So we’re into the final stretch heading into the NBA All-Star Weekend. Every year, NBA fans the world over debate about the starting lineup and bring the whole “fan voting” system into question. Now you can’t really blame the fans for voting with their hearts and bringing the likes of Kobe Bryant or Carmelo Anthony into the starting squads. I mean as a Golden State fan, I had voted for the entire Warriors starting lineup. The thing is when the reserves are selected, these guys are brought in by the people in the know, the NBA coaches. The only thing is, turns out the NBA coaches seem to be misguided as equally as the fans!
For those that aren’t in the know, your NBA All-Star squads are:
Western Conference:
Starters: Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant*, Anthony Davis, Marc Gasol and Blake Griffin.
Reserves: James Harden, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul.
Eastern Conference:
Starters: John Wall, Kyle Lowry, LeBron James, Pau Gasol and Carmelo Anthony.
Reserves: Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade*, Paul Millsap, Chris Bosh, Al Horford, Jeff Teague and Kyrie Irving.
*Not likely to participate in All-Star Weekend, which then creates a spot for yet another player.
[image src=’http://fnx.network/fnxnetwork/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/11493624014_9dd37f7f22.jpg’ width=‘500’ height=’450′ title=‘Source:Michael,Flickr’ align=’left’]Now this is far from a knock on Tim Duncan, in fact I can appreciate his game and the legacy that he will leave once it’s all said and done, but a 2015 NBA All-Star??? I think not… It’s more than clear that Timmy’s selection is nothing more than a chance for him to play in one final All-Star game and if that was through the NBA fan vote, all well and good. But the fact that the NBA coaches have overlooked Demarcus Cousins who happens to be having arguably the best season of his career, makes a complete mockery of the phrase “All-Star”. Sitting 12th in the West, the Sacramento Kings aren’t exactly ripping the conference apart as a team but the same can’t be said for Cousins. Sitting top 5 in the league for both scoring (23.8ppg) and rebounding (12.3rpg), Cousins has more than paid his dues to make the All-Star team, yet the need to reward a retrospect All-Star overshadows that apparently.
While there is an additional roster spot open due to the recent injury to Kobe Bryant, this is likely to go to another snubbed superstar in Damien Lillard. This now means that Demarcus Cousins has missed the All-Star Weekend completely (Which proved not to be the case, but even so), which got me thinking… In the grand scheme of things, is an All-Star selection all that important? Sure, you get the title of “All-Star” but if the selections are so BLATANTLY WRONG, does it mean as much?
To be selected as an All-Star is meant to be a tremendous honor and reward for your performance during the CURRENT season, but if the NBA coaches are going to begin to take the route of honoring the longevity of players, then maybe that as well as the failed NBA fan voting system is due for a complete overhaul!
Join myself, Todd Eastman and Mark Bruty (Above The Rim) as we discuss the ins and outs of the 2015 All-Star game and give our views on who will replace the injured Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade in a special 2015 NBA All-Star edition of Big Ballers Podcast.
Be sure to check out Big Ballers Podcast right here on the FNX Network as Todd, Miller, Moe, Buckets and LJ talk hoops every fortnight!
Banner Image Credit: Michael, Flickr
Story Image Credit: Michael, Flickr