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The NBA All-Star Game will take place at State Farm Arena in Atlanta this weekend as team LeBron takes on a side captained by Kevin Durant, who won't be featuring in the All-Star game this year due to an injury.
Team LeBron has won the last three editions of the All-Star game and will be looking to clinch their 4th successive win. Similar to last year, team LeBron looks like the much better side on paper and will start the match as favorites to win.
We look at the strengths and weaknesses of each of the twelve players below that will feature for Team LeBron in this year's edition of the All-Star game.
Biggest strength and weakness of each member of Team LeBron
LeBron James
Biggest strength: All-round skillset
LeBron James is regarded as one of the best all-round players to play the game of basketball, a true All-Star. Even at the age of 36, he is leading the Lakers from the front and is the team leader in points, assists, rebounds and steals.
The four-time NBA champion has been a tremendous player for the Lakers ever since he signed for them, taking up the role of a playmaker, scorer and elite defender.
Biggest weakness: 3-point shooting
While LeBron James' 3-point shooting isn't as poor as he showed in the early stages of the campaign, where he made at least 40% of his shots from beyond the arc, it still continues to be the biggest weakness of his game. He will either be too good or too bad and needs to be consistent from three-point range.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Biggest strength: Athleticism
Giannis' athleticism for someone who stands at 6 feet 10 inches tall is quite impressive. His ability to surge through the line of opposition defenders to dunk over them and incredible defensive reach is something that has been the best due to this trait.
He could very well be in contention to win the All-Star game MVP award this year as he never takes to the court without giving his 100%.
Biggest weakness: Free-throw shooting
Giannis is averaging just 66.1% from the free-throw line this season, which is something he could still improve on as he continues to surge towards his prime years as an NBA superstar.
He is way too efficient with the help of his current style of play, and if he does manage to improve on this aspect, one could only imagine how dominant he would be in the near future.
Steph Curry
Biggest strength: Shooting
Steph Curry is one of the best in the business and a consistent All-Star. But one trait stands out for the former league MVP, and that's his lethal shooting range.
Curry is making close to 30 field goal attempts per game, his ability to convert 47.8% of the shots justifies his tag as one of the best shooters the league has ever seen.
Biggest weakness: Defense
Steph Curry isn't as athletic or a physically dominant player and often gets caught out on the defensive end. Although he is still averaging 1.3 steals per game this season, it's still an area he could improve on.
He will be able to help his team as an all-round performer in the second half of the season.
Luka Doncic
Biggest strength: All-round offensive Play
Luka Doncic is one of the best offensive players in the league this season and is a multi-season All-Star in the making. His ability to dribble, shoot from various positions and make plays for his teammates makes him a highly efficient player on the offensive side of things.
He is averaging 28.6 points and 9.0 assists per game so far, which just goes to show how much of an attacking threat he has been.
Biggest weakness: Defense
Doncic is just in his third season as an NBA player and has a lot of room for improvement in his abilities as a defender. While he can claim a huge number of defensive rebounds during the course of a game, he can often get caught out in isolation.
Nikola Jokic
Biggest strength: All-round offensive play
Nikola Jokic is one of the best centers in the NBA right now. His basketball-IQ on the offensive end sets him apart from most of the modern-day bigs and has helped him become one of the most efficient players in the league this season.
The Denver Nuggets All-Star is currently having an MVP-caliber season and is averaging 27.1 points, 8.6 assists and eleven rebounds while shooting 56.7% from the field, including 41.8% from the free-throw line.
Biggest weakness: Defense
Although not really a weak defender as such, Nikola Jokic's biggest weakness is still his defense. As a big man, one would expect him to be really imposing in the paint while defending against his counterparts, but he is averaging a mere 0.6 blocks per game this season.
Damian Lillard
Biggest strength: Scoring
Damian Lillard's ability to score when his team needs him is second to none. Regarded as one of the most clutch players in the modern-day game, Dame has the ability to snatch the game away from the opposition in the most crucial moments of the match.
