrolling the paint that’s deterring opponents from attacking the lane.

Someone from Utah’s got to make the All-Star game and it’s only fitting Hayward represent his team. The Jazz sit fifth in the West with a 29-17 record, and while it’s their physical defense getting underneath teams, Hayward’s 22.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game are each career-bests.

Jordan is the biggest shock on this list. The center is a key cog in the Clippers’ lineup and has stayed healthy throughout, but it’s a surprise the All-Star roster didn’t trend more towards the many deserving wings when selecting its big men.

WEST ALL-STAR STARTERS: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis.