5 takeaways from the NBA All-Star draft results

DJ Dunson

The NBA All-Star draft results were revealed Thursday afternoon during TNT’s “Inside the NBA” coverage. After much anticipation, captains Steph Curry and LeBron James unveiled their rosters. Unlike year’s past, starters and reserves were drafted based on the preferences of each captain. Here are five All-Star observations to look out for in next month’s game:

1. Curry kept as many of the Warriors together as possible. However, the teams are indicative of his and James’ contrasting team-building ideologies. Team Steph picked a slew of All-Stars who may actually play some lockdown defense, which would be a welcome change after last year’s offensive runway show. Between Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler,Giannis Antetokounmpo, Al Horford and Draymond Green, Curry’s took five Defensive Player of the Year candidates.

The team-building philosophies of LeBron James and Stephen Curry clashed on Thursday. (Getty Images)
The team-building philosophies of LeBron James and Stephen Curry clashed on Thursday. (Getty Images)

2. While the consensus is that LeBron James picked the more talented, conventional team, Curry may have selected the more appropriate unit for the three-point era. Overall, Team Steph accumulated a panoply of eligible floor spacers in James Harden, Damian Lillard, Kyle Lowry, Klay Thompson, the new and improved DeMar DeRozan and Embiid. Curry is clearly an acolyte of Daryl Morey’s School of Team Management by Effective Field-Goal Percentage. Don’t put it past them to attempt 80 three-pointers.

3. Between Boogie Cousins-Durant, Kyrie Irving-LeBron and Russell Westbrook-Durant, the “East” is going to have interesting chemistry. Even teammates John Wall and Bradley Beal have had petty acrimony brewing off the court. Over in Team LeBron’s locker room, Irving and Durant will likely band together like cast members on a VH1 reality show to make things awkward for their basketball exes King James and Westbrook. There should be a Vegas prop bet on which of these players demands a trade at halftime.

4. GM LeBron appeared to value size and pure gravity-defying athleticism over spacing or shooting by drafting a trio of 7-foot starters in DeMarcus Cousins, Durant and Anthony Davis, not to mention James himself in the starting lineup. This is an old school All-Star squad that will dunk the opposition into oblivion.

Curry followed through on his vow to select Greek Freak and prevent a repeat of last season’s demoralizing posterization, but he may have left his squad vulnerable underneath the rim. And that doesn’t include Westbrook, who’ll be a reserve for Team LeBron. The Staples Center’s maintenance crew will likely have to replace Team LeBron’s crooked rims at halftime. The contrasting styles are going to be on display early on.

5. Team Steph’s Embiid will start the game going mano-a-mano with Team LeBron’s Boogie Cousins to settle the debate over which pivot is the NBA’s best, Highlander style. These two have a history of attempting to one-up one another and will surely challenge each other at some point.

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DJ Dunson is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at dunsnchecksin@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or Facebook.