Why 10 Guards Should Make the NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix

The NBA's annual All-Star contest will head to Phoenix, Arizona in less than a month. This bodacious showboating bonanza offers fans the chance to watch their favorite players attempt ridiculous shots and passes that if tried in normal games might send their coaches to a looney bin.

The league's mid-season marquee event will arrive faster than the Philadelphia 76ers can run a fast break off a missed jumpshot or a steal. OK, maybe not that fast.

No one should expect high drama when the TNT studio crew announces the starters as voted by the fans during Thursday's pre-game show. Ernie Johnson will call out Yao Ming, Tim Duncan, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant.

The only two contested spots—the second guard and forward slots in the West—will be interesting cases.

Tracy McGrady and Carmelo Anthony led those races in the latest All-Star returns, but the fans should know better with the first, and I have to think they did something about it. Consider this a safe prediction: Amar'e Stoudemire and Chris Paul will overtake Anthony and McGrady in the fan vote.

Stoudemire should get a last-minute boost from Suns fans who want to ensure at least one player represents their team when the event comes to the U.S. Airways Center. This, even though nobody on the mediocre Suns is deserving of a midseason reward.

If Paul, a lethal blend of Nate "Tiny" Archibald and Isiah Thomas, does not earn a starting spot, then hell should freeze over. David Stern might as well cancel the game. Jeffrey Dahmer might start an anti-cannibalism support group.

You get the idea.

Now, it is up to the coaches to fill out the two conference rosters, and they face an interesting dilemma. With a dearth of deserving centers and an abundance of guards who deserve consideration, will this be the year coaches send five small guys and one to two pivots?

Shaquille O' Neal has muscled in some monster numbers of late, averaging nearly 18 points and nine rebounds. Still, if Stoudemire either starts or earns a reserve spot, do the defenseless Suns deserve to get another guy in the game, even if his numbers are gaudy given his age and supposed decline?

If O' Neal does get one of the 12 nods in the West, it may be more about coaches with senses of humor wanting to see him with Phil Jackson and Bryant again than his stellar stats.

What center in the East behind Howard, with the exception of the injured Zydrunas Ilgauskas, would get your vote?

What the coaches should do is send five guards from each conference to the game. With Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul assured spots in Phoenix, here are the other guards in the West and East with strong All-Star cases.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Chauncey Billups, PG, Denver Nuggets (18.6 PPG, 6.9 APG)

The quiet MVP candidate has been more important to the resurgent Nuggets than his numbers will ever suggest. It's quite obvious to me who got the better end of the Iverson/Billups swap. Denver now has a leader with a championship ring and a chance, albeit a small one, to win a playoff series and give a second round foe a six-game scare.

Since his arrival—gasp—his newfound teammates have found themselves in a defensive stance more than once. His floor general acumen and chip-on-his-shoulder attitude have transformed the Nuggets from a spotty run-and-gun, no-defense-allowed squad to a team to fear. A guy who can get Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, two of the game's best pure scorers, high percentage shots at the end of tight games? Frightening.

Tony Parker, PG, San Antonio Spurs (20.4 PPG, 6.7 APG)

The several weeks Parker spent on the sidelines nursing an ankle sprain in November may injure his cause, but no one can dampen the argument that he deserves consideration.

Two key game-winning plays illustrate his monster contribution to the Spurs' second place status in a tough West. After missing a rotation that allowed Grant Hill to get free for a layup, Parker set up wide open Roger Mason Jr. in the corner with a perfect pass for the Christmas day dagger felt 'round the stunned U.S. Airways Center.

Yes, Mason deserves credit for drilling the pressure shot with a second left, but as Mike Monroe from the San Antonio Express-News pointed out, Parker's flawless pass out of a hard double team allowed Mason to shoot in rhythm.

Then, after the Spurs had coughed up a big lead at the AT&T Center against the Philadelphia 76ers, Parker set up Ginobili for a three, who missed, then grabbed the rebound and swooshed a high-arching 15-foot fadeaway to win the game.

That 55-point, 10-assist night in Minnesota was not shabby, either.

