All-Star Voting: Help Out Our Hawks

[JoshB914]

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: Kevin Garnett (Bos) 1,527,963; LeBron James (Clev) 1,294,019; Chris Bosh (Tor) 411,313; Paul Pierce (Bos) 352,243; Yi Jianlian (Mil) 291,447; Caron Butler (Was) 187,396; Hedo Turkoglu (Orl) 172,720; Tayshaun Prince (Det) 155,502; Josh Smith (Atl) 143,518; Rashard Lewis (Orl) 143,118.

Guards: Dwyane Wade (Mia) 1,019,582; Jason Kidd (NJ) 743,683; Ray Allen (Bos) 617,123; Vince Carter (NJ) 612,543; Gilbert Arenas (Was) 511,763; Chauncey Billups (Det) 331,872; Michael Redd (Mil) 221,777; Richard Hamilton (Det) 163,250; Joe Johnson (Atl) 149,367; Andre Iguodala (Phi) 140, 292.

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 1,260,987; Shaquille O'Neal (Mia) 609,597; Rasheed Wallace (Det) 162,792; Ben Wallace (Chi) 146,332; Andrew Bogut (Mil) 132,469; Jermaine O

[JoshB914]

Zaza has more votes than Eddy Curry. That's great. I love JJ but I see all of those guys in front of him (except Arenas) as more deserving.

Smoove behind Turkoglu, Butler and Yi (but we all knew he'd get a lot of votes) is crazy.

[High 5]

How is that crazy? Turkoglu and Bulter are both having better seasons both statistically (Turkoglu not by much) and in a basketball sense. Turkoglu hits big shot after big shot and Bulter has carried that team for the most part this season.

[JoshB914]

Statistically, yes. But Smoove is a much better player than Turkoglu all things considered. With Butler I can see the argument, but his stats are a little inflated because of Arenas' absence.

[High 5]

Smith's defense makes it tough, but there's no question Turkoglu is playing better on offense. Smith is a more talented player but he needs to play like it. Turkoglu doesn't clearly deserve it more but it's not crazy. Plus he has the foregin votes.

[D21]

+1 for Turkoglu, he could be ahead or behind Smith, but no way to say it's crazy he's ahead oh him.

Regarding Butler, yes he benefits of Arenas absence, but if the team continue to win, it means his improvement has real value... it would totally different if WAS had being losing lots of games, but that's not the case (3-5 with Arenas, then 12-10 without him).

[JoshB914]

I just think if you look at what Smoove has done this year he is more deserving. He can contribute in every facet in the game and has a great PER despite not shooting well for the early part of the year. I'm not a fan of Turkoglu, but I do see your point.

[Skyhawk1]

To be honest, I think they are exactly where they're supposed to be. I think except for Redd, all these guys deserve to be ahead of JJ. And I don't even know if there's any argument you could come up to make J. Smith be ahead of ANY of these fowards except Yi. People's voice is nothing but God's voice, that's what they say in my country. I guess it's really true.

[conleyorbust]

Joe had a rough start to the season and there are some pretty solid gaurds in the east this year. Josh has had a vastly superior year to Turk, Yi, and Prince in terms of PER if you put any stock into that. They both probably deserve more votes. In the end it doesn't really matter because Gilbert Arenas has over 200,000 more votes than the two of them combined and he hasn't done anything this year.