NBA All-Star Weekend: Unveiling Both All-Star Rosters One Week Early
This time every year, a handful of worthy NBA players are snubbed as All-Stars. For example, despite being two of the elite players in the league, Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams each didn't make an All-Star team until their respective fourth seasons. It shows how difficult it is to be named to that exclusive group.
The starters are a popularity contest, the bench can be determined by "the lifetime achievement award."
I unbiasedly determined who is most deserving of representing the East and West, in February's NBA All-Star Game.
EAST
Center—Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic: Howard has kept the Magic near the top of the Eastern Conference standings despite a major roster overhaul.
Let's be real here, even if Orlando had only won 10 games, Dwight would be the clear starter. He's enjoying a banner season: Career high 22 points per game, 13.3 rebounds and is again the odds on favorite to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award for the third consecutive season.
Power Forward—Amare Stoudemire, New York Knicks: Pundits from coast to coast figured Amare's voyage to the more rugged style of play in the East, coupled with him leaving Nash's superfluous set ups, would cause Stoudemire to struggle.
Anything but. Amare has resuscitated life into a left for dead franchise with a career high 26.4 points, a career mark of 2.4 blocks per contest, along with 8.9 boards.
Small Forward—LeBron James, Miami Heat: LeBron signing in Miami likely ended the stranglehold he would've had on the NBA's MVP trophy for the next decade, but has nothing to do with his ownership of the starting All-Star small forward spot for the next 10 years.
The King's stats are slightly off pace from the video game like numbers he averaged for seven seasons in Cleveland, but 25.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 7.2 dimes is still far superior to anyone in the league.
Shooting Guard—Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat: After being limited at the end of preseason, it took D. Wade about two weeks to find his rhythm. Since his (and the team's) early season struggles, Wade has found his game in a big way and is averaging Godly numbers of 25.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
Point Guard—Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls: The first true debate for an All-Star spot. Rajon Rondo, and his record setting pace for unselfishness, could serve as the starting point guard most years. But Derrick Rose is cut from a different cloth.
Rose has led his Bulls to a 28-14 record, kept Chicago atop the Eastern Conference standings despite the fact that Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer have only played nine games together.
Bench—Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics: Rondo is far and away the most deserving of the C's to represent the East. You often hear point guards are quarterbacks on the floor; if that's true, Rondo is Peyton Manning and Tom Brady rolled into one.
His unselfish nature sets up his talented array of veterans, and his hustle and grit excite the home fans and provide the Celtics with one of the most intimidating home court advantages in the league.
Bench—Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls: A broken hand caused Carlos Boozer to miss the team's first 17 games, but can't keep him off the East All-Star roster. He has played in 25 contests since then and has aided Derrick Rose in lifting the Bulls from fringe playoff team to championship contender.
Boozer is one of the few 20-10 guys in the NBA and is shooting a jaw dropping 56 percent from the field. He deserves to be in LA for his third All-Star trip.
Bench—Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers: Danny Granger is this generation's Mitch Richmond. One of the premiere players in the league, buried in a small market and never seen on national TV, but puts in work every game, every month, every year.
With the Pacers in contention for one of the East's final playoff spots, and Granger again filling the stat sheet to the tune of 21.2 ppg and 5.5 rpg, the New Mexico product earns his second All-Star berth.
Bench—Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks: It would be refreshing to see Smith make his All-Star debut. Smith has matured markedly the past few seasons, his field goal and three-point percentages are both solid and, most importantly, the Hawks are owners of an impressive 28-15 mark.
Bench—Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks: Johnson came out of the gate in 2010-11 struggling, but has really found himself since properly nursing his elbow injury. Johnson is clearly the best player on what is one of the premiere teams in the East and will earn his fifth All-Star appearance this season.
Bench—Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics: Based solely on stats, KG doesn't belong as an All-Star in 2010-11. But anyone who knows basketball knows Garnett is the gasoline that fuels the Celtics beastly defensive effort; he chooses to let his stats suffer for the greater good of winning basketball.
Speaking of which, his Celtics boast the best record in the conference, 32-9 as of this posting. KG will earn his 14th consecutive All-Star nod.
Bench—Ray Allen, Boston Celtics: Despite this being his 15th season, Ray Allen is shooting a ridiculously efficient 51.7 percent from the floor and 47.8 percent from three, both being by far the best of his career. Ray has connected on countless clutch jumpers as well and is an anchor for the conference leading Boston Celtics. This will mark Ray's tenth All-Star campaign.
Bench—Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics: Like Ray Allen, Pierce is shooting a career high 51.4 percent from the field and an astounding 40.6 percent from distance. He plays hard defensively night in, night out and is a key cog for the Celtics. Pierce will make his ninth All-Star appearance.
WEST
Center—Paul Gasol, LA Lakers: Yao's hurt. No other true center is even close to deserving. So Gasol starts at center (why isn't he just a center on the ballot?) in his own backyard with the All-Star game in Los Angeles this year.
Gasol's averages doesn't blow you away (18.5 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 2.0 bpg), but maybe if Kobe swung it to him in the post a little more often he'd be a 24-10 guy. His Lakers also boast the second best record in the West, at 31-13.
