Was Tyrese Maxey Snubbed From An All-Star Starters Spot?

The Sixers' Rising Star was left out of the Eastern Conference's Starters list, was it deserved?

On Thursday night, the All-Star starters for the Eastern Conference were named, with the lineup consisting of Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Tyrese Haliburton.

For Sixers fans, Embiid getting the spot was a no-brainer given his league-high 36 points per game, but the lack of Tyrese Maxey could have raised a few eyebrows.

So far this season, Maxey has only continued to elevate his game, putting on what has been a career season so far in multiple categories including average points (25.7), assists (6.6), and rebounds per game (3.6)

All of these stats are in part of Maxey's increased role on the Sixers, proving to be a worthy replacement for James Harden, who was traded away in late October following an offseason full of turmoil.

While some may have thought Maxey was snubbed, the numbers, while a source of improvement for the 23-year-old may suggest otherwise when comparing him to the starting backcourt selections.

Damian Lillard has rebounded off of a rocky start to his new life in Milwaukee, putting up 25 points per game on 42 percent shooting, this coming after the Veteran sharpshooter struggled from beyond the arch, shooting with 32 percent accuracy within the first month of the season.

For any consolidation, Lillard was a narrow inclusion into the starting lineup over the New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson, with the decision having to come down to fan votes.

Tyrese Haliburton on the other hand, was going to make it as a starter regardless, as the Pacers' superstar is off to a career start to the season, similar to Maxey.

The Pacers' superstar is averaging 23 points on 49 percent shooting, on a league-high 12 assists per game, managing to be the catalyst that Rick Carlisle needed in Indiana.

The only metric that Maxey has over the two starters is points per game, with him beating out Lillard marginally, so Maxey's role as a starter may not have been a guarantee.

The 23-year-old's case wasn't helped by a recent rough stretch of games, having only averaged 24 points per game since late December, struggling in matches where Joel Embiid has been sidelined.

All hope is not lost for Maxey's All-Star hopes though, as there is still a chance for him to be named a member of the Eastern Conference's reserves, which will be revealed on Thursday, February 8th.