NBA All-Star Game: Showcase Of The Best Players Or Just The Best Teams?

I’ll be the first to admit that I wouldn’t want to be a coach voting for the NBA All-Star reserves.

Every year there are always questionable selections and discussions regarding players who were left behind. 2011 is no different as the full rosters were revealed to the public with a mix of puzzlement and exhilaration.

Sounds of joy and enthusiasm should be running rampant throughout the country with rookie Blake Griffin being chosen. By far the most exciting and most-talked-about star this season, not having the 21-year-old power forward on the team would have been a travesty. I commend all the NBA coaches for not holding him back due to his inexperience, they did the right thing by adding the first year star.

Sadly though, that appears to be the only positive selection in comparison to the other 23 players that will be joining him in Los Angeles.

The biggest problem with the collection of this year’s All-Stars is the basis of their addition. Is the compilation of these squads based upon what they have done this season or due to franchises they play for?

The best teams should be properly represented in the game, which usually occurs in past competitions and will happen in 2011 as well. Yet, this game is about playing the best players in the league, not the best players who play on the best teams.

Pau Gasol was only selected once to the All-Star game during his seven year tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies. After the Los Angeles Lakers acquired the Spanish big man during the 2007-08 season, he’s been on the All-Star team each year since despite there being no outstanding spike in his statistics.

The big three from Boston (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen) are having lower than average stats for 2011 in comparison to their previous seasons in the NBA. Yet, they were all chosen to be in the showcase game.

San Antonio Spurs Center, Tim Duncan, is having his lowest output in scoring, rebounds, and minutes played this year. Although there are drops across the board, he will also be playing for the West. His teammate, Manu Ginobili, will also be joining him at the big game, despite not being the big time statistical player most All-Stars should be.

With season averages of eighteen points and eight rebounds per game, Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh is having his worst statistical year since his sophomore campaign. That still did not stop the coaches from voting him as a representative for the Eastern Conference.

In no way am I against the selections of players like Gasol, Bosh, Pierce and Duncan; I understand that they are top players in the NBA and are deserving of being involved in the game. My main concern centers upon this thought: would these choices still remain if they were playing for a team with a mediocre or losing record?

Along with the questionable selection process, there are also the issues surrounding those who star on mediocre, losing teams with impressive credentials this season. There are standouts with better stat sheets than some who were chosen for the game, but because they aren’t on a winning team, they were overlooked.

Here are a few of those players and reasons why they should be deserving of a spot on either side:

Kevin Love – F/C – Minnesota Timberwolves

This player not being chosen is, in my opinion, the biggest shock of all. It’s flabbergasting because he currently leads the NBA in rebounds.

It’s not just the board work that makes Kevin Love so dangerous, it’s the expansion of his range and improvement of his scoring consistency. With a 44 percent three-point percentage and just over 20 points per game this season, he is now a threat the defense must plan for in order to beat the Timberwolves.

Therein lies the problem as to why the former UCLA Bruin was most likely not picked. Minnesota currently has a losing record and are no where near playoff contention this season.

It’s a shame that this big man got looked over by Gasol and Duncan, even though he posts a better free throw percentage, rebounding and scoring average per game than both guys.

Danny Granger – F – Indianapolis

There is only one other player besides Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony that can fuse a complete, offensive game with the size and versatility to play three positions.

Pacers franchise star Danny Granger can beat a defender numerous ways. He is efficient free throw shooter (85% from the line), can score at will from anywhere (21 ppg), and knock down shots from behind the arc (38% from three).

So why is this all around forward, who averages more minutes and points per game than Bosh and Garnett, not participating All Star weekend? Indiana is currently 19-27, good for ninth place in the Eastern Conference and are on the outside looking in at the playoffs.

With three selections for Miami and four for Boston, Granger deserves to be on this roster over either Bosh or Garnett at the forward position.

Monta Ellis – G – Golden State Warriors

It’s easy to assume I’m a homer for Monta Ellis to make the All-Star team (being that I’m from the Bay Area), but I prefer to let others discuss why he is so deserving before I add my own personal thoughts.

