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If you missed erivera7's analysis of what Mickael Pietrus brings to the Orlando Magic when healthy, please make your way over to that page and read it. Great stuff. Also great: according to Brian Schmitz, Pietrus practiced today and hopes to return in time for Sunday's matinee with the Toronto Raptors.
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Also from Schmitz: Magic coach Stan Van Gundy believes forward Rashard Lewis deserves a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team.
What do other professionals think, though? Does Lewis deserve a spot? How about Jameer Nelson? Or should Dwight Howard be the Orlando Magic's only All-Star this year? A look at what some NBA scribes around the country think, after the jump.
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Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic didn't put any Magic players on his hypothetical reserve ballot; recall that none of these ballots are official because the league's coaches vote for the All-Star team.
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John Hollinger of ESPN.com put Nelson on his team. He didn't put Lewis on the team, but did mention him in his explanation of why Paul Pierce should not make the team:
Yes, he's taken up the challenge of guarding top wing players and done an excellent job of it; on the other hand, [Rajon] Rondo is even better on D and outranks him in PER, and other wings who play major defensive roles (Johnson, Andre Iguodala, Rashard Lewis) also outrate him.
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Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus names Nelson.
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Marc Stein, one of Hollinger's colleagues at ESPN.com, also named Jameer Nelson to his team.
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Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel gives Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu some love.
The NBA will reveal the full All-Star rosters on Thursday night.