Dame is third overall in the NBA this season on the list of highest-scoring averages at 29.8 points per game, absolutely All-Star numbers.
Biggest weakness: Defense
Damian Lillard is a near-perfect size for a point guard and is one of the most hard-working players in the league. He can sneak in a few steals here and there but is still not as efficient on the defensive side of things.
Chris Paul
Biggest strength: Playmaking
Even at the age of 35, Chris Paul has been phenomenal in playing point guard position this season for the surging Phoenix Suns. The Suns are currently second in the stacked Western Conference, thanks to his leadership skills and ability to organize his team offensively.
While he isn't as efficient as a scorer anymore, he has continued to provide for his teammates at a high rate and is averaging 8.8 assists this season.
Biggest weakness: Athleticism
Chris Paul does have the ability to guard younger point guards in the league and use his experience smartly in-game situations.
However, there are times the 35-year old veteran is unable to match the athleticism of his counterparts and often becomes an easy target to shoot over from the perimeter.
Ben Simmons
Biggest strength: Defense
Ben Simmons is currently the frontrunner for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award, making him a bonafide All-Star. His alertness on the court has been quite impressive and has led to him being one of the best in that department.
He has a tremendous amount of self-belief and is highly capable of neutralizing the best player on the opposition team.
Biggest Weakness: Jump Shots
Ben Simmons is one of the most unique players in his position. The 6'11" guard has one of the best basketball IQs and has a lethal passing range as well.
But where he could really make a career-changing impact would be his ability to take jump shots. More often than not, the 76ers star holds back from making jump shots, which is something the fans and critics have emphasized in the past.
Rudy Gobert
Biggest strength: Defense
The two-time DPOY and one of the Utah Jazz' leading All-Stars this season has an incredible vertical reach and wingspan which makes him one of the best defenders in the game.
He can prove to be a problem for players who are dominant inside the paint. Gobert is averaging an incredible 2.7 blocks per game this season.
Biggest weakness: Limited shooting-range
Rudy Gobert's shooting range is limited to the paint area, which is something he needs to change.
While other big-men in the league continue to introduce a variety of elements in their game, Gobert has stuck to being a traditional center which could overshadow his status as one of the best in his position in the future.
Paul George
Biggest strength: Shooting
Paul George has been a phenomenal shooter throughout his career, which is also something that has helped him establish himself as one of the best players in the league. That's why he's always been considered an All-Star.
His size as a shooting-guard gives him an added advantage in making tough contested shots during the course of a game.
Biggest weakness: Inconsistency
While having a game or two not going your way is still acceptable for a player of Paul George's quality, a poor run for several games is a hard pill to digest.
He's made just 26% from the 3-point line in his last five games, which just goes to show that he does take a while to recover from a rough patch.
Jaylen Brown
Biggest strength: Shooting
First-time All-Star Jaylen Brown is currently one of the frontrunners for the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year award this season. His field goal shooting has been quite impressive from the time he made his debut and it has only gotten better with each passing year.
He is shooting a career-best 49.5% from the field this season.
Biggest weakness: Defense
Jaylen Brown is still young in his NBA career and has shown improvement in various aspects of his game this season. One such aspect he needs to work on is his defense at the moment.
He could soon become one of the league's best all-round players if he rectifies this aspect of his game.
Domantas Sabonis
Biggest strength : Shooting
The Indiana Pacers All-Star has once again recorded a field goal percentage of more than 50% in what happens to be just his 5th season in the NBA. He is also averaging 20.8 points per game this season and is a key component in the Pacers' hopes of qualifying for the playoffs this season.
Biggest weakness: Free-throw shooting
Domantas Sabonis has continued to get better with a lot of aspects of his game but has struggled to shoot from the free-throw line yet again. He is shooting just 71.4% from the charity line out of 5.9 attempts per game.
Guess the Lakers players!
