NBA fans, you’ll get who you ask for. Well, nine out of 10 anyway.
There were no surprises as the NBA All-Star Game starters were announced live on TNT Thursday night.
The Eastern Conference starters are:
Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic, center): He’s the best center in the game, averaging 22 points and 13.4 points per game. He was the only real choice. If you voted for Shaq I hope it was because you love “Shaq vs.” and not his play. If you voted for Al Horford, I hope it was to get him recognition and not because you think he’s better. Fifth All-Star Game for Howard.
LeBron James (Miami Heat, forward): Kind of a gimme. Best player on the planet right now. Averaging 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game.
Amare Stoudemire (New York Knicks, forward): Voters helped him past Kevin Garnett after KG missed games due to an injury. And of course, New York doesn’t lose sporting events to Boston (2004 fluke is the exception). First Knick to be a starter since 1997 (Patrick Ewing) and he deserves it leading the revival of the Knicks.
Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat, guard): Has to be here (as he has been the last six years). Averaging 25.1 points per game and still maybe the best at dribble penetration in the sport.
Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls, guard): The Bulls are 31-14 despite a new coach and a rash of injuries — and Rose is the reason. He is averaging 24.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. I still don’t think he’s an MVP, but he is a legit All-Star starter.
For the West the starters are:
Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers, guard): Has to be here and the fans new it, he was the leading vote getter with 2.4 million. He is averaging 24.9 points per game this season and this is his 13th trip to the All-Star Game.
Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets, guard): He has led the resurgence of the Hornets and is averaging 16.4 points, 9.7 assists per game and is shooting 46 percent from three. He’s having an MVP-level season.
Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder, forward): Last season’s leading scorer in the league and he is on pace to do it again averaging 28.6 points per game. He also led the USA to a gold medal at the FIBA World Championships this summer. If the fans didn’t vote him in the power to choose should have been taken away from them.
Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets, forward): He is ninth in the league in scoring. But lets answer your next question — if he is traded before the All-Star game he would not start for the East but could be added to their roster by David Stern, who also would choose his Western replacement.
Yao Ming (Houston Rockets, center): Thank you China. He will not play due to the ankle injury that has kept him out of all but five games this season, after missing all of last season due to foot surgery. So no, he doesn’t belong.
How it works now is David Stern will choose his replacement on the roster sometime after the All-Star Game reserves are announced next week (NBA coaches vote on the reserves). Western Conference coach Gregg Popovich will then choose the replacement starter.
The All-Star Game is Feb. 20 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.