Not Your Average All-Star Teams
Brandon Roy: All-Star starter (photo. Aaron Hewitt)A couple months ago, I suggested the NBA should change its All-Star process. No, I’m not in favor of doing away with fan voting; I just think the All-Star ballot itself needs a makeover. As I said then:
With the way the game is going, as the concept of the true center continues to dwindle and with more power forward/center hybrid players than ever, the ballot should be divided as follows:
Point Guards (one starter)
Wings (two starters)
Big Men (two starters)Nine times out of 10, on every level, an All-Star game is only as good as the point guards who are running the show. Changing the ballot to separate the true point guards from the two-guards (who’d be in the “Wings” category) ensures that you have at least a couple of PG’s on each team’s roster, and most likely will have one true PG on the court at all times.
Yesterday, AP filled out his All-Star rosters. Under my proposed ballot makeover, here’s how my 2009 All-Stars would look:
WESTERN CONFERENCE
PG – Chris Paul
W – Kobe Bryant
W – Brandon Roy
B – Tim Duncan
B – Yao Ming
*** *** *** *** ***
PG – Tony Parker
W – Carmelo Anthony
W – Kevin Durant
B – Dirk Nowitzki
B – Shaquille O’Neal
X – Chauncey Billups
X – Pau Gasol
EASTERN CONFERENCE
PG – Devin Harris
W – Dwyane Wade
W – LeBron James
B – Kevin Garnett
B – Dwight Howard
*** *** *** *** ***
PG – Jameer Nelson
W – Danny Granger
W – Joe Johnson
B – Chris Bosh
B – Antawn Jamison
X – Mo Williams
X – Ray Allen
NOTES
* The toughest snub was Al Jefferson, but I had to get at least one of the Suns in (Shaq), and the Lakers deserve two All-Stars (Gasol). Like Gary Payton said on “NBA Gametime,” Big Al deserves an apology from Kevin McHale for surrounding him with a bad team.
* Each of the West’s current top eight seeds are represented. I wasn’t able to do the same for the East; the Sixers, Pistons and Bucks don’t have a rep. Tayshaun Prince would have been the guy for Detroit, but as a Wing, he hasn’t been on Danny Granger’s level and I felt it was more important for the Cavs and Celtics to get two players in. I don’t feel too bad about Philly and Milwaukee, though, ’cause they’re still under-.500.
* Why Ray Allen over Paul Pierce? It was close, but to me it seems that when Boston has been at their best, it’s coincided with Ray being at his best. Purely a matter of perception. And Vince Carter has been better than Ray, but the C’s deserve two All-Stars.
* Yao isn’t just starting due to the fan vote. He’s been carrying Houston while T-Mac and Artest go in and out of the lineup, averaging 19.6 points, 9.5 boards and 1.7 blocks. Jefferson has better numbers and even outplayed Yao when they went head-to-head, but Yao’s done more with his team (Houston won that head-to-head matchup).
January 28th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Big Shot BOB says:
I love this idea…
January 28th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
marcus the great says:
you could sub somebody in there for Jamison. the wizards suck ass, no need for them to have an all-star
January 28th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
fallinup (Black Dynamite = Best Movie Evar!) says:
As much as I love the idea, Austin. If fans are able to vote, and vote more than once at that…then you’ll always have players that don’t belong (say Amare). And players deserving of a spot getting snubbed.
I can’t fret over allstar rosters because of that. People are dumb. As much as I love basketball…there are millions more still voting that have no clue (casual fans).
January 28th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
kevin k says:
Chauncey Billups for the west and Joe Johnson shouldn’t make the all star team. A high volume shooting PG that shoots 41% doesn’t cut it when guys like Nene, K-Mart, and J Smith are playing out of their minds. Replace Cbills for Steve Nash or D-Will.
As a trying-to-be-a-Hawks-Fan, it’s painful to watch their games. Joe Johnson absolutely kills their ball movements and takes too many ill advised shots although most has to be blamed on the dumb coach. JJ is not a superstar and I will even say he is a tier below guys like BRoy and the Truth. Replace him for either David Lee, Truth, or Rashard Lewis.
Tayshawn Prince is a joke. “A point foward” my ass. Have you seen him? foo NEVER dribbles or drives to the Right. can’t finish with the right and wastes like 15 sec trying to get to 3 pt line. Detroit’s problem is not AI but the coach.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
GEE..."I saw you and him, walkin in the raaaiiin!" says:
This is nice, but I still say don’t let the fans vote on the All-Star game period.
