My All-Star Ballot: Starters
by Kevin Sawyer on Jan 2, 2010 2:10 PM EST
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With the annual Kobefestivus out of the way, now is the time of year that we debate who should and who should not be an all-star. Below is my ballot for the starters for each conference. Introductory fluff… Caveats… Doesn’t matter because Allen Iverson’s fantards are going to screw it up anyway… You know how this works. Let’s roll.
Eastern Conference
F – LeBron James
You can probably just go ahead and pencil him in here for the next decade or so.
F – Chris Bosh
This pick is a bit trickier. Bosh is finally showing signs that he is the superstar we already had assumed he was. He is also showing signs of his usual deteriorating numbers as the season progresses. That said, there isn’t anyone else mounting a reasonable challenge at this point, so even if the numbers (which include a PER above 26) slide, he’d still be the guy. Of course, if you adhere to the absurd logic that wins should dictate all-star appearances, J.J. Hickson should get the nod ahead of Bosh.
C – Dwight Howard
Dwight is having an off season, by his standards. He is blocking fewer shots, rebounding and scoring less, and fouling more. These are relevant talking points in an MVP discussion. This is not that discussion.
G – Dwyane Wade
The Eastern Conference doesn’t exactly abound with great guards. An injury or two will give us a BJ Armstrong type candidate (or Mo Williams again). There is one hands-down all star guard in the EC this year, and that guy is Dwyane Wade.
G – Rajon Rondo
Told you so. Actually, Rondo is having an all-star caliber year, resembling Jason Kidd in his prime with his ability to contribute in every facet of the game except shooting. Most impressive is that he has improved his assists per game by 1.4 (to 9.6) with no corresponding increase in turnovers. AI fans are texting their idiocy to Sprite™ en masse, but on my ballot , the petulant little snot gets in.
Western Conference
F - Dirk Nowitzki
For someone so boringly dependable that he is often overlooked, Dirk sure is a fun player to watch. He’s like the ball hog in 5th grade who takes 20 foot jumpers all the time, even though everybody guards him because they know he won’t pass… Only Dirk makes the shots, so everyone just has to grumble to themselves about how he should be a team player. Nowitzki is doing some of his best work since his MVP season, so here he is.
F – Carmelo Anthony
Like Chris Bosh, ‘Melo finally seems to be living up to his potential. Anthony has typically been a slow starter, which has cost him an AS appearance or two, but that has not been the case this year. Maybe getting a taste of playoff success has awakened something in him. Or maybe he’s taking pointers from Chauncey; he is getting to the line more (10.1 attempts per game), and converting a high percentage of those attempts. Either way, his output is matching his considerable reputation.
C – Tim Duncan
The league should just step in and force the Spurs to call Duncan a center. Until then, everyone who writes about sports has to play this game where we make excuses for putting Duncan at center, because in reality he’s not a PF… Ideal world. Blah, blah, blah. I am tired of this charade. Incidentally, the dude’s playing out of his mind right now, and presently constitutes the only plausible alternative to LeBron as the MVP.
G – Chris Paul
Yes, he has been injured. That would matter if Chris Paul were, say, Monta Ellis, and a fringe candidate therefore. But Chris Paul is not Monta Ellis, by virtue of being Chris Paul. He has consistently demonstrated himself to be the best guard in the league, so it’s not like the missed games constitute any sort of question mark. He certainly deserves to be starting over Steve Nash (not to mention Allen !@#$ing Iverson) but that’s a different story.
G- Kobe Bryant
Here he is, everybody. Calm down.
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Chris Paul’s stats frighten and confuse me. How can someone be that good at basketball?
by Gabe F-B on Jan 2, 2010 3:21 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Well said, Kevin
I agree with you on all 10 selections, particularly moving Duncan to center. I’m tired of that charade.
by Birdman84 on Jan 2, 2010 7:56 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
The starting lineups are the players I have consistently voted for since the first day of voting. The reserves are who I feel should round out the lineups.
East:
Starters
G: Wade
G: Joe Johnson – Never liked Rondo. He’s good, but he’s only as good as Pierce, Allen, and Garnett make him. Once that core breaks up, I don’t think he will be as good. Johnson, on the otherhand, is quietly (as usual) having an amazing season in Atlanta
F: Lebron – Duh.
F: Josh Smith – We’re watching him transcend to super stardom right now, and it is beautiful to watch
C: Joakhim Noah – I’ve been entering him as a write in every day since the voting started. He’s been amazing this season and he was the only one with the balls to tell Lebron off for dancing like an idiot. Noah went from looking like a bust to looking like a future superstar in a single summer
Reserves
G: Derrick Rose
G: Ray Allen
F: Paul Pierce
F: Gerald Wallace
F: Al Harrington
C: Ben Wallace
C: Dwight Howard
West:
Starters
G: Kobe
G: Paul
F: Carmelo
F: Duncan (He’s a F on the ballot
C: Marc Gasol – People don’t realize how good he is. Just wait. The Lakers are going to look like fools soon for trading him for his older brother (granted, Pau did bring them a championship or two)
Reserves
G: Nash
G: Roy
G: Billups
F: Nowitzki
F: Kevin Love
F: Durant
C: Zach Randolph – Having one of the most surprising seasons of anyone in the league. He’s excellent this year.
