Well fans, you got the game you wanted. And it should be a good one (as defenseless exhibitions go). Good on ya.
The NBA has announced the starters for the All-Star game, as voted in by the fans. Usually there are a painful choice or two, but this year it’s a solid group. We can quibble, but there is no outright disaster.
Here are the starters you picked:
Eastern Conference:
Guards: Derrick Rose (Chicago), Dwyane Wade (Miami)
Forwards: LeBron James (Miami), Carmelo Anthony (New York)
Center: Dwight Howard (Orlando)
Notes: Dwight Howard got the most votes of any player, 1.6 million, but Derrick Rose was only about 86,000 back of him and LeBron was third in the vote getting in the East.
Fan mistake: Not sure there was a glaring one. If I could make one change it would be to remove Carmelo Anthony and replace him with Orlando’s Ryan Anderson or Miami’s Chris Bosh, as ‘Melo has struggled in his point-forward role for the Knicks. Anderson has been a revelation for the Magic and Bosh has started to find his stride and space in Miami (at least with Wade out). But ‘Melo is still a guy putting up big numbers carrying the Knicks..
Western Conference
Guards: Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers)
Forwards: Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City), Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers)
Center: Andrew Bynum (Los Angeles Lakers)
Notes: This is Kobe’s 14th time an All-Star starter, moving him one ahead of Jordan on that list. (Most All-Star games ever? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at 18.) Kobe also led the West with 1.5 million votes (second most overall), Durant was second in the West with 1.3 million. Blake Griffin and Andrew Bynum are each making their first All-Star start.
Fan mistake: Four of the five starters are from Los Angeles? Again, nothing that really bothers me a lot, but I would swap Kevin Love into the starting lineup and have Blake Griffin come off the bench. I prefer Love’s well-rounded game and think he carries more of a load with his team. I might put LaMarcus Aldridge ahead of him, too. But Griffin is playing well, he is far from a bad choice.
Coaches will choose the reserves, and that is going to be where the hard decisions are. Those come in a week.