A lot was made about reigning NBA MVP Russell Westbrook not being named an All-Star starter this season. Coming off a 2016-17 campaign that saw him average a triple-double, the dynamic guard is still among the game’s best players. For him to come off the bench Sunday, it would have seemed like a slap in the face.
Well, that’s no longer going happen. Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, who will coach Team LeBron Sunday, announced that the NBA has picked Westbrook to start the game after DeMarcus Cousins went down to a season-ending Achilles last month.
NBA says Dwane Casey picked Russell Westbrook to start in place of DeMarcus Cousins in ASG.
— Kevin Chouinard (@KLChouinard) February 18, 2018
Westbrook will now start with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, former teammate Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving for Team LeBron at the Staples Center on Sunday. It should be interesting to see Russ and Durant taking to the court as teammates once again.
The friction there is by now well known. But the two did provide some highlight-reel plays in the annual All-Star Game last year.