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Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic named All-Star starter for second straight season

By January 27, 2022 | updated 4 years ago

Nikola Jokic’s reward for carrying the Denver Nuggets throughout the first half of the season is another shortened break.

Jokic was voted as an All-Star Game starter for the second straight year. It is the 26-year-old’s fourth consecutive All-Star selection. Lakers star LeBron James will captain one squad after receiving the most votes among Western Conference players.

Golden State forward Andrew Wiggins is the third starter in the West’s frontcourt.

Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Memphis star Ja Morant are the two starters among the Western Conference guards.

Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant will be the other captain, as the top vote-getter from the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid round out the East’s frontcourt. Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan and Atlanta’s Trae Young were the two guards selected from the East.

Fans make up 50% of the vote with the players and media each count for 25%.

After averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.3 steals and .7 blocks and becoming Denver’s first NBA Most Valuable Player, Jokic is putting up a strong argument for a repeat. In 42 games this season, he’s posting a better field goal percentage – 57.1 to last season’s 56.6 – and putting up similar numbers – 26.2 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 1.4 steals and .8 blocks per game – despite Denver’s long list of injuries.

Jokic has recorded 11 triple-doubles this season, including a 49-point performance in an overtime win over the Clippers on Jan. 19. It turned out to be the third of four consecutive triple-doubles. He’s also posted 20 or more points and 20 or more rebounds in four games this season.

In last year’s All-Star Game in Atlanta, Jokic started on a team captained by Antetokounmpo that beat a squad captained by Durant.

The All-Star Game is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 20 at Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Rising Stars Challenge, a contest between the NBA’s most promising young players, is scheduled for Friday with the skills challenge, 3-point contest and dunk contest scheduled for Saturday.

The remainder of the All-Star teams and those selected to participate in Friday and Saturday’s events will be announced at a later date.

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Vinny Benedetto

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