Latest All-Star returns, and why they continue to confuse me.
by FLYNN47 on Jan 8, 2009 5:09 PM EST
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PrintFourth returns for the 2009 All-star game were released today, with some results being very much expected (Lebron beginning to close on D12, Bosh & Pierce being very high in East forwards) but there was plenty that made me ask...
WTF?
for instance, West guards- Brandon Roy, Jason Kidd and Steve Nash recieving so little votes? Especially Roy, who has been playing some outstanding ball this year. I hope he makes the team along with CP3 as a reserve, but why isn't he getting the credit he deserves from the fans?
Ron Artest being voted so high? Not a bad thing i guess, he seems to have ironed-out the massive crinkles in his brain matter this season, and i'd even say has been more valuable to Houston than T-Mac....but i didn't expect to see him ahead of Dirk and Pau...weird.
Gilbert Arenas with 403,577 votes ahead of Jose 'Stat Fav' Calderon (274,509 votes) and our own Jameer Nelson (227,226) dispite playing (agent) zero minutes? Tell me this guy is getting his votes on his name value?
Yi Jianlian- I don't think i need to say how upset this makes me.....
and finally, Rashard Lewis not even cracking the top 11 in East Forwards! His play has been outstanding, much more so than Shawn Marion's (who punches in at 7th) and is highly spoken of as a good chance for a reserve spot. I guess i just feel its more disrespect to the 'small market, non contending' Magic side that ESPN presents to the reat of the sporting world. Kudos to Turk though- good play getting rewarded with 366,174 votes, good enough for 6th place (fifth if you don't count Yi Jianlian).
and here is a big question to finish with: Do you think the Magic currently have 4 All-Star caliber players (not, do you think 4 will make the team) but could Dwight (we know he can) Hedo, Shard and Jameer be considered 'All-Star caliber'?
Sound off your thoughts, who you would like picked, who you wouldn't etc, etc.
This FanPost was made by a member of the Orlando Pinstriped Post community, and is to be treated as the opinions and views of its author, not that of the blogger or blog community as a whole.
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I think we should have 3.
I love Hedo but he’s not really an All-Star this year. Great role player? Absolutely? All-Star. Not so much, not this year. Last year absolutely. Just somethings off with him.
The other three I think definitely deserve it.
Jameer and Rashard are All-Star worthy this year, just as Turk was last year
Unfortunately, there won’t be enough spots for everyone. I have a feeling Dwight might be the only Magic player in the game itself. Maybe Rashard or Jameer will do the three-point shootout….?
Fan voting isn't logical.
It almost rarely is. That’s the reality. I understand your frustration though.
As for whether or not the Magic have four All-Star caliber players THIS YEAR .. I would say that Dwight and Nelson are legitimate All-Star caliber talents.
Lewis & Hedo aren’t unfortunately. Lewis is close, but he doesn’t break the threshold.
Senior Writer for DePaul's Scout.com website
Fan voting is a mistake
Let the GMs vote. Let’s see the BEST players in the game – not the popular ones. – Elgin
If you smile at me I will understand, because that is something everybody everywhere does in the same language. - Crosby/Stills/Kantner
My personal explanations
Ever since Yao made it to the NBA, those in his immediate orbit have greatly benefited from what I call the Yao effect. Basically, Chinese voters (keep in mind that the voting is not restricted to just the US), will vote for Yao and other good players on his team that they feel is All-Star worthy (for example, Steve Francis, Tracy McGrady, and now Ron Artest). This can help explain why mediocre Houston players such as Shane Battier and Rafer Alston are getting a lot of fan votes. In every position, there is at least one Rockets player. Chinese voters also play a part in Eazy Yi’s popularity in the polls.
I also have a not-yet-proven theory regarding the host city: if you host the game, more than one player from the city’s team will make it to the All-Star game. I would not be surprised if there are three Suns players making it this year (Shaq, Amare (I left out the apostrophe on purpose) and Nashty).
As for my personal picks…I had placed the East picks in a Fanshot, but will put them here along with my West picks: Jameer, Devin Harris, Rashard, Danny Granger, Al Horford, Jose Calderon, and Chris Bosh in the East; Brandon Roy, Jason Terry, Dirk, Pau, Al Jefferson, Nash, and Melo, though I can easily put in Billups for Nash.
Toronto doesn't deserve 2 All-Stars.
Joe Johnson HAS to be an All-Star .. Calderon, as much as I like him, doesn’t deserve a spot this year.
Big Z > Horford. Big Al’s PER is a mere 16.56 .. that’s not going to cut it. To put that number in perspective, Anderson Varejao has a better PER than him. Z’s PER is around 21, which is 2nd amongst East centers.
Everyone else checks out .. though personally I feel Billups deserves a spot WAY more than Nash. Billups’ PER is a hair under 21 while Nash’s is around 17. And there’s no denying how much of an impact B-B-B-Billups has had on Denver.
Senior Writer for DePaul's Scout.com website
I have a certain loyalty to Nash
But I would have no problems if Chauncey made it instead. I’m sure you are correct in regards to Z and Varejao being better than Horford, but I like Al, so I picked him. With the way Cleveland is playing now, they will probably have more than one All Star on the team, along with Boston. It will be highly unfair if the coaches do not apply that same logic with Orlando.
As far as first-timers go, I’m really rooting for Devin, Granger, Jameer, and Terry.
Yeah, that's why I picked Big Z because to me, he's a lock to be the second Cavs player. He deserves it regardless.
Devin is a lock. Granger SHOULD be a lock, especially after that buzzer beater he had against Phoenix. Jameer is 50/50 .. ditto with Terry.
My gut says ‘Shard will be the second Magic representative. Again, I’d be shocked if Dwight was the only All-Star on the team. It’s a matter of principle.
Senior Writer for DePaul's Scout.com website
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