Stan Van Gundy has apparently made his choice -- Atlanta’s Joe Johnson is going to get the open starting spot for the Eastern Conference on Sunday. Reports are popping up all over the Web.
Johnson is a much more deserving starter than Allen Iverson, the person he replaces, the person voted in by fans who clearly have not watched Iverson play in three years (at least). Johnson is scoring 21 points a game for the Hawks, a team trying to establish itself as a contender. (Atlanta fans about to say, “we are contenders!” you have to prove that in the playoffs.)
A better choice at point guard may have been Rajon Rondo, the true point that is keeping the Celtics in contention this year. Johnson is really a shooting guard, although while Iverson is technically listed as a point in practice his is a shooting guard.
Unlike George Karl in the West, Van Gundy couldn’t fall back on the “just put the local guy in and make the fans happy” strategy.