Fans should be able to only vote 1 contestant for the dunk contest, three point shoot-out and skills contest. Even in this I don’t like it, but if you just want to give the fans something, then give them these.
The fans shouldn’t have any say in the All-Star game choices period.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
thomasmmm says:
can we have your proposed ballot and be able to vote in a sixth man?
January 28th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
doc (i like kobe AND bron) says:
I like it.
January 28th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
A-Slam says:
Even if B-Roy was averaging a point a game i’d still want him in for the murder of cheick samb lol
January 28th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Why you talkin Crazy? says:
Whats this nonsense of such and such a team “deserves” two all stars so another player doesnt make it? Bullshit. Are these all stars or a selection of players from the teams with the most talent and best records?
January 28th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
khalfani says:
i couldnt agree more…..thats exactly how my eastern conference starters looked
January 28th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
V says:
Woulda coulda shoulda too bad so sad
January 28th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Luigi says:
replace Jamison with Caron.
January 28th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
johnsacrimoni says:
I can understand knocking a player due to injury..and I know stats can be deceiving. But I’m sick of the notion that great teams “deserve” multiple all-stars and great players on bad teams get left off because of team records. It should be the 12 best players in the conference, period. That being said, with the starters already chosen and Iverson the only one I have a problem with:
EAST
PG Iverson
W Wade
W LeBron
B KG
B Howard
PG Harris
W J Johnson
W Carter
B Jamison
B Bosh
X Pierce
X Granger
WEST
PG Paul
W Kobe
W? Amare
B Duncan
B Yao
PG D Williams
W Roy
W Anthony
B Gasol
B Nowitzki
X Jefferson
X Parker/Billups take your pick..I lean toward Parker
X
January 28th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Big V says:
Totally agree with your logic in separating out the PG’s, 2-3’s, and the 4-5’s.
Like others before me, I still must support the abolition of fan suffrage.
January 28th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Yoooo says:
Famz, a teams record has no bearings on an all star selection. This isnt the MVP (which I think shouldnt be based on the best player best team nonsense either). No team DESERVES two all stars if one of them isnt having a better season than another player on a team who’s ass (Vince Carter over Ray Allen). The all star game is for the best PLAYERS, period. Not the Best teams best players. That ish is wack.
January 28th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
buffaloballa says:
Danny “Dark Knight” Granger has to be an All Star this year….
January 28th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
BCS says:
so.. I guess we have to use a BCS type system for the NBA All-Star game….
January 28th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
karizmatic says:
I hate this idea, how about more guys learn how to play correct fundamental basketball. How about that. And what about if the league ever changes to where there are dominant center and power forwards, are you going to change it back then? This is just an attempt to address the fact that there aren’t any good centers in the East right now. It’s just too bad, no matter how you slice it there are always going to be snubs, for the all-star game, changing the format to suit your needs is not going to make that any different.
January 28th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Detroit Dave says:
I still say scrap the whole East and West idea and let the 2 vote getter from each conference pick teams. Shoot for first pick and then start the game. Matter of fact they can announce the 24 all stars on Saturday night… Have Kobe and D-Howard pick squads right after the dunk contest, then wait for the showdown on SUNDAY!
January 28th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Smooth says:
austin let it go man i really not feelin this idea at all
January 28th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Smooth says:
detroit dave u gotta be kidding me man
January 28th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
SagJism says:
Austin great idea, thanks for adding Danny Granger. I am a Laker/Piston fan for life but I recognize great talent and it would be a bad iscarraige for DG not to be there.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
SagJism says:
sorry mis-carraige
January 28th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Andrej says:
i personally dident agree with brandon roy being on the all start eam last year but this year he deserves it for sure and antawn jamison is good real good but he defs wont make it his team is way to bad
January 29th, 2009 at 12:32 am
johnsacrimoni says:
Detroit Dave they would probably just pick their own teammates.
January 29th, 2009 at 2:09 am
jace says:
GREAT idea.
i believe the west is stuck havin three bigmen in the starting lineup. how exciting is that gonna be? not at all. amare at the 3, duncan at the 4, yao at the 5? ugh
January 29th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Lee says:
@ Detroit Dave
I like the idea !!! It’d be good to see whos the millionaire equiverlent of the fat kid no one wanted to pick at school !!!
January 29th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
bill says:
LMAO pierce ain’t on the team thats a joke