Let's face facts: the All-Star voting process is a joke. It starts with the fans: yeah, the ones who voted AI in last year (and Yao every year); the ones who clearly, for the most part, have no fucking clue what's going on. It continues with the coaches: the ones who toss votes at guys who torched their teams because of mismatches and who ignore the obvious merits of good players in favor of good teams, the ones who, to a lesser extent, have no fucking clue what's going on (I'm looking at you, Rambis). It's even further constrained by position restrictions on bench players; ones that ensure that every year, at least 2 or 3 undeserving players will be annointed 'All-Stars' by exemption...and only adding to the list of deserving snubs.So here's the 24 guys who deserve to be there; the ones who have been the best players in the NBA this year (while respecting the League's right to still mandate backup centers). Not the ones who play roles on the best teams, but the ones who have, through a combination of excellence and relevance, defined this season.
EAST STARTERS
G - Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
In a game where there's sure to be lots of debate about selections, this spot is a rare lock. Rose has been a monster this year; abbrasively assaulting so-called "defenses" while keeping the Bulls near the top of the East amid key injuries. The best-scoring PG in the league and early MVP hopeful.
G - Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics
Without question the most dominant non-scorer in the NBA, Rondo's taken his already unfathomable improvement to new heights this year, racking up Stockton numbers in assists while providing transcendant defense and excellent rebounding. He's even starting to ice his jumper more comfortably, which is a truly frightening development...
F - Lebron James, Miami Heat
The Hometown Hero's now the Twisted Villain, but regardless of his public persona 180, James has remained the game's most feared player, and had the Heat coasting until his recent injury. Some still claim he's MVP-worthy (hard to justify with two others playing so well) but there's no question; he has to be here.
F - Amar'e Stoudemire, New York Knicks
While the MVP talk has hushed with the Knicks' recent struggles, Stoudemire has remained a top-notch scorer and sudden defensive presence who has contributed most heavily to New York's return to respectability. Not to mention, his pairing with James and Howard in the frontcourt makes for an alley-oop tandem that could only be topped if Blake got traded East.
C - Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
A sudden explosion of quality East big men might make for more deserving reserves, but Dwight's starting spot is far from being challenged; only a season-ending injury could keep him out of this spot and let's face it; that's not ever going to happen.
THE BENCH MOB
G - Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Wade's been everything he has expected to be when Miami's Superfriends joined forces. While Miami's no longer solely looked upon as "his team", he's clearly still a no-brainer for this game on star power and reputation, if not for another year of All-NBA production.
G/F - Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics
Seems kind of dramatic, but it needs to be done. All three of these guys are having amazingly efficient a productive seasons for the team that's still leading the East despite more injuries than any playoff contender. Allen has been one of the most clutch and effective scorers in the League, while Garnett's regained his legs and looks like his '07 self, and Pierce still has barely lost a step.
C - Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks
While the Hawks' general play this year has been nebulous, Horford has served as a model of consistency and toughness; arguably their best player. He might be the quietest All-Star ever, but his play has been remarkably efficient and absent of the mental lapses and cold streaks that have troubled Atlanta.
Wild Card - Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
He's sure to be accused of riding coattails to this spot, but Bosh was an All-Star long ago (some would say since the Jurassic) and has been even more of a contributor to Miami's recent success than many figured him to be.
Wild Card - Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls
I feel like a Loozer putting two ower forwards at each of the spare spots, but in a conference as shallow and top-heavy as the East, it's hard to deny 'Los when he's been a complete monster for a top-3 team when the other two teams have 3 and 4 players on this squad.
THE SNUB SQUAD
Raymond Felton, New York Knicks
Felton's career year has surpassed even the lofty expectations of those who expected him to excel in D'Antoni's open system. He's putting up ridiculous numbers night after night, and probably would've had Boozer's spot if New York had kept up their December play.
Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
Johnson got overpaid last summer, then came back underperforming. Can't say this any better than Bill Simmons, so I'll let him handle it: "This would be a reputation pick. Like when you start watching an Ed Norton movie you've never heard of on cable just because Ed Norton was starring in it. And if Ed Norton was making $120 million to be in the movie." Sorry Joe.
Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers
The former All-Star's seen his scoring dip for a Pacers squad that's struggled to keep up with their early hot start and slid out of the playoff bracket. In a year when many forwards are making a strong case for the "good player, shitty team" nod, Granger's failed to plead much.
