The NBA All-Star ballots have been counted and fans around the world have spoken. The starters for the 2011 All-Star Game on Feb. 20 in Los Angeles are:
EAST: Dwight Howard (ORL), LeBron James (MIA), Derrick Rose (CHI), Amar'e Stoudemire (NY) and Dwyane Wade (MIA)
WEST: Carmelo Anthony (DEN), Kobe Bryant (LAL), Kevin Durant (OKC), Chris Paul (NOH) and Yao Ming (HOU)
Yao is currently out for the season with a foot injury and his replacement in the starting lineup will be named later by Commissioner David Stern. Head coaches Greg Popovich (San Antonio) and Doc Rivers (Boston) will be coaching the West and East teams, respectively, as they've earned the right to by steering their ballclubs to conference-best records at the All-Star cutoff mark (officially, the cutoff is Feb. 6, but the Spurs and Celts, as of this writing, have already locked the conference-best records).
The All-Star reserves, on the other hand, will be selected by the league's 30 head coaches. Each coach will choose seven players from within his own conference - but not from his own team (e.g., Doc Rivers can not name a Celtic among his seven Eastern conference reserve choices) - and the top seven vote-getters will join the All-Stars. The selection is ongoing and the league will reveal the reserves list on Thursday (tomorrow) in between the live TNT-televised games.
If I were allowed to cast my ballots for East and West reserves, this here would be my list:
EAST: Ray Allen (BOS), Carlos Boozer (CHI), Chris Bosh (MIA), Ray Felton (NY), Kevin Garnett (BOS), Paul Pierce (BOS) and Rajon Rondo (BOS)
WEST: Tim Duncan (SA), Monta Ellis (GS), Manu Ginobili (SA), Blake Griffin (LAC), Kevin Love (MIN), Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) and Russell Westbrook (OKC)
As is the case each year during the All-Star selection process, observers will take note of the so-called "snubs" and for certain there will be several noteworthy names that will miss the cut. From my list above you can certainly list: Joe Johnson (ATL), Joakim Noah (CHI), Jason Kidd (DAL), Chauncey Billups (DEN), Kevin Martin (HOU), Danny Granger (IND), Eric Gordon (LAC), Pau Gasol (LAL), Zach Randolph (MEM), Brandon Jennings (MIL), Michael Beasley (MIN), David West (NOH), Steve Nash (PHO), LaMarcus Aldridge (POR), Tony Parker (SA) and Deron Williams (UTA), to name a few.
The selection process, though, like any (or most) electoral procedure is subjective and there will always be many All-Star-calibre players missing the cut - as well as possibly a few players that make the team but who you may deem less-deserving. But it's also a democratic process and because of it, we shall hopefully see an All-Star Game with players who can best provide an exciting, fun-filled mid-season spectacular.
Who are your picks?
EAST: Dwight Howard (ORL), LeBron James (MIA), Derrick Rose (CHI), Amar'e Stoudemire (NY) and Dwyane Wade (MIA)
WEST: Carmelo Anthony (DEN), Kobe Bryant (LAL), Kevin Durant (OKC), Chris Paul (NOH) and Yao Ming (HOU)
Yao is currently out for the season with a foot injury and his replacement in the starting lineup will be named later by Commissioner David Stern. Head coaches Greg Popovich (San Antonio) and Doc Rivers (Boston) will be coaching the West and East teams, respectively, as they've earned the right to by steering their ballclubs to conference-best records at the All-Star cutoff mark (officially, the cutoff is Feb. 6, but the Spurs and Celts, as of this writing, have already locked the conference-best records).
The All-Star reserves, on the other hand, will be selected by the league's 30 head coaches. Each coach will choose seven players from within his own conference - but not from his own team (e.g., Doc Rivers can not name a Celtic among his seven Eastern conference reserve choices) - and the top seven vote-getters will join the All-Stars. The selection is ongoing and the league will reveal the reserves list on Thursday (tomorrow) in between the live TNT-televised games.
If I were allowed to cast my ballots for East and West reserves, this here would be my list:
EAST: Ray Allen (BOS), Carlos Boozer (CHI), Chris Bosh (MIA), Ray Felton (NY), Kevin Garnett (BOS), Paul Pierce (BOS) and Rajon Rondo (BOS)
WEST: Tim Duncan (SA), Monta Ellis (GS), Manu Ginobili (SA), Blake Griffin (LAC), Kevin Love (MIN), Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) and Russell Westbrook (OKC)
As is the case each year during the All-Star selection process, observers will take note of the so-called "snubs" and for certain there will be several noteworthy names that will miss the cut. From my list above you can certainly list: Joe Johnson (ATL), Joakim Noah (CHI), Jason Kidd (DAL), Chauncey Billups (DEN), Kevin Martin (HOU), Danny Granger (IND), Eric Gordon (LAC), Pau Gasol (LAL), Zach Randolph (MEM), Brandon Jennings (MIL), Michael Beasley (MIN), David West (NOH), Steve Nash (PHO), LaMarcus Aldridge (POR), Tony Parker (SA) and Deron Williams (UTA), to name a few.
The selection process, though, like any (or most) electoral procedure is subjective and there will always be many All-Star-calibre players missing the cut - as well as possibly a few players that make the team but who you may deem less-deserving. But it's also a democratic process and because of it, we shall hopefully see an All-Star Game with players who can best provide an exciting, fun-filled mid-season spectacular.
Who are your picks?
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