When the NBA All-Star Game members are selected every season, all NBA fans would have their own opinion on the players they prefer in the midseason classic. The polarizing statements from people on their snubs is the difficulty of defending on who they will remove from the current list. For instance, the fanatics of Jarrett Allen or LaMelo Ball have been livid on missing the cut for the 2022 edition.
There have been several immensely talented players from the Eastern Conference that have raised their level of play on a whole new level, such as Darius Garland and Fred VanVleet who are both chosen to their first All-Star Game of their career.
Khris Middleton is the most surprising reserve from the East, but one could argue that the six other individuals deserved their spot wholly. On the other hand, here are three men who deserve a slot as the coaches could have easily picked them, and there would not be much of an issue.
3 biggest East snubs for 2022 NBA All-Star Game
LaMelo Ball
The aforementioned Ball has been spectacular on various facets of his game this year. The rapid growth in his repertoire has been on a superb pace as he is only on his sophomore campaign, but he has put himself as a franchise staple of the Charlotte Hornets. When young guards join the league, they usually still lack the IQ or awareness to make quick and brilliant decisions for the lead man on the squad, but that has already been one of Ball's main assets.
Speaking highly of Ball's contribution to his team is already an excellent level, but one can imagine the highlight reels he could bring on any given night. Having the one rare chance of being teammates with Ja Morant or Zach LaVine would be the perfect sight for fans because any combination of this duo would experiment with eye-popping plays that would stick on the minds for fans for years to come.
Jarrett Allen
Before Garland went on a magnificent stretch over the last month, Allen was the heavy favorite to represent the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA All-Star Game which will be held in Cleveland. After being the underrated acquisition in the blockbuster four-team James Harden trade, the Cavaliers found a gem. Allen is currently averaging a double-double this year tallying 16 points and 10.7 rebounds per game on a whopping 67.8% from the field.
His arsenal does not fit well with the style of the All-Star Game, but that should not be a hindrance for him to receive this prestigious milestone in his NBA career. His defense has always been exceptional as the towering tandem of him and Evan Mobley has caused a slew of headaches for opposing teams. With Cleveland hosting the All-Star Game, it may have just been ideal for Allen to get the nod over Middleton in the East front court.
Putting Jrue Holiday on this list is very difficult because all the guards have been outperforming expectations this season. However, if there was a second Milwaukee Bucks member who would be part of this iteration, it must have been Holiday over Middleton. The value and impact of Holiday is more than just the numbers as his ability to stabilize the offense and contain the best athletes on the other end are two underrated aspects of his game.
Holiday's style of play is not flashy at all compared to Garland, LaVine, or Trae Young, so it really seemed insurmountable for him be chosen by the coaches. Moreover, Holiday could be one of the few choices as a replacement to an injured player, but missing on an NBA All-Star slot this year does not lessen how vital he is to the Bucks success this year.
With Kevin Durant reportedly missing the match, there will be an automatic replacement for him who could easily be three of these individuals. Ball would be the ideal one as others even had him starting for the East at the earlier juncture of the season. Even with these three missing the cut, the NBA All-Star Game would be an exciting sight on the 75th anniversary of the league as they will welcome fans in the arena for the weekend classic.
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