The NBA announced the 2021 All-Star Game starters on Thursday and just like every year, fans were unhappy with some of the selections. However, the biggest issue that they had involved Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers. The star point guard was ‘snubbed’ of the Western Conference starters, according to a lot of fans.
The guards selected in the West were Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic, two very talented players with great individual seasons. But, fans didn’t like the fact that Doncic, whose team is struggling this season, was selected to the big game over Dame. NBA Twitter engaged in a heated debate with everybody making the case for their favorite player, even using examples of players getting selected to the game with bad records (like Doncic) and more.
Luka Doncic named a starter over Damian Lillard? Yikes…
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 19, 2021
Tell Luka to fucking win a game, what basketball is about
— DT ⌚️ (@Dame_Time1023) February 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/slamma_jam/status/1362556430784598018https://twitter.com/Daniel_Preci4do/status/1362560278546640900https://twitter.com/Officialj0nn/status/1362556371917561857
Dame leading the blazers to the 4 seed without CJ and Nurk is way more impressive than what Luka is doing. Yes, both Dame and Luka deserve to be all stars, but one is a Top 2 PG in the league and the other is from Europe.
— Burak 🇹🇷🌵 (@bdikbas11) February 19, 2021
Luka is a stat padder 😂😂😂😂😂
— . (@Alter_IG) February 19, 2021
Then zach LaVine or Bradley Beal should be a starter right or nah it doesn’t work that way 🤔 because last time I checked mavs not making the playoffs and Portland is a 4th seed with half of their team injured but dame coming off the bench in the ASG?lol
— LegendMontana👁👁 (@MontanaSayLess) February 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/Hayden_44/status/1362582970389958657
Luka Lost half his team for 2.5 weeks due to covid with the hardest schedule in the league up to now. Still gonna make the playoffs.
— Steven. (@iBEsteVieD13) February 19, 2021
He does, but it’s BS that Dame has never been an All Star starter. Luka will have plenty of years to be a starter, but Dame will probably never get one since it seems fans will vote Luka & Steph in even if Dame is averaging 50 points lol
— Rip City Revival (@RipCity_Revival) February 19, 2021
Lol cause ASG is LITERALLLY voted by fans 😅 Luka>Dame 😂😂
— Humza Shaikh (@humzabumza) February 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/InfamousCursed/status/1362639541539139584
How can you even put Fox in the same sentence as Dame? They are nowhere near close. Stop. Fox might be on his way but there’s no comparison anywhere really.
— Tay Traveler (@TayDaTraveler) February 19, 2021
Love both players, but the freakout over Luka edging Dame for starter is silly. Both players are having great years. Luka is slightly better statistically & leads his team in PTS, REB, AST, & STL. Only 21, he has unbelievably high expectations placed on him. pic.twitter.com/Z7D7dK6CRT
— Troy Davis (@Davis1970T) February 19, 2021
Dame should’ve got it
— Michael Fraudan (@JorOverrated) February 19, 2021
Luka Doncic is Balling and has been since the start of this N.B.A. season, and I mean VIP-balling,………….Damian Lillard is playing very good, But?
— Clyde Doggett (@ClydeDoggett11) February 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/Live4Facts/status/1362569477750145024
You do know they get paid for that right? I wouldn't wanna get snubbed out of my bonus check either
— Tha Hood Lebron (@HighJustice_) February 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/markwins06/status/1362572624912470018
I saw everyones early starters and they all saying Luka over dame when the blazers were still winning without McCollum and the mavs were near the bottom of the conference, and now when dame starts scoring 40+ they like oh he deserves to start over, dame been doing this 🤦♂️ smfh
— JJ 🪐 (@5ft10reboundgod) February 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/caue_zimmermann/status/1362557544380694532
So Beal being an all star starter on a team with 9 wins is cool, but Luka getting a start over a guy who he has better numbers than is a problem?
— Začć (@DailyDoseOfZack) February 19, 2021
Every year you can find players voicing their frustration when they don’t see their favorites players making the cut. Dame can still be named a reserve but it feels bad for a lot of people that he won’t get the chance to be a starter. Shaquille O’Neal even made the case for the 30-year-old player, stating that he’s been snubbed from a starting spot in prior years, and just when things seemed to be ready to change, they didn’t.
Still, fans will be happy to see him in the ASG next March 7 in Atlanta and it’ll be great if we witness Dame Time during the big event.