Yahoo Sports also created a piece on Ellis as the biggest All-Star snub.


NBA.com wrote a piece on Ellis’ unlikely hope to become an All-Star.

Ok, that will pretty much prove my argument, but I would like to add who would be the player left off if he were put on. Westbook and Ginobili are great players, but Ellis has a better field goal percentage, more points, steals, and minutes played per game than both guards.

Playing for Golden State will give anyone a poor opportunity to make the team; the last Warrior to be named an All-Star was Latrell Sprewell in 1997.

Raymond Felton – G – New York Knicks

Much of the credit for the New York Knicks’ big turnaround is aimed at 2011 Eastern Conference All-Star starter Amar’e Stoudemire, but a reserve spot on the team should have also gone to his teammate Raymond Felton.

Even though his team is currently a playoff contender, the league was content on leaving the former North Carolina Tar Heel off the roster. He is currently fifth in the NBA in steals and sixth in assists per game. Along with free throw percentage and the minutes per game categories, he ranks higher in all four categories than Allen and Pierce.

In no way is this looking down on them, but a roster spot for Felton makes more sense than having over half of the Eastern Conference bench filled with Celtics.

*Side Note: Kevin Love is now replacing injured C Yao Ming on the 2011 Western Conference All-Star team.*

NBA Future Under A Great Insurance Policy

The NBA sure sounds like an all-state insurance company commercial: meaning that they are in good hands.

For many of the big superstars the league has leaned upon since the mid to late 1990s, it appears there ability is waning. Shaquille O’Neal has played sparingly over the past few years, former high school draft picks Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant are starting to break down, and former franchise stars like Tracy McGrady and Baron Davis are now relegated as role players.

Those players listed above (as well as others who fit that criteria) have been supplanted by the youngsters during their prime, who are now the superstars and marquee names they used to be. The faces of Lebron James, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade are plastered everywhere when it comes to headlining games and promotions for the league.

Yet, with all the promise of their current talent, the NBA faces the issue (as all sports do) about the next generation and if they can maintain the popularity when your stand out players near the end of their career?

The NBA faced that problem after Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson left, but were lucky that the next line of players picked up where they left off (that group is the one first discussed with headliners like O’Neal, Bryant, and McGrady). Now that torch is passed on to James and his fellow comrades.

So who will be next in line when that group nears the end of their route and need to pass the baton?

Here’s a look at the next line of stars (all 25 years old or younger) in the NBA that have potential to represent the next generation:

Blake Griffin – Forward – Age: 21

It’s the evolution of the big men: Darryl Dawkins to Shawn Kemp to Amar’e Stoudemire to the next one – Blake Griffin.

The top pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, Griffin was unable to showcase his talents in his inaugural season after he had to sit out with a knee injury. A devastating blow to a Los Angeles Clippers organization known for its bad luck, it actually became a blessing in disguise when the 2010-11 year got under way.

As the season progressed, it has become “the Blake Griffin Show” with the way the former Oklahoma Sooner has been playing. He is the talk of the NBA and fans come out to see his extraordinary combination of strength and quickness. He dunks the ball with such ferocity, that rims appear to quake when he rises up towards them. He also has a strong knack for swallowing up rebounds like a vacuum sucking dirt off the carpet.

He continues to develop his overall game and gives opposing coaches nightmares when they imagine how great of an inside presence he could become.

Monta Ellis – Guard – Age: 25

Sometimes, evolving into the greatness a player could be takes trials, tribulations, and time to reach. When they finally begin to meet that criteria, it is definitely bitter sweet.

Monta Ellis is the epitome of how tough life can be for an NBA player who wants to become elite. After being drafted out of high school as a second round pick in 2005, his career has been like an ocean: sporadic waves that hit highs and lows.

First, he was named the most improved player in his second season, then signed a big multi-year deal to be the face of the Warriors after his third season. He would then get into a moped accident that kept him out for most of his fourth season, and was thrown around in numerous trade talks during his fifth season.