It was a toss up between Roy, Manu, Ellis, and Stoudemire, really. I gave it to Roy because he is willing his team to win, despite massive amounts of injuries. And, yeah, I realize that I have two unexpected players starting at center for both teams, but I feel they have earned it thus far.
and bosh gets the cold shoulder?
no bosh in the east isn’t right. Esp. when you put, gulp, al harrington on the list.
by C$ on Jan 4, 2010 5:09 PM EST up reply actions
If the Magic swap Howard for Noah, the Bulls are a playoff team, and the Magic are an 8 seed.
by Kevin Sawyer on Jan 3, 2010 12:03 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Yes, I agree. But this isn’t the MVP race. I feel that Noah is having a better season than Howard (though… Howard has been on quite the tear lately). He is by far the inferior player, but I feel that he is doing better. To be honest, Noah is probably the fifth best center in the East (Howard, Lopez, and Bosh for sure, if you can count Bosh as a center. I might say Bogut, Hibbert, and Dalembert (when he is on his game, perhaps) as well, though it is somewhat of a stretch). But, again, I feel he has performed well enough to be an all star.
by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jan 3, 2010 3:11 AM EST up reply actions
Howard exceeds Noah in every statistical category, and anchors a superior defense. If Noah is doing better, it is in ways that have nothing to do with basketball.
by Kevin Sawyer on Jan 3, 2010 2:35 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
rondo is the real deal as a pg
i hate the little bastard but he makes a lot of things happen for the celtics. you can say that he is only as good as the big three make him, but actually as i see it he makes them play better.
Perhaps. Then again, though, is there a point guard in the league right now who is as bad at shooting as he is? He can make the flashy play, don’t get me wrong. He fits in perfectly there. I just don’t think he is that great. Rose and Gordon exposed him pretty handidly last year in the playoffs, I thought.
by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jan 3, 2010 3:13 AM EST up reply actions
I've never been a Rondo fan, mostly because he's on the Celtics
But… he’s pretty dirty. 53 eFG% this season (49 for his career)
And his shooting in the playoffs last year vs. Bulls: 57%, 39%, 53%, 50%, 55%, 24%, 25% (and in those last two dreadful shooting games he had 19 and 11 assists, which — when you’re a PG especially — makes his FG% almost irrelevant). If they exposed him, they exposed that he’s a pretty good PG in the NBA, more so than exposing flaws.
Although, I will say, his 3-point shooting is horrid.
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Yet who won the series?
Sure, Rose and Gordon scored a lot more points, but there’s a reason the Celts won. Rondo was a BIG part of that success.
Kudos, Kevin
I don’t have any beefs with that list. Props for putting Rondo up there — IMO, he’s a top 3 PG. I’d say Paul is the best, Rondo is 2 or 3, and it’s a fight between Nash or Kidd for that last spot.
Also, I think Orlando is absolutely better than an 8th seed for a Howard and Noah swap. It would all depend on if Gortat’s quality production in small minutes translates into big minutes. If so, then they’re still top 4 in the East, IMO. If not, I still think Noah is as good as he’s playing this season, which still keeps them at 5-6 seed.
My All-Who? Team
These are my favorite players that are new to me this year.
G – Brandon Jennings – Bucks – Went to Italy out of HS….blah blah blah…55 points?!!? Cool.
G – Tyreke Evans – Kings – didn’t know him in college at Memphis, but he’s going to be great big G
F – Omri Casspi – Kings – Heard of him from Ohad at DBB but he’s been even better. Bright future in Sactown.
F – Ersan İlyasova – Bucks – Might be best player from Turkey in NBA. Sorry Hedu.
C – Serge Ibaka – Thunder – Hard to miss NBA sized centers but this guy looks solid
I think this is the year that Euro rookies killed the ‘soft’ label. Lots of Euro players are now the energy grit guy.
by joejoejoe on Jan 4, 2010 6:31 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
yes I am making this arguement
I almost love how everyone bows down to greatness in Chris Paul. He is a great player but shouldn’t another great player be considered for the spot as well. Deron Williams’ numbers are just as good as Paul’s and William’s team has a better record and has been way more competitive with the top teams this year than Paul’s.
Also it is very unfortunate that Monta Ellis is in the same conference as Kobe, CP3 and D Williams because he is having a fantastic year this year.
I agree about Deron.
It has been hard to not bow down to the greatness of Chris Paul ever since I saw this video…
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