J.J.If you haven’t heard already, Joe Johnson slipped up and revealed to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he’ll be on the Eastern Conference All-Star team, hours before tonight’s official unveiling of the ASG reserves.
Is Joe deserving of a roster spot? He’s averaging 21.2 points, 5.3 assists and 4.4 rebounds, and the Hawks are currently in 7th place in the conference. Not counting starters Jason Kidd and Dwyane Wade, the crop of East guards isn’t as strong as its been in the past, but there are guys you could argue for to go ahead of Joe. Here’s the list of guys even worth considering:
Joe Johnson (21.2 ppg, 5.3 apg)
Ray Allen (18.0 ppg, 37% 3PA)
Jason Richardson (20.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
Chauncey Billups (17.9 ppg, 7.1 apg)
Rip Hamilton (19.0 ppg, 50% FGs)
Michael Redd (23.0 ppg, 36% 3PA)
Vince Carter (20.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.0 apg)
Jamal Crawford (19.9 ppg, 4.7 apg)
Andre Iguodala (19.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.6 apg)
Jose Calderon (12.3 ppg, 8.8 apg)
Assuming there are, at most, three reserves picked from this list, I don’t have a problem with Joe being on there. I would definitely take Billups and Rip, and that final spot would be between J.J. and Jose Calderon. I have to give Vince consideration for the sheer fact he’s putting up 20-5-5 (not many guys doing that right now) but I wouldn’t take him over Chauncey, Rip, Joe or Calderon.
Either way, though, if I had to take just one player from Atlanta, I’m taking Josh Smith (18 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 3.2 bpg). We’ll see if he gets the nod tonight.
Related posts:
January 31st, 2008 at 11:54 am
doc says:
Why cant we include Wade and Kidd. They not as good as in years past either.
January 31st, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Myrie says:
Boys from 8Mile gotta have a representative in the ASG. Gotta go with Rip and Chauncey. And lastly, its between Joe and Jose. Could go either way. But I’ll take Joe Johnson.
Josh Smith has a great shot. Considering:
Paul Pierce, Zach Randolph, Chris Bosh, Gerald Wallace, Richard Jefferson, Hedo Turkaglo, Rashard Lewis, Caron Butler, Antwain Jamison, Luol Deng.
I think only Caron Butler is a lock.
January 31st, 2008 at 12:11 pm
GEE...What is Fandango? says:
Yea I know this is crazy but I am going with
Caron
Chauncy
Joe
Rip
I like Jason, Vince and Andre I. a lot though.
January 31st, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Drew Ebanks says:
C’mon people…CB4(Bosh) is the only LOCK out of the reserves! T-Dot reps…and tell me which point guard not named Chauncey has played better than Jose Calderon so far? Jose probably won’t make it but where would the Raps be without him…not 25-20…that’s for sure.
January 31st, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Brown says:
I’m with you Drew. You can make a case for some of the other forwards, but Bosh is a lock for sure. I wouldn’t be surprised if Calderon doesn’t make it, and if he doesn’t, he’ll probably be the 13th man (in case someone pulls out).
January 31st, 2008 at 12:47 pm
K-Dizzle says:
The talent levels between the east and west are crazy. In the west, we only talkin dudes from winnin squads and we still gonna leave out 5-8 deserving ballers. In the east, the list of prospective all-star guards has only Mr Big Shot, Rip, Jose and Jesus as players from winning squads. Kinda surprised that JJ got in, cuz I thought Josh Smith does more and is #2 in the L as a shotblocker. I don’t think they both get in.
Caron and CB4 are locks. Turkoglu is makin a strong case and I don’t know how heads are still talkin Vince to make it like Jefferson hasn’t been ballin with better numbers this season in everything but assists. Stop livin in the past.
Al Thornton makin the rookie team voters look like fools after last night’s all around performance and 33 points and the snub
January 31st, 2008 at 1:20 pm
YOUNGFED says:
What’cha no about 8mile Myrie (LOL) I say Billups and Rip or even Ray they’re putting up numba’s on teams that have winning records and tons of stars. Joe’s good but come on.
4real K-Dizzle Josh (baby face) Smith does alot more than Joe. They messed this pick up. Maybe its all just a rumor though. I’ll wait until its final.
