All-Star reserves
It was close between Harden and Curry, especially considering Harden really hasn't played that great this month, but one edge I thought Harden had was he has Houston currently in the playoffs and he doesn't have a 20 and 10 power forward helping him out.
Curry was very deserving though. I hate that he's left out, but not everyone can make it.
To me the fact that Curry didn't make it is the fans fault. Dwight Howard does not deserve to be there and Duncan should have been startibng and then Curry could have got the other wildcard spot. People complain about Kyrie making it on a 11-32 team, however he has missed some games they could have won, Howard has been playing almost the whole time.
I don't remenber anybody really not thinking George has star potential I was always one of his biggest supports since he played at Fresno St. but even I was tempering people's enthusiasm because he just simple didn't have the ability to shoot off the dribble or create offense, and never at any level ever showed the type of aggresiveness to be a go to scorer. Well he learned how to pull up off the dribble and due to a lack of offensive options he became a go to scorer.
But I'm happy for George too, and one of the biggest reasons he's made it is because he's been a flat out dominant rebounder from the wing this year.
I'm glad Noah made it. I was pulling for him. All of the first timers deserved it. Curry should be there with Lee. Nobody was expecting the warriors to have a winning record. Curry goes down that Warrior team goes down should have made it. lol some where John Wall is crying Irving made it before him
I loved the guy and was hoping he fell to the raps that year, but we did get Ed Davis who looks promising. George had all the physical tools to be a atleast an Ariza type player but in college he had court vision and 90% free throw shooter too boot. I saw him with a base of Ariza and ceiling of close to McGrady
I would've put Lopez on the team over Deng...and I'm a Bulls fan. I think that Deng making it over guys like Josh Smith and Lopez is a case of good reputation over bad reputation among coaches.
Despite his reputation for being soft, Lopez' defense and rebounding has been better this yr, he's been super efficient and he's been the Nets' most consistent player all year.
It makes a lot of sense because there is no way Lopez shouldn't be an all-star. He is 4th in the league in PER behind only Lebron, Durant and Paul who are the top 3 MVP candidates in most peoples opinions. Curry should have made it as well but the West is so stacked it is hard to say who he should replace.
Maybe not an allstar year but he is certainly not having a bad year. He's averaging 17 points on 54% shooting third option is NOT bad. He rebounds are down around 7 which is bad but his blocks are at 1.4 (tied for career high) on top of that he's only at 33 minutes a game. If he were to play 38-40 a night he would be a 20 10 guy as athird option. But I agree that he shouldn't have been an allstar.
I disagree. Bosh has improved by far than when he was a first option on the Raptors. He's actually become a very good low post one on one defender, using his size a quickness to play center alongside Lebron to become one of the most disruptive frontlines in the league. He's still got his range and scoring skills, as evidenced by his career high 54% from the field. He's as vital to the Heat's success as Wade is.
The Bulls with two All-Stars? I don't know about that. I really thought Brook Lopez should've been in there. I'd have put two Pacers in there before two Bulls. David West has been just as good as Paul George.
Congrats to George though. I'm amazed. His improvement in just this season alone has been phenomenal. He's not even the same player.
Glad Jrue made it... But i love kyrie he is a beast!! gonna be one of the best point guards. But the Cavs are 11-32 and the Bucks are 22-18... so Brandon couldnt make it?? thats flat out a disgrace because of their Market. I mean it as bad the Nets didnt have an all star, but Kyrie over B Jennings is a joke. Shoutout to Jrue tho
Paul George surprised me a bit, but he really raised his game in the absence of Granger. I was tough on him in the draft process when some people were really high on his potential. I thought he was another Wilson Chandler, but his on the ball game and deep shooting is miles ahead of where I thought he's be. The east has a bright future, with Turner, Monroe, Wall, etc.
I would just like to say, no Josh Smith? Not even on the honorable mention of the NBA.com article? Dudes averaging 16.7 pts, 8.3 rebs, 3.9 asts, 1.3 stls, and 2.3 blks. Theres not a more versatile defender in the league, and he's rounded out his offensive game. He's officially gone on my most underrated list, headed by Al Jefferson.
Warriors fan here, glad Lee made it, unfortunate that Curry didn't make it but honestly all three West guards belong, the only person I'd put Curry over is Aldridge, but he also got badly snubbed two years ago as well, so unfortunately some younger guys do get snubbed.
Glad Timmy made it, should've been a starter but all of the Laker lovers voted Howard in. Howard's been playing like crap, I'm sorry but it goes beyond stats,watching him he doesn't look like a guy that's supposed to be the best big in the game. If he wasn't a star who was getting plays drawn up for just because of his name he'd be a 13 and 11 guy(just this season though, this is not the same guy who played like a beast in Orlando even if he was theoretically out of there.)
And sort of irrelevant but today a guy who's in the same fantasy league as mine at school comes up to me and says, "Hey, I don't like Kyrie anymore, I'll trade you Derrick Williams for Kyrie". There's only one problem. He has Derrick Williams, not me. True story, and he seriously didn't know that he had Derrick Williams on his team.
Call me crazy or whatever, but Aldridge over Curry??? There is no justification for such an omission beyond the obvious positional requirements. I love Aldridge, but when choosing between him and Curry I would definitely go with the latter based on what each means to their respective teams. In Portland, guys like Batum and Lillard have been just as valuable to team success as Aldridge has. In my opinion and even factual data, Curry is having one of the best seasons in EVER in terms of shooting the ball. Agree or disagree, but Curry is undoubtedly the best shooter of this generation over guys like Steve Novak and Kyle Korver who are more so spot up shooters and much more limited in the degree of difficulty in the shots they take and make.
