Who didn't deserve to be snubbed?

[campybatman]

I say, you can make a case for anyone of this list.

Others worth mentioning... Andre Iguodala, Jose Calderon, Antawn Jamison, Troy Murphy, David Lee, Hedo Turkoglu, Marcus Camby, Caron Butler and Emeka Okafor.

A few of the players are injured.

[threrf23]

I think its Big Al hands down.

[Zin5]

I think its Big Al hands down.

Yup. I mean, it sucks for Ray, but at least he had Joe Johnson ahead of him, not David West.

[campybatman]

About West, without Paul, he's probably an average player. It isn't like when you'd Stockton and Malone who could be Hall Of Fame players without the other. Stockton likely benefited more from having Malone as a primary recipient of his passes. On the the other hand, you've to wonder how much does playing with Paul benefit West's statistics and now being named an All-Star two years in a row.

My vote would be for Deron Williams. Up until a few weeks ago, I'd no idea that he has never been an All-Star. I thought he'd been named one last season. Isn't he the second best point guard in the league or the point guard you would start a team with other than Paul? Strange.

Funny how the publicity stunt worked for Bosh before and recently for Roy but it didn't work for Jefferson.

Enter the team's public relations department, which has mounted a campaign to get the Wolves' star center selected to the NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 15 in Phoenix.

The Wolves on Wednesday sent an overnight package to each of the other 14 Western Conference coaches who will vote on reserves for the game.

Included in "Big Al's Road Trip'' is a foldout map featuring some of his notable performances and a head-to-head comparison with four Western Conference centers: Houston's Yao Ming, Phoenix's Shaquille O'Neal, Golden State's Andris Biedrins and the Los Angeles Lakers' Andrew Bynum.

Last but not least, each coach received a GPS device with a highlight video of Jefferson, who said he's grateful for the help.

"It means a lot," he said. "Hopefully, it will convince these coaches to get me in."

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_11533097?source=rss

[MaxwellSmart]

I think all this constant "Campaigning" and talking about who should be an All-Star---turns the voters(coaches) off....All we been hearing since Dec is how Rondo and/or Ray Allen should be an All-Star...Minny trying hard to persuade people to get Big Al in didn't help much....I think it has the opposite effect.....The teams and players should just shut up and let the chips fall where they will--this All-Star crap is really overblown for an exhibition game.

[Jammer]

I think that you should have had separate polls for the Eastern and Western conferences.

[sunshinekids99]

Al hands down. If anybody thinks David West is having a better season or is a better player than Al Jefferson is quite frankly a fool.

I also have an issue of Jameer Nelson over Ray Allen.

[BadWolf]

Durant, he's playing at superstar level lately

[Tricky Ricky]

Big Al his team has been playing great latly to unlike Durant and Biedrins who I also think deserved it.

[Zin5]

About West, without Paul, he's probably an average player. It isn't like when you'd Stockton and Malone who could be Hall Of Fame players without the other. Stockton likely benefited more from having Malone as a primary recipient of his passes. On the the other hand, you've to wonder how much does playing with Paul benefit West's statistics and now being named an All-Star two years in a row.

My vote would be for Deron Williams. Up until a few weeks ago, I'd no idea that he has never been an All-Star. I thought he'd been named one last season. Isn't he the second best point guard in the league or the point guard you would start a team with other than Paul? Strange.

Completely agree on West. I'm really not a fan of his at all and he has no place in the all star game. I thought it was alright that he made it last year, since the game was in New Orleans, but he really didn't deserve to go back. Big Al was clearly more deserving.

D Will's been hurt and hasn't put up the numbers he did last year. He's still a great point guard, but I don't think you can argue him ahead of Billups and maybe not Parker. He was definitely snubbed last year and should have had at least one appearance though. Hopefully next year for him.

[sully00]

I cannot understand how Carmelo Anthony, with better numbers, doesn't go ahead of West, at least in with Al his team is garbage.

Jameer Nelson has better numbers than Ray Allen, it isn't that hard to see. He is also the difference maker on his team. Devon Harris is another story but his team would probably not have won 10 games without him.

[Tricky Ricky]

I cannot understand how Carmelo Anthony, with better numbers, doesn't go ahead of West, at least in with Al his team is garbage.

Jameer Nelson has better numbers than Ray Allen, it isn't that hard to see. He is also the difference maker on his team. Devon Harris is another story but his team would probably not have won 10 games without him.

Agreed, I love Ray but those two guys deserved it more imo.

[threrf23]

I don't mean to slight Ray, but his numbers aren't special outside of his shooting/scoring. While overall impressive, there is an inherent expectation that his %s should be high playing alongside PP & KG and an improving Rondo. With other options in the East and the fact that the C's are already well represented with KG & PP, I don't at all mind that Ray was snubbed. Jameer Nelson is the beneficiary of a solid team offense and I'm not sure if I agree with him, but the Magic have clearly outperformed my expectations and there must be a reason for that.

Big Al meanwhile would be posting better numbers with better teammates, has been pretty solid at both ends of the floor as far as I am aware, is turning the ball over less often than Ray Allen (acc to basketball-reference.com), and Minny has nothing resembling an all star presence without him. He undoubtedly should have been named an All Star.

I am guessing Carmelo might have been named if he wasn't experiencing current injury issues.

[campybatman]

I wonder if the NBA preferred to see Durant featured in the Rookies versus Sophomores games.

I wonder how the voting system works for each conference's collection of head coaches when choosing the reserves. Because I'm still baffled by the choices of Nelson and Lewis. Did they get in by a landslide of votes? I wonder which players Rivers voted for. I'd read that he didn't talk up his players to other head coaches this season. I guess everyone wanted to see some new faces playing as oppose to actually voting on those who'd deserved to go like Ray Allen or Millsap.

[TheOGJabroni]

Well I don't understand how Ray doesn't make it this year since he made it last year and is playing much better now IMO.

And out west Jefferson/Durant both deserved it.

[campybatman]

Technically, Ray didn't make it. He was an injury replacement for Butler. But he or House should at least get invited to participate in the three-point shootout. While Rondo could be invited to participate in the skills competition.

[TheOGJabroni]

That's right I forgot about that.

I'd love to see both of those situations too but I believe they both had vacation plans if the ASG didn't work out so they can't be too upset, and maybe it's better for especially Ray, to just get some rest?

When are those two events' participants announced anyway?

[campybatman]

I don't know the answer to that but I'm going to guess that they'll announce them this coming week.

Kapono will be defending his three-point shootout title while I assume that Deron Williams will be open to defending his skills competition title, if asked.

[return2glory]

Al Jefferson and Kevin Durant should have made it.

[Bigmiketruth]

Rondo didn't deserve his snub from the skills competition (rose, nelson, harris & parker)