The opening tip  Chris Paul and Devin Booker have led the Phoenix Suns to the NBA's best record. (Rick Bowmer/AP) | Picking the 2022 NBA All-Star Game reserves Andrew Wiggins crashed the All-Star Game party last week, unexpectedly landing one of 10 starting spots thanks to a big assist in the fan vote from K-pop sensation BamBam. The good news: Wiggins's selection shouldn't lead to any regrettable snubs when the coaches name the all-star reserves Thursday. Thanks to a rash of injuries to star players in the Western Conference, there's still plenty of room for Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, Warriors forward Draymond Green and other candidates who were passed over by fan voters in favor of Wiggins. Meanwhile, this year's most interesting debates can be found in the Eastern Conference, where parity among the top six teams and down seasons from several household names have opened the door for new faces. Here are The Washington Post's selections for each conference's seven all-star reserves, which consider individual statistics, availability and contribution to team success. Each conference's reserve pool is made up of two backcourt players, three frontcourt players and two wild card players who can play any position. [Click here for The Washington Post's all-star starter selections] EASTERN CONFERENCE Backcourt: Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls) and Fred VanVleet (Raptors) LaVine's willingness to sacrifice some attention by playing sidekick to DeMar DeRozan has been critical to Chicago's high-powered offense and surprising jump to the East's second seed. An efficient scorer who spaces the court and finishes with authority in transition, LaVine (24.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 4.3 APG) appears poised to make the first playoff appearance of his eight-year career. Undrafted players like VanVleet (21.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 7 APG) don't often rise to the all-star ranks, but the tough-minded guard has set the tone for the Raptors following Kyle Lowry's offseason departure. Like Lowry, VanVleet makes a positive impact on both ends and creates good scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. Frontcourt: Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat), Jarrett Allen (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks) Butler (22 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 6.3 APG) has been bitten by the injury bug again after missing out on a 2021 all-star nod due to health concerns, but he remains Miami's most obvious representative. The top-seeded Heat is made in his mold: unselfish on offense, forceful on defense and committed to making life miserable for opponents with their energy. Cleveland's incredible transformation has been a group effort, and it's easy to forget about Allen (16.1 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 1.4 BPG) with rising stars Darius Garland and Evan Mobley drawing lots of hype. But the Cavaliers wouldn't rank third in defensive efficiency without their long-armed, paint-controlling center, who is also averaging a career-high in scoring by shooting an eye-popping 81 percent from within three feet. Despite his exceptional 2021 playoff run, the chronically underappreciated Middleton (19.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 5.3 APG) somehow finds himself overlooked in the all-star conversation again. While the Bucks have spent much of their title defense on cruise control, they are 26-14 with Middleton in the lineup thanks to his measured and savvy all-around contributions. Wild cards: Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) and Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) Boston has been far too uninspiring for both Tatum (26.2 PPG, 8.4 RPG and 4 APG) and Jaylen Brown to return to the All-Star Game. Although Tatum's efficiency is way down, he ranks seventh leaguewide in scoring and has enjoyed better health than Brown. Young (27.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 9.3 APG) was selected as an all-star starter last week, though that spot went to James Harden on The Post's ballot given Brooklyn's superior record. Rewarding Young with a starting spot was difficult to justify given Atlanta's atrocious defense and shaky start, but the Hawks' current seven-game winning streak has been a reminder that Young captains one of the NBA's most potent attacks. Indeed, Young's central role in powering Atlanta's No. 2 ranked offense was enough to lift him over other skilled scoring guards like Garland and LaMelo Ball. Toughest snubs: LaMelo Ball, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Pascal Siakam WESTERN CONFERENCE Backcourt: Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns) and Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) Phoenix boasts the NBA's best record because Paul (14.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 10.3 APG) continues to be the league's top closer. With their 36-year-old point guard enjoying perfect health, the Suns have posted an 19-3 record in games that are within five points in the final five minutes of regulation. Doncic (25.6 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 8.9 APG) has shot poorly by his standards, but his do-everything approach to offense has Dallas firmly back in the playoff mix. Still just 22, Doncic is on track to join Oscar Robertson, Russell Westbrook and LeBron James as the only players to average 25 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists in back-to-back seasons. Frontcourt: Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors), Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Anthony Davis (Lakers) The best defensive player on the NBA's top-ranked defense, Green (7.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 7.4 APG) was the Defensive Player of the Year front-runner until he was sidelined by a recent back injury. His high IQ and communication skills landed him a multiyear contract with TNT last week, making him the first active NBA player to serve as a television analyst for the network. Thanks to his high-volume scoring and elite outside shooting, Towns (24.4 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 3.9 APG) should return to the All-Star Game for the first time since 2019, his last healthy season. The up-and-down Timberwolves have shown some progress as they track toward the play-in tournament, but there's still a nagging sense that Towns has yet to completely fulfill his vast potential as a former No. 1 overall pick. On The Post's ballot, Wiggins' starting spot was occupied by Rudy Gobert, who has carried the Jazz defensively. With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George out of the mix due to injuries, the West's final frontcourt spot went to Davis (23.2 PPG, 9.5 RPG and 2.8 APG) rather than Wiggins. Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers have been disappointing, but the 28-year-old big man has displayed his tremendous versatility and two-way impact since returning to the court after missing time with a knee sprain. Wiggins has been healthier and steadier than Davis, but Davis is clearly more talented and harder for opponents to contain. Wild cards: Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) and Donovan Mitchell (Jazz) Booker (25.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 4.4 APG) has followed up a heartbreaking Finals loss and a Tokyo Olympics gold medal with another year of dependable scoring and well-honed shot creation. His improved commitment on the defensive end has drawn praise from Gobert, and Phoenix deserves to have two all-stars given its consistent excellence. With George sidelined indefinitely by an elbow injury, the final spot on this ballot came down to Mitchell (25.5 PPG, 4 RPG, 5.2 APG) and Wiggins. This was a fairly quick decision, as Mitchell is the leading scorer on the NBA's most efficient offense. Even so, his three-point shooting and free throw attempts have dropped noticeably, and those developments could loom large in the playoffs. Toughest snubs: Paul George, Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray and Andrew Wiggins | 
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