Perhaps the best indication of what’s important for these Knicks — or what’s most relevant to their status as either contenders or pretenders — was the theme of Wednesday night’s postgame locker room interviews.

Here’s the full 2025 NBA All-Star roster, explained after the reserves were announced.

Lakers star LeBron James and leading vote-getter Giannis Antetokounmpo highlighted the NBA All-Star starters who were unveiled Thursday night.

LeBron James is extending his All-Star records ... Boston’s Jayson Tatum and New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns as the East frontcourt players alongside Antetokounmpo. Golden State ...

LeBron James is extending his All-Star records ... Boston's Jayson Tatum and New York's Karl-Anthony Towns as the East frontcourt players alongside Antetokounmpo. — Golden State's Stephen ...

Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell, and the West’s Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James were selected as NBA All-Star starters ...

For the first time in nearly a half-century, the Knicks have two All-Star starters. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

If there is any hopeful throwback to Knicks history it is that the last time the Knicks had two starters in the All-Star Game it was in 1975 when Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe made up the backcourt.

So some like Alperen Sengun, Domantas Sabonis and Jaren Jackson might get reserve spots. But the real tough decision is measuring Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Anthony Davis against Victor Wembanyama. I’ll go with Durant and LeBron this time — and assume the other two will be in the game.

LOS ANGELES — Lakers star LeBron James already held the record ... New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum ...

Jalen Brunson, KAT are first Knicks’ duo to start in All-Star Game in 50 years Jan. 24, 2025, 10:13 a.m. What channel is the Knicks vs. Nets game today (1/21/25)? FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV, for NBA regular season Jan. 21, 2025, 1:00 p.m.

New York will try to keep its four-game home win streak alive when the Knicks play Los Angeles. The teams match up Saturday for the first time this season.