Jason Kidd, PG, Dalllas Mavericks (8.9 PPG, 6.7 RPG, APG 8.3)

For those of you who still contend the Harris for Kidd blockbuster was a boneheaded, wallet- and future-draining move on Mark Cuban's part, consider that one of its biggest critics, me, has somewhat changed his tune.

In less than a season with the near moribund Mavericks, he has made Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry better offensive players than Harris ever could. The Nets' young point guard has thrown up impressive numbers but still needs to prove his spectacular success in New Jersey is owed to more than a system tailor-made for his abilities.

While Mavs fans might stump for Terry over Kidd, the reasons to select the 35-year-old future Hall of Famer are numerous. If I told you last year that Kidd would be the team's third best rebounder, its most accurate three-point threat and passing as well as anybody not named Chris Paul, would you believe me?

Believe this: the Mavs would surely not have recovered from that abysmal 2-7 start as well with Harris as they did with Kidd. Yes, I know the Bucks just drubbed the Mavericks by 31 points.

Brandon Roy, SG, Portland Trail Blazers (22.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 5.3 APG)

Some of you may consider Roy a small forward given how his duties often fit that position's traditional description. However, he is a guard on the ballot, and thus will compete with other guards for a spot in Phoenix.

If coaches can overlook the games he missed with injury, and they should, this superstar is a shoe-in. He dropped 52-points against the Phoenix Suns and has torpedoed many other teams with his score-from-anywhere barrages. Most importantly, his mature play and on-court leadership has the Blazers poised to nab the seventh or eighth seed in the Western Conference.

How can you dislike his reticent confidence? He knows he can compete with any player on any team, even if the LeBrons, D-Wades and Kobes are still a cut above, but doesn't need to tell people about it. I love this guy, and as I said last year, may not be watching the All-Star game if he is not selected.

The verdict...the coaches should reward Billups, Parker and Roy while giving Kidd honorable mention. If I would exclude Shaq because of his team's record, I must do the same with Kidd, whose Mavs are fighting with Utah for that last playoff spot. That four-game skid and a spanking in Milwaukee will hurt his chances.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Rajon Rondo, PG, Boston Celtics (11.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 8 APG)

The Celtics recent six-losses-in-eight-games slide diminished Rondo's chances of becoming the fourth player from the defending champs sent to Arizona. Still, they are the defending champs, and Rondo's play has dictated their dominance.

That can both help and hurt his case. Teams have started loading up defenders on Rondo and Allen and letting Pierce and Garnett carry the scoring load. In that mini-slump, the tactic worked.

At his best, he penetrates and either finishes drives or finds the open man in the corner or on the wings. At his worst, which lately had been a lot, he shows you every reason why defenses roam and let him shoot more than Dick Cheney in a lawyer-hunting contest.

Jameer Nelson, PG, Orlando Magic (17.1 PPG, 5.4 APG)

Perhaps a frontrunner for the Most Improved Player award, Nelson has replaced the red blood in his veins with ice straight from Antarctica. He nailed clutch trey after clutch trey last week to complete the Magic's first ever season sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.

His 5.4 assists per game may seem measly compared to what Chris Paul is doing, but consider that the Magic run a more complex offense than the Hornets. Stan Van Gundy can do that with multiple playmakers. Byron Scott relies on Paul to play 40 minutes a night and pick and roll teams to extinction.

Most importantly, Nelson has become the stable, if unorthodox, starting point guard Orlando has craved since it drafted Dwight Howard. This scoring guard should easily grab one of the reserve spots in the coming weeks. See you in Phoenix, Jameer.

Ray Allen, SG, Boston Celtics (17.1 PPG)

Allen is the second-leading scorer on the detoxed-from-a-slump defending champion. His long-range bombing has helped propel the Celtics to an astonishing 35-9 record, the most wins in the NBA by any team.

He also brought the Eastern Conference back in last year's contest with a deluge of three-pointers, so the coaches will have no problem giving him a chance to flaunt his shooting faculty in Phoenix.