Power Forward—Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks: Nowitzki missed a handful of games in January, but not enough to keep him from his annual trip to the All-Star game (this would be his 10th).
Dirk was posting another MVP caliber season, including a career high mark in field goal percentage (54.3), prior to his injury. The Mavs were competing with San Antonio for the best record in the West. Dirk has returned in recent weeks.
Small Forward—Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder: Another NBA season, another year of noticeable improvement from Oklahoma City's gifted young scoring threat. Durant has led the Thunder to a division leading 27-15 record and is currently the NBA's scoring leader to boot. This would be his second time competing in the All-Star game.
Shooting Guard—Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers: Despite nagging hand and knee injuries, advanced age and considerably long seasons year after year with their constant trips to the NBA Finals, Kobe Bryant is still Kobe Bryant.
Fifth in the league in scoring at 25.2 ppg and the unquestioned leader on the dominant Lakers, Bryant is an easy choice for his 13th All-Star appearance. Not to mention the game is at STAPLES Center this year.
Point Guard—Deron Williams, Utah Jazz: No position in either conference is any harder to crack than West guards. Deron earns his first starting All-Star PG status thanks to his surreal averages of 22.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 9.4 apg.
He has the Jazz in contention with their respectable 27-15 record, and all of his percentages are above average. This will mark Deron's third All-Star appearance.
Bench—Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets: Paul came back hungry to prove to doubters that the Hornets were still relevant and he remained a marquee NBA player. Mission achieved.
CP3 has the Hornets higher in the standings than anyone thought possible (27-16, 11-1 to start the season) and has the dominant statistics to boot as well. Paul will earn his fourth All-Star trip.
Bench—Russell Westbrook, New Orleans Hornets: Westbrook's statistics are absolutely on par with CP3 and Deron. His team has a better record than both.
It took very careful deliberation to not include Russell as a starter for the West. This young man attacks the basket with reckless abandon, defends with intensity and passion and has already established himself as a leader of this young club along with Kevin Durant.
Bench—Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs: Lost in all the coverage of the Miami Heat and the Lakers is the fact that the Spurs are on pace to finish the season 70-12.
Duncan's averages are a shell of what they were earlier this decade, but he remains the anchor defensively (has been for 13 years) and the Spurs' offense continues to run through him every chance they get in the half court. This will be Duncan's 13th trip to the February All-Star festivities.
Bench—Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs: League best record, outstanding statistical performance and a handful of game winning shots to his credit leave Manu Ginobili's resume too rich to not include.
Ginobili is experiencing a rejuvenation of sorts and the Spurs have been left to profit from said resurgence. Ginobili will earn his second trip to the mid-season classic.
Bench—Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers: The fact that he is a rookie is irrelevant. This beast that calls the STAPLES Center home has unquestionably earned the right to be named a starter, what with his 22.5 ppg and 12.8 rpg averages. Not to mention his incredible string of double-doubles.
He'll be hurt by the Clippers' 16-25 record and the fact that he's a rookie, but he shouldn't be. This kid is already one of the top 10 players in the league.
Bench—Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves: The starved fans of Minnesota get their first All-Star participant to be proud of since Kevin Garnett in 2006-07. How could Love be left off?
He leads the league in rebounding despite being a 6'9" white guy that can't jump. League leader in double-doubles. Averaging a career high 21.2 points per game, including 44.4 percent from three! From a legitimate power forward! Kevin Love is the reason team win-loss record shouldn't be the end all, be all on whether a guy earns All-Star recognition.
Bench—LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers: Portland has been hit by a rash of injuries that no team in recent memory can relate to. Greg Oden and Brandon Roy lost for the year, Joel Pryzbilla has missed considerable time and Marcus Camby just went down.
Through it all, LaMarcus Aldridge has raised his game substantially and has kept the Blazers in the conversation with their 23-20 record. Aldridge is averaging career highs in points (21.1) and rebounds (8.8). It's not likely he'll make it, but the hardworking former Longhorn certainly deserves the honor.
A few short notes:
I abandoned the NBA's policy on fans vote the starters, coaches vote the remainder of the roster. I placed the five most deserving players in the starting lineup and I filled the bench with eight players who deserve the honor most, regardless of specific position (I filled them by guard, forward rather than point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, center).
The fact is, in this day and age the center position is a dying breed. Guys like Andrew Bynum, Al Horford or Andrew Bogut don't deserve this honor bestowed upon them just because they play center when it could go to a far more deserving player, regardless of their specific position.
Tough omissions:
Raymond Felton, New York Knicks. Felton is right there, very tough to not put him on there. But at the end of the day, the Celtics and Hawks are better than the Knicks and thus their cavalry of veterans made the cut over Felton.
Monta Ellis, Golden State Warriors. I really hope Monta makes an All-Star game at some point in his career. This young man scores the rock with the greatest of ease, is learning the mastery of setting up teammates, plus the Warriors are inching closer and closer to .500 as of this writing.
Ultimately, however, the Warriors sub .500 record is Monta's undoing, fair or not.
