The NBA All-Star game, in theory, is a platform for the 24 best players in the NBA to showcase their talents on a national stage. That is the criteria the game was created under, and one would think that should be the criteria used for selecting the participants. But too often these all-star games become lifetime achievement awards for over the hill veterans whose primes have long since passed. Whether it's an aging Allen Iverson, a banged up Tracy McGrady or every version of Yao Ming, there always seems to be a guy on the team who simply doesn't deserve his spot. Instead of watching these washed up vets posture and smile for the camera, wouldn't it be more fun to watch a hungry up and comer try to take the leap from star to superstar in front of the whole country? So for 2011, I am proposing a radical change: let's try to pick the 12 best players in each conference (while staying relatively true to positional balance) and watch them play basketball against each other. Wouldn't that be a lovely change?
STARTERS
G) Deron Williams, Utah Jazz - In a word, the Western Conference point guards are ridiculously fantastically incredible (ok that was 3 words, but it carried the emotion of one word). Choosing Williams over the others was like choosing your favorite Pokemon: it's impossible. But since Williams' Jazz currently sit in 4th place, higher than Russell Westbrook's Thunder or Chris Paul's Hornets, he gets the nod. Oh and averaging 22.5 points and 9.5 assists per game doesn't hurt either.
G) Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers - At the dawn of every season I confidently tell my friends, "This is gonna be the year Kobe hits a wall. Just watch guys. Trust me. I'm incredibly good at this predicting stuff. I rule." After posting a 25-5-5 line to this point, he has proved me wrong for the millionth straight year. I rule.
F) Carmelo, Denver Nuggets - I didn't forget to type his last name, I'm consciously boycotting it. With a name like Carmelo, no last name should ever be necessary. Like Cher, Madonna, and Emeril I say Carmelo commits to being a one name icon, thus forcing his equally one-namable wife, LaLa Vasquez. to do the same. This would lead to one of the most contentious baby naming debates of all time. If you have no last name, whatever name you give that kid is gonna be all they have for the rest of their life, so it had better be on point. No room to throw out a dud like, "Without further ado, LaLa and I would like to introduce our son. Everyone...meet Graham!"
F) Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder - Despite a slow start by his standards, Durant has banked enough goodwill from his eye opening performance this summer with Team USA to earn his starting spot. And he just so happens to be leading the NBA in scoring at 28.1 points per game, so there's that going for him too.
F) Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks - With no traditional center meriting inclusion from the West (unless your the Chandler family and want Tyson Chandler in the game, which I fully understand), we're going to be forced to play small ball and employ a 5 man rotation that can space the floor and create matchup problems for Dwight Howard and the East's bigs. Dirk fits this role perfectly. He's been playing, arguably, the best basketball of his career - he's shooting a career best 54.5% from the field - in leading the Mavs to their surprising 24-5 start, good for 2nd in the ultra-competitive West.
BENCH
Guards - Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Manu Ginobli, Monta Ellis
No shockers here. Paul and Westbrook have been in discussion for best point guard in basketball this year. Their inclusion is a no-brainer. Ginobli has been the best player on the best team in basketball, leading his Spurs to a 27-4 start, serving notice to the NBA that the San Antonio dynasty is far from dead. The last guard spot is the toughest to choose, but in the name of infusing young talent into the game, I would go with the Golden State Warriors' Monta Ellis (we also have a bevy of point guards, so I was looking for more of a scorer/slasher here. Sorry Steve Nash). He's become of the most exciting players no one has ever heard of, and it's time for him to bask in the national spotlight. Also, he's making a really, really strong case to be the most famous Monta of all time - not something you can say for STEVE Nash, or TONY Parker, or ERIC Gordon. That really put him over the top for me.
Big Men - Pau Gasol, Kevin Love, Blake Griffin
Here's where the real controversy begins: Tim Duncan will more than likely make his 483rd straight All-Star Game this year. While it's hard to argue against the best power forward of all time being there, based on his production in 2010 he just does NOT deserve it. He's averaging slightly over 13 points and 9 rebounds a game (the first time in his career averaging fewer than 10 boards a game), a sharp and somewhat sad decline from his past productivity. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli have both been more important to the Spurs' early success than Duncan. Just because he's a first ballot Hall of Famer does NOT mean he's a yearly all-star lock. The game simply should not work like that.
Pau Gasol carried the Lakers' in the early part of the season, and thrust his name into the discussion as "Best Big Man in the NBA" (he has since removed his name from the discussion with his recent lackluster play. His loss). At the very least, he's the most skilled big man in today's NBA and his repertoire needs to be on full display among the game's greats. Kevin Love is having a historical statistical season. He's averaging better than 20 points and 15 rebounds a game (it's worth repeating - 15 rebounds!!). If he finishes the year with those numbers, he would be the first player to average 20-15 over a full season since Moses Malone in 1982. Sure he plays for a putrid team that LeBron argued should be up for contraction but his statistical dominance is too much to ignore. Oh and he's shooting better than 43% from the 3-point line, good for 11th IN THE LEAGUE. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?? Put him in the all-star game. Period, end of story.
In my fictional lineup, the 12th spot would go to Half Man-Half Beast Blake "The Lake" Griffin. I just made up that nickname. That would either be the best or the worst nickname in sports history, I can't tell. To put into perspective how rare it is for a rookie to make the All-Star game: it hasn't happened since Tim Duncan made it in 1998 (not even LeBron made the cut). But Blake has been too much of a revelation to ignore. He is a human highlight reel and has made the eternally decrepit Clippers relevant in the crowded Los Angeles sports scene. And since the game itself is being played in Los Angeles, this would be the perfect coronation for a kid who is quickly becoming something of a hometown hero. He's averaging 21.5 points and 12.5 boards a game, so he's more than just flash. There is serious substance behind his high-wire act, best demonstrated by his current run of 20 straight double-doubles during which his Clips are a respectable (read: Un-Clippers like) 9-11. Who knows what he's capable of in the future, but the whole country needs to be put on notice now. And the NBA doesn't even have to buy him a plane ticket! It makes TOO much sense.
For your viewing pleasure, some of Blake's best dunks of the year. It's like porn, but way better.
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