Now in his sixth season, Ellis is finally becoming an all-around player and a leader for the Golden State Warriors. He is the fourth leading scorer in the NBA and is becoming a dangerous shooter from all spots on the court. Match that with his deceptive quickness and his boldness for attacking the rim for a man of his stature, and you’re looking at the rise of one of the best guards in the league.

Kevin Love – Forward/Center – Age: 23

For many of the new, youthful faces that join the NBA, they enter as a high draft pick that usually means playing for a small market and/or an inferior.

Add former UCLA big man Kevin Love to that list. The 23-year-old phenom is one of the best kept secrets in the league primarily because he plays for a franchise that has been in the doldrums of the NBA for years.

That hasn’t stopped the combo forward/center from playing at a lights out level this season. While he’s not the freakish athlete that Griffin is, Love’s toughness and high basketball IQ allows him make the right play and be in the right position all the time. This uncanny ability is the reason he is currently the NBA’s leading rebounder over others with flabbergasting leaping ability like Stoudemire or Dwight Howard.

He’ll probably never win a high jump or a 100-yard dash match, but Love makes the game look easy and will continue to do so in the future.

John Wall – Guard – Age: 20

A dance isn’t the only way the public will know about this young sensation after a few more NBA seasons.

Just on the very of growing up at the young age of 20, John Wall is quietly making the jump from collegiate leader of the Kentucky Wildcats to the savior of the Washington Wizards.

The reason for the silence is mostly attributed to Griffin, who is the hottest rookie that people are talking about this season. Despite that, the speedy point guard is deserving of equal accolade with how his play this season. He’s currently fifth in the league in assists and is completing that task with little support on a rebuilding team.

Along with his vision running the offense, the speed and quickness he possess is remarkably frightening. Sometimes he looks so fast that it seems as if he’ll never be able to stop himself right when he approaches the rim. The problem for those defending him is that he’s so strong and composed, even with that breakneck velocity, he’s always able to score or make a great pass.

After some refining and polishing, Wall won’t be just dancing for the fans, but by every defender in the NBA as well.

There will always be new and promising players that enter American professional sports outlets; it is the NBA, though, that appears to have the edge in the hopeful outlook for the future. There are even current superstars that are extremely young, such as Howard (25), Kevin Durant (22), Derrick Rose (22) and Rajon Rondo (24) that will only get better in time.

The public’s got to feel a great assurance with the future of pro basketball; because like a good neighbor, the NBA will be there.

Early Stories For 2010-11 NBA Season

It’s still very early for the NBA hoops season in 2010, but the results have been quite intriguing so far.



Come back wins galore, a 30-30 game for the first time in decades, and a rookie posting a triple-double early in his career are just a small percentage of what the general public is raving about currently. Along with the ups of the season include some of the downs so far already with teams underperforming, incomprehensible trash talking and certain issues that just never change.



Here are some story lines that are dominating a year just starting in its early infancy stage:



Surprise Play Of Teams, Both Good And Bad.



Let’s just get this out of the way because it’s the team everyone will concentrate on all season long: The Miami Heat.



Disappointing doesn’t speak enough on how the Heat have been playing in their first eleven games. They do have a winning record, but could only manage seven wins during that time point, a paltry record for a team with such high expectations at this point.



Two of the big three have come on well at the start of the season. Lebron James is playing well, but that’s not encouraging for a player who set the bar high for himself over the summer. Dwyane Wade is recovering well from injury and is establishing himself as the best on his team uplifting his game to a higher level.



Chris Bosh, though, is the Achilles heal of this team currently and is becoming the biggest reason for their meager start. Although he has a 35 point game in his last outing, his numbers have to start mirroring his Toronto days if the team is to improve.



While the most captivating team in recent memory continues to find cohesion, other teams have quietly become the toast of the league.