January 31st, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Lee says:
Aren’t Jefferson and Josh Smith small forwards … why they’re being talked about in which GAURDS should go is beyond me ??
January 31st, 2008 at 2:00 pm
K-Dizzle says:
Lee
we’re talkin forwards cuz we’re talkin allstars and if joe johnson gonna get voted on, then we gonna discuss how he gets on, with a losing team, and a teammate who is maybe more deserving. Jefferson is being discussed cuz Vince was being duscussed and there is one wildcard reserve spot that goes to a player regardless of position.
Shouldn’t really be that difficult to understand…
January 31st, 2008 at 2:44 pm
dagwaller says:
We’re not talking about Wade or Kidd because they’re already definitely (voted) in. Plus, we all know that those two don’t deserve to make it, being on the bad teams that they happen to be on. Which is why Carter, Iguodala, Crawford, Redd, J-Rich, and Jefferson shouldn’t make it, either. Calderon and Allen are my picks, but you could take Allen out and put Chauncey or Rip in there, instead.
There are always going to be guys putting up stats on bad teams. I don’t think that they should be rewarded, unless the fans vote them in (which is just the way this game works). Otherwise, you end up with a bunch of guys putting up the exact same kind of stats. See: Carter, Iguodala, Crawford, Redd, J-Rich, and Jefferson. Obviously, as good as they are, there’s something that these guys aren’t doing that Johnson, Calderon, Billups, Allen, and Hamilton ARE doing. Granted, Allen has a stacked team, and you could say the same thing about Billups and Hamilton. Then again, I’d say that those three are PART of the stacked part of their teams.
January 31st, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Myrie says:
I think if a player has performed like an allstar, then they should be considered. Even if their team is winless.
A teams record should only be used in a tie breaker scenario between 2 deserving allstars.
Miami Heat suck; but you cannot logically explain to me that Dwyane Wade hasn’t performed like an allstar and he should go in favor of…hmmm….Jose Calderon just because Calderon’s team has a winning record.
Going to the All Star Game is an individual achievement, thus, (MYRIE believes) there is no credibility in using a players teams win/loss record as a reason to select said player. Again…..only to be used in a tie breaker (sort of) scenario.
January 31st, 2008 at 3:40 pm
GEE...What is Fandango? says:
Yea Myrie I went post to post on this one lol. I just loved this idea of mine so much I had to get it out there lol. Holla at it.
Ok
LOL I got BLASTED about my idea for some NBA cats vs. And 1. Rightfully so. I still stand by my ish, even if it do stank lol but anyway.
I got some new ish though, so smell this.
How about just getting rid of the rookie game period.. It’s corny and I never watch it anyway. Sorry, I just don’t see the fun in watching rookies and sophmores. I can watch the McDonald’s All American game and get just as much out of that.
Anyway (I know I might get blasted for this) you all know they have an all NBA 1st team and a 2nd team. So why not do the same with the stars. Have an All Star J.V. game if you will (we def. wouldn’t call it that) with players who came close and got snubbed, and then have your regular All-Star game.
This way you also have 2 more coaches getting credit for having a good season thus far. Players shouldn’t mind doing it considering they would get paid something. Then you have those who would want to drop 50 or so just to show they should have played in the main All-Star game.
More players get a chance to play and get recognized, and coaches too. Still keep it on a different day than the regular one, to still give more credit to the Top All-Stars.
I know I would rather watch a game of players who got snubbed and still had a good year go at it than some rooks and sophs.
Just Gee. I like it though.
Let the flood gates open.
January 31st, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Gmoney says:
What’d I tell you guys? JJ needs the next cover; once the hawks stop dreaming and can woodson, we can finally maximize our talent.
January 31st, 2008 at 7:12 pm
BlazeMcHerbs says:
Calderon’s numbers are deceiving, he’s only been starting for the last month and half, his numbers as a starter are very impressive
February 1st, 2008 at 12:26 pm
dagwaller says:
Myrie, you’re right. Record should be a tie breaker. Which is why all of those guys who have virtually identical stats shouldn’t be in, because Calderon is playing better than all of them. Are you campaigning for Al Jefferson, too?
I’m not saying that Calderon deserves to go because his team is better; I’m saying that he deserves to go because HE is better.