Could Cavs realistically send four players to the All-Star game?

The Cleveland Cavaliers would be title favorites if not for past failures. They boast a league-best 33-4 record, the No. 1 offense, No. 9 defense, and potentially four All-Stars.

The core of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen has come up short in the last two postseasons. They weren't always healthy, so expect big things from them this time, with all four clicking simultaneously. 

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The Cleveland Cavaliers should be the first team with four All-Stars since the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors

Those Warriors teams were loaded with Hall of Fame talent. Steph Curry is the greatest shooter ever and makes super talent passable, but when he's playing with arguably the greatest scorer ever in Kevin Durant, a 3-and-D nightmare in Klay Thompson, and maybe the most versatile defender of his generation in Draymond Green, you're going to win championships. With championships come All-Stars and other warranted accolades. This Cavs team might not be Hall-of-Fame studded, but they are playing like it.

Donovan Mitchell is the leader of the bunch, and he's on a Hall of Fame track. He's been an All-Star for the past five seasons, and this one will be no different. Mitchell is up there in fan voting, and the media and players presumably would vote him in as the leader of this killer team. He gets better in the playoffs every year, and this Cavs team should be taken seriously. These aren't the 2015 Atlanta Hawks. 

The '15 Hawks were a surprise four-All-Star squad that racked up 60 wins. Jeff Teague, Al Horford, Paul Millsap, and Kyle Korver took the league by storm in the regular season. That was a fun team with snipers, but they didn't have a superstar. Mitchell's the guy, but Evan Mobley will be a superstar at his best.

Mobley's offensive game has taken a major leap. He's bringing the ball up the floor, aiding the team's little offensive attack. Mobley's volume from 3 isn't top-tier, but he's shooting 41 percent. His basic counting stats don't tell the whole story. 19 points, nine boards, three assists, plus a block don't do Mobley justice. 

The shot looks confident, and so does his handle. He's taking bigs off the bounce and using strength-based finishes. He's already made an All-Defense team in his 4-year career, and the All-Star game is the next accolade warranted. 

Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland have a case as NBA All-Stars, too

Jarrett Allen dominates the paint alongside Mobley. Mobley's defensive prowess is well-documented, so his offensive leap is his talking point. Allen needs more love defensively because even though he and Mobley have dominated defensively for years together, only one has made an All-Defense team. Both are worthy of All-Star appearances and All-Defense selections this year.

There are great rim protectors around the league. Victor Wembanyama makes offensive players quiver around the rim. He's been the defensive player of the year favorite since September. Wemby has defended 254 shots at the rim, and offensive players shoot a measly 48 percent. We know how mean he is, but Allen is just as stern.

Allen's ability to stay vertical when challenging should be the poster child of the subject. His 1.8 foul percentage ranks in the 98th percentile, per cleaning the glass. Allen is trustworthy and dependable in a coach's mind. He's a backline defender who's not foul-prone and allows opponents to shoot only 49 percent on 202 shots defended at the rim. 

A lockdown rim defender who runs the floor and morphs into a lob threat is a dream for a point guard like Darius Garland. Allen's All-Star case is easier to make due to the injuries in the Eastern Conference frontcourt, but Garland has been as impactful as many of the guards he's competing with. 

Garland's clutch gene has been another on another level. When the games are on the line, Cleveland can go to Garaland or Mitchell to win, making them nearly impossible to stop. They have options, but they go to Garland. 

Being the clutchest player on the best team is better than what LaMelo Ball is doing in Charlotte. Tyrese Haliburton has turned it on late and is playing catch-up. The same goes for Tyrese Maxey—there's a lot of ground to make up.

Damian Lillard and Jalen Brunson are locks due to their full-season impact, responsibilities, and team success. Trae Young, Cade Cunningham, and Tyler Herro are all in the mix with Garland. You can't go wrong with any of these guards, and hopefully, they all end up in San Francisco in February.

Garland's case is built on making plays for the best offense in NBA history (relatively), efficiency, and brilliant clutch antics. His defense has perked up a bit as he fights while guarding 1-on-1. Teams willingly challenge him, but the fight is what we ask for. 21 and seven while shooting 50/40/90 is All-Star stuff.  

Stats as of 1/11/2025 and via NBA.com, Basketball Reference, PBP stats, and Cleaning the Glass