New Orleans became the last team to remain undefeated…



Wait…



The Hornets became the last team to remain undefeated? As hard as it is to believe, they won their first eight before losing their ninth, and have Chris Paul second guessing the requests he made for a trade over the summer.



Utah has always been a contender and this season is no different as they were expected to be in the playoffs again, despite losing inside powerhouse Carlos Boozer. It’s not the fact that they are 8-4 and sit atop the Northwest, but how they have gotten those valuable wins. Four of those wins have been road comebacks against Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, and Charlotte.



Golden State was coming off one of its worst seasons and appeared to be in a state of influx with new owners overseeing the team and a new coach bringing a new philosophy. While this was supposed to be a team lost in transition, the Warriors appear to have found their way at the moment. They are 7-4 so far and are just behind the Lakers for the top spot in the Pacific.



The Monta Ellis Effect



The credit to most of the Warriors success can be given to Monta Ellis.



The sixth year guard has been scorching the rim as if he were “on fire” in the NBA Jam video game. He is second in the league in scoring behind Kevin Durant and is ahead of the likes of Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, and Dirk Nowitzki. He and Rose are also currently the only players to average ten field goals made per game.



What is even more impressive than his scoring average is his ability to score at an alarming percentage. So far, he is shooting 51.4% from the field, an impressive mark for man who stands at a miniscule six foot, three inches and doesn’t even eclipse 200 pounds.



Ellis has a chance to become the first All Star for the Golden State Warriors since Latrell Sprewell made it in 1997.



Is Everything Melo Up In Denver?



From the end of the summer to the start of the season, one of the biggest questions on the mind of many fans has been centered within the Rocky Mountain area.



What will happen with Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony?



He is currently fifth in the league in scoring and playing some of the best basketball of his career according to his stat line. Despite that, his play hasn’t inspired the team to a great start. The Nuggets are 5-5 and fourth in their division, sitting on the outside looking in on the early playoff picture.



Questions about him leaving or possible trades have been looming around for months, but now appear to be at a standstill. Although Denver and Anthony have been all quiet on their front, the barrage of requests he made and numerous trade options that were reported give the impression that he is likely gone at some point. This concept will burn hotter with truth if the team continues to play sub-par like they have so far.



Don’t be shocked if Anthony’s jersey comes with a new color and logo at some point before the trade deadline.



Can Yao Really Make A Full Return?



2009 was a Yao-less year for the NBA as the big man had to recover from foot surgery.



Now, Yao Ming returns back to Houston’s active roster for 2010, but is being held to a 24 minute per game restriction and the Rockets holding him out of second games for back-to-backs.



So far, the seven foot, five inch mammoth giant is playing below his usual greatness, but is slowly getting back into his grove. He’s averaging a mere ten points and five rebounds a game and hasn’t gone past that 24 minute restriction.



Now, the native from China is dealing with a strained tendon in his leg and has the front office people of the Rockets worried about future injuries to his foot or any other areas of his body. With their record at 3-8, will they be able to keep their franchise player’s minute restriction down?



The Rookie Watch



During each season, the most fascinating players to watch are the first timers who come into the league. Seeing or hearing about them in college or overseas and watching their freshman season in the NBA is one of the most fascinating parts of the basketball year.



Washington Wizard’s John Wall is as good as any, not just with rookies, but with all point guards at this point. He’s averaging nearly 18 points and just under 10 assists a game, as well as a triple-double under his belt. Along with the statistical factor is the leadership quality, which he has assumed over Gilbert Arenas as the face of the franchise.



Demarcus Cousins and Wesley Johnson are playing decent for their teams, but look like rookies with their reasonable play. They appear on their way to improving into key players for their squads in the next few years.



Evan Turner’s corner has been extremely quiet all season long. Although he’s getting a good amount of minutes on the floor with just under 29 minutes per game, his level of play as one of the best young players to come out of college in the 2010 NBA Draft doesn’t equate his current statistics. There is still plenty of time with the season just underway and Turner’s ability is too good for him to just be a face in the rookie crowd