Mo Williams, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers (16 PPG, 3.9 APG)

If the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics each land at least two players in the game, it will be tough to justify not sending a second Cavalier to the desert.

Williams deserves applause for not crashing the Cleveland offense and shedding his reputation as a lethargic, defensive liability. He won't challenge for Defensive Player of the Year anytime soon, but he does an earnest job of staying with his man and at least shows the effort. Though he shoots a nice 46 percent overall, his 35 percent accuracy from behind the arc is a concern as is his paltry assist to turnover ratio.

Still, if someone else from the eight-loss Cavs should join LeBron James, with Zydrunas Ilgauskas out, Williams is the guy.

Joe Johnson, SG, Atlanta Hawks (22 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 6.0 APG) or Mike Bibby, PG, Atlanta Hawks (16.6 PPG, 5.3 APG)

Coaches will likely give the final roster spot to one of these two matchup nightmares.

So, who gets the nod? Is it the flamboyant scorer who can drop 10-15 points in a quarter in his sleep or the point guard whose revived swagger gives Atlanta a reason to believe it might win one round in the playoffs?

Bibby rained in baskets Tuesday night against the Chicago Bulls and drilled the game-sealers—a three-pointer and jumper—to push the Hawks to a respectable 25-16 mark. He also recorded five key steals, including the one that set up his last shot.

Still, Bibby has been inconsistent on both ends, and Johnson will likely grab more votes because of his snazzy stats. Johnson made the East squad last year and will do it again in February.

The verdict...With three other teams on par with the Celtics and Rondo's numbers on the decline, he's out. Sorry Rajon, maybe next year. The coaches should pick Nelson, Johnson and Allen with apologies to Bibby and Williams.

Devin Harris seemed an early season favorite to make his first All-Star appearance, but it's hard to justify snubbing one of the above guys when the 19-23 Nets are a woeful home team and merely 10-9 on the road. His explosive scoring and Lawrence Frank's dribble-drive offense are a match made in basketball heaven, but for one more year at least, Harris will stay home and watch the All-Star contest instead of playing in it.

Rules are made to be broken...

As so many other writers have said, it's time for the NBA front office to decide how much influence foreign voters should have on this only-in-America contest.

Even without exorbitant help from Chinese Internet voters, Yao could still garner enough votes to start in the All-Star game for the rest of his career.

Tracy McGrady, however, is a different story. He has a chance to unfairly start over Chris Paul just because he plays with Yao. While his teammates are frustrated with his in-and-out shuffle and Houston Chronicle basketball writer Fran Blinebury has accused him of quitting on the team for good, McGrady may nab an honor he wouldn't deserve if he dropped consecutive 72-point, triple-double games this weekend, when he is expected to return.

That brings me to another rule that needs to be slashed. David Stern should allow starters to give up their spots and not just for a washed-up Michael Jordan. If McGrady does start, it would be an insult to the game if Stern forces him to play.

The fans should vote in the starters because it is a game designed and played for them. However, when a player who has missed more than 20 games is clearly getting his votes from another country whose basketball IQ has yet to be tested against its fandom, something is wrong.

My All-Star rosters (with the projected starters, two of whom do not deserve All-Star bids in my opinion)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Starters

• Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
• Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
• Amar'e Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns
• Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
• Yao Ming, Houston Rockets

Reserves

• Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets
• Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
• Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers
• Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers
• Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
• Mehmet Okur, Utah Jazz
• Question for the final spot: Has Carmelo Anthony missed too many games to be considered or should a refueled Shaq earn a selection for the umpteenth time?

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Starters

• Allen Iverson, Detroit Pistons
• Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
• LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
• Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics
• Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

Reserves

• Jameer Nelson, Orlando Magic
• Ray Allen, Boston Celtics
• Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
• Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
• Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers
• Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando Magic

Final spot: Do you allow six guards and beckon Bibby, Williams or Harris? Or does Chris Bosh get your vote even though his Raptors are comatose?

Some last words of advice...this is a showboating contest with little meaning, so while I do encourage debate, please do not start an obscenity-laden rant. "How the F$@& could this #$%! pick that guy?"

It's the All-Star game people. Lighten up.