All-Star and Team Awards: Early 09-10 NBA Predictions

Here’s my early, shot in the dark guesses at the team awards this year, including the All-Star teams, the All-NBA teams, the Rookie teams, and the Defensive teams.

All-Star Line-Ups

West

F Carmelo Anthony

F Dirk Nowitzki

C Tim Duncan

G Kobe Bryant

G Chris Paul

Reserves

G/F Brandon Roy

G Tony Parker

G Deron Williams

F Kevin Durant

F/C Amare Stoudemire

F/C LaMarcus Aldridge

C Pau Gasol

East

F Kevin Garnett

F LeBron James

C Dwight Howard

G Dwayne Wade

G  Gilbert Arenas

Reserves

F Chris Bosh

G/F Andre Iguodala

G/F Danny Granger

G Joe Johnson

F Paul Pierce

G Mo Williams

F Antawn Jamison

It’s just a popularity contest for the starting positions.  For the backups, it’s a combination of popularity, skills, team record, and a little bit team needs. I would have put another member of the Magic (Carter, Lewis, or Nelson), or maybe Devin Harris, but the East was short on PFs and Cs, so that’s why Jamison is there.

I expect at the time of the All-Star break, LA and Portland will be the top two teams in the West (not just because of their teams but because of their schedules), which is a big part of the reason they each have two members of the West team.

All-NBA Teams

1st All-NBA

F LeBron James

F Dirk Nowitzki

C Dwight Howard

G Kobe Bryant

G Brandon Roy

2nd All-NBA

F Kevin Garnett

F Chris Bosh

C Tim Duncan

G Dwayne Wade

G Chris Paul

3rd All-NBA

F Danny Granger

F Carmelo Anthony

C Pau Gasol

G Joe Johnson

G Gilbert Arenas

Runners-up

F Kevin Durant

C Amare Stoudemire

C Al Jefferson

G Tony Parker

G Chauncey Billups

G Deron Williams

It’s very hard not to put Billups, Durant, Parker, or Williams on an All-NBA team. There was, however, just not quite enough space for them, as all the top teams need at least one All-NBA player. Durant would certainly make it if the Thunder were a top-six team.

Many will take issue with my pick of Brandon Roy instead of Dwayne Wade or Chris Paul as a member of the first team. It is a bold prediction and likely won’t be true, but I figure the Blazers are probably a top-four team and neither the Heat nor the Hornets are likely to be.

Duncan and Gasol are probably not going to be classified as centers, but after Howard, there aren’t really any other centers I find quite worthy of making a team (maybe Stoudemire or Jefferson, depending on how well they recover from injuries).

All-Rookie Teams

1st Rookie Team

F Blake Griffin

G Stephen Curry

G Tyreke Evans

G James Harden

G Brandon Jennings

2nd Rookie Team

G Johnny Flynn

G/F Terrence Williams

G Jrue Holliday

F DeMar DeRozan

C Hasheem Thabeet

These guesses are not too educated. I haven’t followed college ball or draft tryouts very closely, and I haven’t seen anyone else try and predict the rookie teams. Just my best guesses based on what I’ve heard and how they might fit in with their teams.

All-Defensive Team

1st Defensive Team

C Dwight Howard

G LeBron James

F Shane Battier

F Kevin Garnett

G Dwayne Wade

2nd Defensive Team

G Kobe Bryant

G Rajon Rondo

C Tim Duncan

F Ron Artest

G Chris Paul

This was really hard to predict as well. I’ll probably get at least a few correct, but it’s hard to tell at this stage.

Let me know what you think. Am I missing someone (especially from the All-Star teams)? Are these foolish picks? Please, just don’t suggest Hedo Turkoglu, Ron Artest, or Trevor Ariza.