February 26, 2012 basketball’s biggest celebration is going to take place in Orlando, FL. It has been 20 years since Orlando hosted the NBA all-star game. That game was the first all-star game that I have ever watched and I consider it as one of the best I have ever seen. Magic Johnson said goodbye at that game with a special last performance. 1992’s all-star game was not a competitive game – West dominated East – but it was a game full of highlights and memorable moments. The rosters of the two teams contained a number of hall-of-famers such as MJ, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Isaiah Thomas, Clyde Drexler, Karl Malone and John Stockton.
Today, 20 years after that memorable all-star, I would like to present my view about the players that should take part in this all-star game. The starting line-ups of the two teams, based on their votes are:
West: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, and Andrew Bynum.
East: Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard.
I agree, in general, with the choices for West’s starting five but if I could make a change then I would change Blake Griffin for Kevin Love. I believe that Griffin plays great (21.3ppg., 11.2rpg.) and is the right man for an all-star game because of his impressive and high-flying game, but Love has been exceptionally good at this first part of the season. Love is fourth in the league in points per game with 24.9, second in rebounds per game with 13.8 and he is also second, only to LeBron, in win shares with 3.8. He is the best player of a really good Wolves’ team that under the coaching of Rick Adelman is heading for the play-offs after many years.
On the other hand, I believe that Anthony has a season (23.6ppg., 6.9rpg., 4.3apg.), until now, that is far below his abilities and does not help his team win games. Anthony’s performances do not guarantee him a place in the starting five of East but his talent, past performances and huge fan base make him a definite starter. Chris Bosh has been really good (21.2ppg., 7.8rpg.) and won games for the Heat all by himself (2.8 win shares). I argue that Miami’s big-three should be starting for the East. Anthony should participate as a substitute but he has to perform like he used to do when in Denver to earn a place in the starting five. In my view Anthony’s bad temper and performances are partly a result of Mike D’Antoni’s coaching. I do not see this Knicks going anywhere with D’Antoni at the helm of the team, but this is the subject of a future post.
Russell Westbrook, Kyle Lowry and James Harden are in my view the substitutions of the Western guards. Westbrook ranks twelfth overall in points+rebounds+assists per game category with 31.4 (20.8ppg., 4.7rpg., 5.8apg.). Lowry has a surprising consistent all-around season and plays as the true leader of a mediocre Rockets’ team. He averages 15.5ppg., 6.8rpg. and 8.5apg. Harden is the third member of Thunder’s big-three even though he comes from the bench. He is easily the best sixth-player of the season (16.9ppg., 4.1rpg., 3.2apg.) and is solely responsible for 3.3 wins (3rd overall, 1st in his team) of Oklahoma City, according to the win-shares statistic of Basketball-Reference.com. If I had to choose a sub for the West’s guard-subs that would be Monta Ellis who is once again playing great (21.4ppg., 7.1 apg.) in a bad Warriors’ team.
I argue that Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson should be named as subs for the guards of East. Rondo is the future of the Celtics, if he stays there, and their best player right now. In fact he is the only Celtic that plays, when is not injured, at an all-star level (15ppg., 5.1rpg., 9.4apg.). Williams does not play at his highest level and that is merely a result of the Nets’ supporting cast. Even in a mediocre season Williams is an all-star guard carrying his team, at points, almost by himself (19.4ppg., 3.6rpg., 8.6apg.). Johnson is one more year Hawks’ most consistent player. He averages 19.1ppg., 3.8rpg. and 3.8apg. that makes him the second two-guard in the East, behind Wade. As a sub for the Eastern sub-guards I pick Brandon Jennings, who is leading a good Bucks’ team with 20.4ppg. and 5.4apg.
LeMarcus Aldridge and Rudy Gay are the two forwards that with Blake Griffin complete the subs of the Western forwards. Aldridge is having another great season (22.5ppg., 8.9rpg.) and should definitely be an all-star. Gay plays as a real leader for the first time in his career. He does not have the best numbers (18.7ppg. 6.2rpg.) of his career but is leading a Randolph-less Grizzles to the play-offs. A sub for the subs of West’s forwards would be the Italian small forward Danilo Gallinari, who is so good this year (17.9ppg., 5.2apg.) that makes Knicks’ officials reconsidering last years deal that sent him and a number of players to Denver for Carmelo Anthony. Nuggets are playing really good in general and the impact of George Karl’s coaching is obvious. I am really curious to see to what degree they can improve once their trio (J.R. Smith, Wilson Candler and Kenyon Martin) return from China.
Andre Iguodala, Josh Smith and Carmelo Anthony are my choices for the subs of the Eastern forwards. Iguodala is the man that is doing a little bit of everything (12.9ppg., 6.2rpg., 4.7apg.) for the promising 76ers. Josh Smith’s performances are finally at an all-star level. He is the best Hawk this season and in combination with the bad seasons that players like Amar’e Stoudemire and Carlos Boozer have, make him the best choice in the power forward position for the East’s bench. Raptors’ Italian power forward/center Andrea Bargnani is having a great season (23.5ppg., 6.4rpg.) and is the player that I would consider as a sub for the subs of Eastern forwards.
As a substitution for the center position I choose Marc Gasol and Tyson Chandler for West and East, respectively. Pau Gasol’s younger brother is having a breakthrough season, averaging double-double in points and rebounds per game (14.9ppg., 10.3rpg.). He is also fifth overall in blocks per game with 2.2. Chandler on the other hand has been the best Knick until now. He averages 10.5ppg., 10.2rpg. and has a 3.3 wins-share, which is fourth best in the league. Al Jefferson and Roy Hibbert are my choices for subs of the subs in the center position for West and East, respectively. Jefferson (18.3ppg., 9.2rpg.) is alongside Paul Milsap the best players of the surprisingly good Jazz and Hibbert continued improving his game to average 14.2ppg. and 9.8rpg.
To sum up NBA Philosophy blog proposes the following all-star teams:
West All-Stars 2012:
Starting-5: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, and Andrew Bynum.
Bench: Russell Westbrook, Kyle Lowry, James Harden, LeMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Gay, Blake Griffin, and Marc Gasol.
Extra Subs: Monta Ellis, Danilo Gallinari, and Al Jefferson.
East All-Stars 2012:
Starting-5: Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwight Howard.
Bench: Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Carmelo Anthony, Andre Iguodala, Joe Smith, and Tyson Chandler.
Extra Subs: Brandon Jennings, Andrea Bargnani, and Roy Hibbert.
NBA All Time 