NBA All-Star Rosters 2012: Ranking the Biggest All-Star Snubs

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The 2012 All-Star reserves for both the Eastern and Western Conference were announced Thursday night on TNT. While it’s always fun to celebrate the accomplishments of the league’s best, it’s just as disheartening to look at the players who should have been selected but were overlooked.

Here are eight players who, instead of entertaining fans in Orlando at the end of the month, are receiving a "Snubby" award.

7. Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap, Utah Jazz

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One of these underrated Utah Jazz post players should have been selected as a reserve. After starting the season losing three of their first four games, the Utah Jazz have turned things around, currently holding a 13-11 record, good enough for the eighth seed in the conference. Jefferson and Millsap are currently averaging 18 and 16 points, respectively, including nine rebounds a contest.

Unfortunately, given their similar statistics, the two forwards may have cancelled each other out in the coaches' minds when they placed their votes.

6. Danilo Gallinari, Denver Nuggets

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The Denver Nuggets are one of the better teams in the Western Conference despite not having a clear-cut superstar. But if I was forced to pick one player on the Nuggets as the team’s best, I would give the nod to Danilo Gallinari, who is averaging a team-high 17 points per game.

The best player on a team that has been in the top half of the Western Conference playoff bracket for the majority of the season should be on the All-Star team.

5. Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers

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The Indiana Pacers, who surprisingly have the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, will have one player representing the Eastern Conference at the All-Star Game on February 26th in Orlando.

Center Roy Hibbert was selected as an Eastern Conference reserve on Thursday night. But let’s be honest—if there was one Pacer who deserved to be selected, it’s Danny Granger, who is the team’s leading scorer (18.3) and clear-cut alpha dog.

4. Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics

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Yes, Rajon Rondo has missed a good chunk of the season thanks to a wrist injury. But he is still the best player on the Boston Celtics and arguably the best point guard in the league.

3. Kyle Lowry, Houston Rockets

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Kyle Lowry is arguably the best player on a Houston Rockets team currently holding the fourth seed in the Western Conference.

Lowry is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals.

2. Rudy Gay, Memphis Grizzlies

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Last season the Memphis Grizzles were a game away from the Western Conference finals. This led to plenty of buzz surrounding the Grizzles heading into this season. But all of the expectations were put on hold when the team’s heart and soul, Zach Randolph, suffered a knee injury in early January that will have him sidelined for at least another month.

But the Grizzlies have managed to keep a .500 record (13-13) thanks to Rudy Gay,  who missed the team’s surprising playoff run last spring with an injury of his own. Gay is averaging a team-high 18 points per game to go along with six rebounds and two assists.

1. Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks

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When Al Horford went out with a season-ending shoulder injury, few expected the Atlanta Hawks to keep their heads above water. Since then, the team has posted a 10-5 record, remaining very much relevant in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Most of this success can be attributed to the efforts of Josh Smith, who in the absence of Horford has been a one-man show in the frontcourt for the Hawks.

Smith is currently averaging 15 points and a career-high 8.9 rebounds a contest.