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While the Eastern Conference may not be as competitive as the West, the biggest surprises this season have so far come from this half of the league. Be it Miami Heat's revival, Derrick Rose's continued rejuvenation, or the emergence of Devonte' Graham, the East is brimming with intriguing storylines.
At the heart of these storylines are the star performers, who've elevated either their team or their individual self into the limelight. The tipping point for such performances, at least midway through the season, is an NBA All-Star Game selection and with the voting set to conclude tomorrow, here's how the players from the East have fared so far:
The fans have made their voices heard and given the inputs of the third voting returns, here's the list of players from the East who are likely to make it to the 2020 NBA All-Star Game as starters.
Backcourt
Kemba Walker - Boston Celtics
Following the departures of Kyrie Irving and Al Horford this offseason, the Boston Celtics needed a locker room leader who could keep the nerves under check and rally the troops when need be. Kemba Walker has done a respectable job at that.
His 22.1 points, 4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game have led the Boston Celtics to a 27-14 record as of this writing which would have been better had the Cs not fallen into a slump of sorts in November. Nevertheless, Walker's ability in the clutch could still come in handy for Boston who are only two games behind the 2nd seed in the East.
Trae Young - Atlanta Hawks
Many doubted his potential when he came into the league due to his build, however, one and a half years down the lane, it's safe to assume that Trae Young is likely to dominate the league for the better part of the new decade.
Averaging nearly 28.8 points and 8.5 dimes a game, Young would significantly uplift any team that he's put on, well besides his current team in Atlanta Hawks who have the second-worst record in the league as of now. While Atlanta may not be a team worth watching, Ice Trae, with his deep threes, flashy dribbles, and shrewd trickery has certainly caught the attention of fans as he leads the East guards in total votes.
Also read: How much do the 2020 NBA All-Star Game tickets cost?
Frontcourt
Giannis Antetokounmpo - Milwaukee Bucks (Captain)
If there's one thing that an NBA player does not want to do in the modern game, it's to defend Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak has the ability to rummage through your guard like a freight train. He barely fails to put on a show on any night while also draining the absolute life out of his markers, both mentally and physically.
Giannis has been at the core of the Milwaukee revolution that began last season with the team currently almost guaranteed to finish at the top of the East rankings. Despite his monstrous MVP-winning campaign last season, he's only gone on to improve on his numbers averaging 30 points, 12.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists a game this season. He is leading the vote count at the moment in the East and it's not even close with the second-placed Siakam trailing him by more than two million votes.
Pascal Siakam - Toronto Raptors
For someone who started playing basketball at 17, Pascal Siakam's transformation has been a welcome sight for fans. He wowed the league when he upped his game to thrust the Toronto Raptors to a historic title win last season. However, when Kawhi Leonard left, Siakam hit the gas even harder and now sees the Raptors in a proper tussle for the second seed in the East.
With his 23.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, the Cameroonian more than deserves a starting spot for keeping the Toronto boat afloat following an offseason where they lost marquee pieces and most experts counted them out of a deep postseason run.
Joel Embiid - Philadelphia 76ers
Rarely is the same man the best defensive player and the offensive player on a team. But that's exactly the case for Philadelphia 76ers, who practically see their entire game channeling through Joel Embiid. He's one of the worst players to be dealing with on both ends of the court, averaging 23.4 points per game going forward and effecting 1.4 blocks while holding fort.
Currently nursing his left hand following an injury he suffered in its ring finger and a subsequent surgery, Embiid's dexterity is certainly missed by Brett Brown's men who have only managed to split their last 10 games, despite being on a 3-game winning streak as of now. Arguably the best center in the league, the Cameroonian has racked up the 3rd highest votes in the East and it's clearly visible why.
Also read: Predicting the West starters for the NBA All-Star Game 2020 based on latest fan vote returns