Z-Bo over M. Gasol is another head scratcher for me. In my opinion, Gasol is the clear cut reason why the Grizzlies are a step below being a legitimate contender rather than being a borderline playoff team. While his numbers don't wow you, his leadership on both ends of the court is what tips the scales for me.
In the East, the omission of Lopez in favor of Chris Bosh is just mind boggling to me. I hear the IF argument with Bosh alot, such as IF he played more minutes or IF he was a number one option. The fact is he's not. Lopez has out played Bosh not only offensively, but defensively as well and it's not even close. Maybe if a certain Celtic doesn't make the team (I'm looking at you Garnett and Rondo), we wouldn't be having this conversation.
Last but not least, the omission of Josh Smith in favor of Deng is just a down right travesty. I'm a big Deng fan, but Smith is the undeniable leader on a team that everyone pegged as Lottery bound but is instead by all indications looking to be a lock for 4-7 seed in the East. I feel this pick was strictly based on reputation, rather than value.
The West has a crazy amount of PF's and absolutely no SF's to back up Durant lol. If I remember right, they had the same problem last year as they had all point guards and power forwards on the All Star team (other than Marc Gasol) so Dirk played the 3 behind Durant lol. The east is pretty balanced out other than at Shooting Guard. They only have wade I believe, but I'm sure Jrue could play both positions. It's hard to say with Lopez. If he were to make it over, let's say Deng, Then they would have 3 Centers as reserves. He definitely deserves it, and I still don't understand how the number 3 team gets no all stars but the number 4 team gets 2....
First off.... Its nonsense to say that Dwight doesnt deserve it. The numbers are there. His team isnt winning but hmmmm, ok, does that mean that Kobe shouldnt make it? Exactly.
Secondly, Im glad Kyrie made it. he's a stud to me.
I was shocked that Paul George made was chosen. He's been playing good but I didnt think they would put him in this year, I thought Josh Smith would be picked before Deng or George. He gets snubbed every year.
In my opinion, Z-Bo over Marc Gasol was a easy choice. Gasol is good but Z-Bo is their guy, he's their post closer and has the most 20-10 games this season.
Harden was a easy choice too, he had to make it, Superstar in the making....
Stephen Curry should be on the team. no one expected the Warriors to be up there contending. He's the main reason.
Tony Parker shouldve missed this one. He's been good, but not as good as Curry, Harden, or Westbrook.
yeah because averaging 20 points on 52% shooting for a point guard on a 34-11 team is "good but not as good as curry, harden or westbrook". His shooting percentage is what big men in the nba shoot, and he's doing it as a point guard. c'mon man. I know curry should've made it, but not over parker. It would have been a wild card instead of LaMarcus Aldridge in my opinion
My opinion on the Steph Curry thing: Overblown. The Warriors are a nice story, but they are the 5th seed. Its not like they are 35-8. Curry has been really really solid, but both Westbrook and Parker play as big a role on truly elite teams, and James Harden may not have had as efficient a season as Curry, but hes playing on a team with little to no depth, a ball dominant point guard whose inconsistent, and no real offensive weapons other than Chandler Parsons. He scores more than Curry, and he is asked to do much more. Curry usually plays off the ball in crunch time, and Curry can lean on Lee, or Jack, or even Thompson to carry the team in spurts. Harden is the focal point of the opposing team's game plan, gets double teamed off screens, does everything for them, and has essentially kept the Rockets relevant. Just because the Warriors are exceeding expectations, does not mean Curry is more deserved. They chose Lee over Curry, and the fact the 3 west reserve guards are total locks made that an easier decision. If Curry made it over one of them, the same arguments would have been made for any of them.
look at that 2009 draft class..
Griffin a perrenial star, now Harden Holiday, and Curry plus Jennings are between those snubs, plus looking forward DeRozan and Rubio still shows promises..
it's not a bad draft at all and do you guys remember how everyone act like it was a very weak one because they wasn't as deep as 2008 there same might happen to this years' class we underrate them because of last year's and potentially next year's depth
I didnt choose Tony Parker, but I can see the reason he made it. However, I cant justify Marc Gasol over Zach Randolph. Z-Bo was rightfully chosen.
Can anyone explain to me, why Marc shouldve been chosen over Z-Bo
and
Why Dwight Howard shouldnt have made it?
Im just wondering what everyone else is feeling. Serious answers please
Marc Gasol is one of the best defensive players in the league, Zbo is not. I am fine with Zbo making it, but that is the most logical argument supporting Gasol.
D12 not making it is also quite simple. He is the 2nd best player on the 12th best team in the conference, his stats are down across the board, and he is obviously playing hurt. He's had some big nights, and still has good stats, but he just hasn't been nearly as dominant as he has in the past. The fact he is playing with the scoring leader and still the team is bad really questions him making it, in my opinion. But again, it was fan voted so no real control over it.
Id really like to see the all star vote process retooled so that we get a realistic roster of the best players in the league. The fan vote for starters has led to some very questionable to atrocious choices over the years and should be nixed in my opinion. Id like to see coaches vote for the starters, players vote for the first 5 reserves, and fans vote for the wild card spots. That would lead to much more defined rosters and there wouldn't be glaring omissions every year because a borderline fan fav candidate won a starting spot. Id also like to see team success play into the selections a lot less, all star worthy players are all stars regardless of team standings, players cant help that they were drafted into a poor situation or that their GM has not brought in the requisite talent for them to challenge for a playoff spot.
West Reserves Announced
Tim Duncan
David Lee
Zach Randolph
Lamarcus Aldridge
Russell Westbrook
Tony Parker
James Harden
No real surprises here. The East on the other hand... A little harder to figure out.