Devin Booker (left) and LaMelo Ball were both popular All-Star reserve picks by our writers.

The 2022 All-Star starters were announced last week. Who are your picks for the reserves in each conference? Choose seven players from the West, but select eight players from the East since it’s already expected Kevin Durant will not be playing.

The 2022 All-Star reserves will be announced on TNT this Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.

Steve Aschburner:

East reserves: LaMelo Ball, Jimmy Butler, Darius Garland, James Harden, Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, Jayson Tatum, Fred VanVleet

I like the distribution of my East roster: The team on top, Chicago, gets two All-Stars in DeMar DeRozan and LaVine. The conference’s next nine teams in the standings get one each. Then there’s Sabonis, whose 19-12-5 stats are too strong to ignore. Admittedly, I went with a guard, Ball, as my “eighth reserve” to plug Durant’s spot because of his numbers and as a Hornets delegate. By the time the playground draft is complete and the game begins, we won’t know positions, affiliations or whatever.

West reserves: Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, Dejounte Murray, Chris Paul, Karl-Anthony Towns

In this era of so-called “position-less basketball,” the NBA needs to drop the “guard” and “frontcourt” designations — which they did when they announced the starters anyway. I had to fudge and list Doncic up front because a) every guard on my list deserved to go and b) Doncic or Booker can handle the (ahem) defensive demands of an All-Star Game up front. As for snubbing Draymond Green, that hurts because he’s the league’s best interviewee and arguably its best defender. But Golden State doesn’t really merit three All-Stars this season, Draymond has missed a lot of games and the Andrew Wiggins “thing” skewed their representation.

Mark Medina:

East reserves: Jarrett Allen, Jimmy Butler, Darius Garland, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, Zach LaVine, Kyle Lowry, Khris Middleton

This was the most difficult assignment. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, LaMelo Ball and Fred VanVleet are all going to feel snubbed. But the Celtics have underachieved even when Tatum, Brown or both have been healthy. The Hornets and Raptors may not even sniff the playoffs, if not for Ball and VanVleet. But the selected players have had a bigger impact on ensuring their teams are among the Eastern Conference’s best. Butler and Lowry have battled through their own injuries, while still keeping Miami afloat when it has absorbed other ailments. Allen and Garland (along with Evan Mobley) have thrust Cleveland into contending status. LaVine has remained consistent, while still making room for DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso. Holiday and Middleton continue to compliment Giannis Antetokounmpo well.

West reserves: Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Karl-Anthony Towns

I considered Green more of a worthy starter than his teammate, Andrew Wiggins because he has always been the main reason behind the Warriors’ defensive excellence. Chris Paul continues to defy Father Time and leave his leadership imprint, while Devin Booker has become one of the league’s top scorers. Towns is one of the most efficient big players in the game. Though it remains uncertain if the Mavs can take the next step, Doncic is still impactful enough to make them a playoff team. Mitchell and Gobert have shown their ongoing value simply because the Jazz’s successes and failures have correlated to whether they were healthy or not.

Shaun Powell:

East reserves: Jarrett Allen, LaMelo Ball, Jimmy Butler, James Harden, Zach LaVine, Khris Middleton, Jayson Tatum, Fred VanVleet

LaVine was worthy of starter consideration. Harden, despite a less-efficient year for him, remains one of the best offensive players in the game. Butler was stellar before and since his injury. Allen has emerged as a scoring threat. Middleton is delivering much like he did last summer in The Finals. Ball is enjoying a solid sophomore year. VanVleet has become a capable replacement in Toronto for Kyle Lowry. Tatum’s been up and down, yet still an elite scorer (tough omission for this spot is Darius Garland).

West reserves: Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Draymond Green, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Karl-Anthony Towns

Paul, much like LeBron James, is defying age by playing at a high level. Doncic is the singular reason Dallas is even respectable. Green is enjoying a solid year defensively while running the Warriors’ offensive from the high post. Gobert, right now, is the best defender in basketball and also is marginally better offensively. Towns is the most efficient center after Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. Booker brings buckets for the team with the best record. Mitchell had the Jazz near the West penthouse before injuries took hold.

John Schuhmann:

East reserves: Jarrett Allen, LaMelo Ball, Jimmy Butler, Darius Garland, James Harden, Zach LaVine, Jayson Tatum, Fred VanVleet

The East was much more difficult than the West. First pass: Garland, Harden, LaVine and Tatum. Then it’s Allen, Butler and VanVleet. Allen has the team success, the defense, and the efficiency. Butler has played in only 32 games, but is one of only six players averaging 20, 6 and 6, has been efficient, and also defends at a high level. VanVleet has had solid numbers all around, a huge on/off differential, and lots of big shots. The injury replacement spot came down to Ball, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton and Pascal Siakam. Brown has Ball on efficiency and defense, but Ball has the slight edge in per-game numbers and total games/minutes played. And bottom line, he’s been running a top-five offense.

West reserves: Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Karl-Anthony Towns

On the first pass, Booker, Doncic, Gobert, Paul and Towns are easy picks. They all have team success and numbers, and they’ve all played in more than 40 games. Green has played in just 34, but he’s still played in more wins (28) than some of these guys, and he was under serious consideration when starters were picked. The last spot comes down to Donovan Mitchell and Mikal Bridges, who deserves similar credit as Green for defensive impact. The pick here is Mitchell, given that he ranks seventh in usage rate, leading what has been the league’s No. 1 offense by a wide margin. But Bridges should be there if there’s an injury.

Michael C. Wright:

East reserves: Jarrett Allen, LaMelo Ball, Jimmy Butler, James Harden, Zach LaVine, Khris Middleton, Jayson Tatum, Fred VanVleet

With Kevin Durant expected to sit, Tatum gets the nod. But you could also make the argument for Middleton to go out with the starting five. Tatum hasn’t been the model for efficiency, but he’s still top 10 in the NBA in scoring. Ball’s selection will probably surprise some, but this kid and his game are built for the All-Star stage. VanVleet is an underdog, who earned his way into the league and into a starring role after Kyle Lowry’s departure. VanVleet has also grinded his way into All-Star recognition. Allen and Butler are arguably the most important players on their respective teams, which by the way, rank first and fourth, respectively, in the East.

West reserves: Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Karl-Anthony Towns

The two best players – Booker and Paul — on the league’s hottest team should be on this squad, and as happy as everybody is with Andrew Wiggins’ success, Green is probably the Warrior that should be in the starting lineup for the West All-Star team. Mitchell has missed seven games due to a concussion, and while there are whispers about his relationship deteriorating with Gobert as the team continues to slump, the former can flat out put on a show, and the latter is the lynchpin to Utah’s success defensively. Towns is putting up numbers nearly identical to his 2018-19 All-Star season, and Doncic has pretty much carried Dallas on its current hot streak.