WEST STARTERS
G - Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
He has to be here, in a very deep pool of West guards; not only because Paul is (no disrespect) the best point guard in the NBA, he has the Hornets in the thick of the West, with trade and relocation rumors swirling. The continued overachivement of this Hornets team is testament to just how much better he makes them.
G - Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers
Despite the Lakers' minor turbulence and Bryant's injury concerns, he's remained one of the game's most automatic players; a lethal scorer who can toy with defenses as a playmaker and locks down anyone he faces. He leads the defending champs, who are hosting the All-Star game, and hasn't come off the bench in a decade, no time to demote him now.
F - Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Durant's early-season troubles were quickly rectified as he began filling up buckets at a league-leading rate. Expectations on him and his team may have been a tad lofty this year, and defensive toughness might be the key to both, but KD's spot here is unquestioned.
F - Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
Garnett got traded, Duncan got old, but Dirk still lurks in the West as a threat to eat the starting spots of deserving would-bes. Before he got hurt, Dallas was one of the best teams in the league and he was an MVP candidate. Now that his team's shown how bad they are without him, he's solidified this spot, still, after all these years.
C - Pau Gasol, LA Lakers
Pau may have slid back to his natural 4 spot, but spent enough time dominating as a center in the early season to merit this spot over, well...to put things into perspective, the second-leading vote getter among centers in the West (after Yao) is Pau's often-injured and clearly-inferior teammate, Andrew Bynum. Clearly, an exception must be made.
THE BENCH MOB
G - Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Westbrook's blown up; like most of the World Champion USA squad, he returned this year with boosted confidence and polished skills. Unlike most of the squad, he's become a triple-double machine who's also put his name in the MVP conversation, and was a very close snub as a starter.
G - Deron Williams, Utah Jazz
The Jazz have been somewhat of an enigma; very talented, not exactly shallow, well-coached underachievers. The one thing keeping them afloat has been Williams' stellar play; those who call him the league's best PG have a legit claim.
F - Blake Griffin, LA Clippers
Yup. I don't care how poorly the Clippers started. Griffin's been the most exciting -and simply the best - rookie we've seen in a long, long time. As soon as he toppled the rookie wall, his team began rallying around his dominant play and merciless Youtube classics; he beasted any opposition. If he isn't a part of this game, it'll be one of the coldest (and stupidest...you know it'll be good for the game) snubs of all time.
F - Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves
...But what about Melo? Meh, he's (predictably) drifted in and out of attack mode while his trade drama plays out. All Love's done is make nights like 25/18 look redundant, redefining dominance on the glass while banging 3's at a steady clip and passing better than any West big man East of Gasol. Again, let's not penalize him for playing on the NBA's most dysfunctional team; his play has raised eyebrows league-wide, all season in spite of the Wolves' struggles.
Wild Card - LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trailblazers
That the Blazers are still breathing in the West now that Greg Oden and Brandon Roy's careers are on very thin ice can be blamed principally on Aldridge raising his play to the upper echelon of big men. This team got decimated by injuries, and robbed of the guy that usually saves them, they might've found their new franchise guy.
Wild Card - Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
Ok, so I've got some explaining to do here. The team on top of the West and on pace for 70 wins (and yet to hit their patented late-season stride) has only one All-Star. Sounds weird, but the Spurs' success this year might be the ultimate testament to the success of cohesive, balanced teams, certainly the best we've seen since the '04 Pistons. Timmy D has been a shadow of his former self, while Pretty Tony can't make much of a case against his competition for the guard spots. Manu gets the nod as their best all-around player; though him being the only one still seems odd.
THE SNUB SQUAD
Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
See Above.
Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
Again, see above. Got ahead of myself I guess.
Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
This one hurts; Nash has been his usual self this season, but the Suns, sans Amar'e now look like lottery fodder and have people screaming "rebuild"....And people were wondering how Stoudemire would fare after the breakup.
Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies; Monta Ellis, Golden State Warriors
Two very talented players who are simply victims of circumstance: they play on mediocre teams in an extremely talented conference where deserving players are a dime a dozen. Maybe all those trade rumors will fall through and we'll have a better chance of seeing them next year.
Advanced apologies to the many deserving players who will be watching from the sidelines after the fans and coaches are done mangling this roster. Let's hope they get it right for the most part.
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