My 2016 All-Star Starter Picks

Each year, the NBA All-Star Game is a fun, high-scoring, and ultimately meaningless event where nobody cares to play defense. Now that fan voting has begun, I've decided to share who I think deserves to start in the 2016 NBA All-Star Game.

Western Conference:
G Stephen Curry
G Russell Westbrook
F Kawhi Leonard
F Kevin Durant
F Anthony Davis

Curry is a no-brainer to start in the All-Star Game. The Warriors have been cruising through the start of the season, and he is the biggest reason why. Westbrook is also having a good season, and is putting up monster numbers. Leonard has been the best player on the Spurs and is the biggest part of their success. He is becoming one of the best two-way players in the league now. While Durant has missed a few games this year, he's still one of the top players in the league. And Anthony Davis has continued to dominate despite his lack of help.

Eastern Conference:
G Kristaps Porzingis
G Kristaps Porzingis
F Kristaps Porzingis
F Kristaps Porzingis
F Kristaps Porzingis
:)

My actual picks for the Eastern Conference:
G Kyle Lowry
G Jimmy Butler
F LeBron James
F Paul George
F Andre Drummond

Lowry has led the Raptors to a good start to the season. He's also having a very good start to the season himself. I considered choosing John Wall over Butler for the second guard spot, but Butler's Bulls have been better than Wall's Wizards, so he gets my vote. James is a no-brainer for the All-Star Game, and so is George, who has been even better than before his injury. My last pick is Drummond, who can't be stopped from getting rebounds.

I also wanted to talk about Matt Barnes' insane game winner in Detroit. If you haven't seen it yet, here it is:

It was a ridiculous decision to shoot the ball from half-court, even if it went in. There were still timeouts remaining and enough time on the clock for Barnes to get a closer shot. But hey, it was an awesome highlight.

The Conferences Have Changed

Last year, the Eastern Conference was a lot worse all around, and the standings showed that. This year, however, the East has gotten much better. The top teams are still in the Western Conference, but the teams in the middle of the standings are better in the East. It's those teams that have made the East more exciting this year.

The Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and Atlanta Hawks are all very likely to make the postseason. It's the next 6-7 teams that have made the Eastern Conference playoff race very interesting. Here are my thoughts on those teams:

Kyle Lowry has improved off of his excellent season last year, and the Toronto Raptors have been right in the middle of the playoffs. The Raptors have a good shot at making the postseason, not only because of Lowry, but also because of DeMar DeRozan.

The Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, and Boston Celtics are the teams most likely to end up fighting for the seventh and eighth seeds in April. Of the the four, the Pistons might have the best chance to get there. They're led by Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond, both of whom are making strong cases to be on the all-star team. The Magic, meanwhile, are having a surprisingly good season given how young the roster is. Next year, they could be a top team in the East. The Celtics have one of the best coaches in the league in Brad Stevens, so it wouldn't be shocking if they snagged one of the lower seeds in the East despite the fact that their roster needs work. And the Hornets' decision to trade for Nicolas Batum is paying off as he's having a great season as a key part of the team.

The New York Knicks are close to the eighth seed, but might not have enough to get there. If they go on a big winning streak and another team fighting for the playoffs slips, the Knicks could get the eighth spot. And Kristaps Porzingis is awesome.

The eight best teams in the Western Conference are starting to look clear. The Warriors and Spurs are clearly leading the way, but the other teams are not looking as strong. The Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets will all probably make the playoffs. None of the teams on the outside appear strong enough to get to the postseason. The Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves are too young, while the Phoenix Suns don't have enough talent in the frontcourt to get there.

It would be very interesting if the New Orleans Pelicans get closer to the playoffs. After starting off slowly, they have picked up some quality wins against good teams. It's improbable that they will be in the playoffs, but it sure would be nice to see Anthony Davis showcase his talent in the postseason again.