Who Should Start the 2010 NBA All-Star Game

The starters for the 2010 NBA All-Star game will be announced tonight during the TNT double-header. If you've been paying attention at all to how the fans have been voting, you'll be thrilled to know that Allen Iverson (16 games, 14.8 points, 4.5 assists, 2.3 turnovers) and Tracy McGrady (6 games, 3.2 points, 0.8 rebounds, 1 assist) were at last check in the top 2 for guards in their respective conferences, thus would be starting in the All-Star game next month in Dallas.

I think by now, all level headed sports fans realize it is an absolute joke to allow the fans to have so much pull in an All-Star game. (And if you don't, look at those AI and T-Mac numbers again). Imagine if fans voted for MVP, All-NBA, All-Pro, Hall of Fame?!? But the purpose of this blog post is not to trash the thousands of idiot fans out there, instead I want a chance to say who should start the All-Star game this year.

Eastern Conference:

Guards:

Dwyane Wade, Heat (26.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3+ stocks (if you read Bill Simmons Book of Basketball you'd know stocks are steals + blocks)).

Joe Johnson, Hawks (21.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists)

Neither guy is a true point guard, but both deserve to be starters in the All-Star Game.

Toughest omission- Rajon Rondo, Celtics

Forwards:

LeBron James, Cavs (29.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 7.8 assists)

Gerald Wallace, Bobcats (18.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, nearly 3 stocks)

Not only is Wallace putting up sick numbers, but his team is currently in 5th place in the East. Yes the Charlotte Bobcats are in 5th place in the Eastern Conference. Let that sit in.

Toughest omission = turn him into my starting Center

Center:

Chris Bosh, Raptors (24.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, leads league with 31 double-doubles)

I guess he's technically a power forward, but it's the All-Star game, another reason the ballots for the fans shouldn't exist.

Toughest omission- David Lee, Knicks, that's right and not Dwight Howard

East Starters- Wade, Johnson, James, Wallace, Bosh

Western Conference:

Guards:

Kobe Bryant, Lakers (28.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists)

Chris Paul, Hornets (19.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 11.3 assists, 2.21 steals)

Toughest omission- Deron Williams, Jazz

Forwards:

Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets (29.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists)

Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks (25.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, %FG-3-FT = 48-39-88)

Toughest omission- let's make him a Center like in the East

Center:

Zach Randolph, Grizzlies (20.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 50% FG)

Toughest omission- Tim Duncan, Spurs

West Starters- Bryant, Paul, Anthony, Nowitzki, Randolph

-Keefe

Coming soon: "Keefe's 2010 NBA All-Star Rosters"

Dallas: We Have A Problem

-Keefe




























March Madness continues on Thursday, let's take a moment to look at one of the biggest stories in the NBA. The Western Conference has been exciting all season long, with 9 teams deserving of making the playoffs. The 9th team in the West could have 50 wins. They could host a series in the East instead they will be on the couch or up in the club sooner rather than later. Just a few weeks left to play it looked as though the team with 2 starters on the West All-Stars (Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthoney), and last year's Defensive Player of the Year (Marcus Camby) would miss out on the post season. The dominant story lines focused on the big trades with stars on new teams, Pau Gasol, Shaquille O'Neal, Jason Kidd, and the incredible 22 game winning streak by the Houston Rockets. Throw the performances by Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul and you had an unbelievable year, let's get to the playoffs!

Well with 12 games left to play on the season for the Dallas Mavericks the 2006-2007 league MVP Dirk Nowitzki went down with a left leg injury. It looked nasty.

After adding Mr. Triple Double to a team that had the best record in the NBA a year ago, this team was worried about how far they could go this year, and avoid a first round upset. Now, will they make it? 44-26, more wins than every East team not named Celtics, Pistons, or Magic, and they have to sweat out the final dozen games of the year. Currently the Mavs reside in the 7th spot out West, .5 game up on the Warriors, and 2 games up on the Nuggets.


So the question remains, do the Dallas Mavericks make the playoffs?


Schedule:

LA Clippers
@ Denver
@ Golden State
@ LA Clippers
Golden State
@ LA Lakers
@ Phoenix
Seattle
Utah
@ Portland
@ Seattle
New Orleans

That's 7 out of 12 games against teams with 42+ wins, and they have to do this without Dirk. Does Jason Kidd have enough left in the tank? Looks like a brutal stretch of games there, GS probably passes them for 7th, but now can Denver do enough to steal the last spot away from Dallas? Something to keep an eye on as you await the Sweet 16. Hope your bracket is doing better than mine. Chances are... it is.