All-star reserves announced. (No Hedo)

[mattyBoi]

Hedo Turkoglu
In what was supposed to be the season he became redundant (thanks to the arrival of Rashard Lewis), Turkoglu instead became resplendent. He freaks out defenses by being a tremedous shooter and slashing with grace. But most importantly, he is the best Magic player at getting the ball to Dwight Howard in a position where he can use it. He's also a go-to guy in the clutch. I'd take him over Hamilton, Kidd, gimpy Wade, and right there with Jamison and Johnson.

Thats a guy from espn...Have to say i agree

[N4U|Redux]

Thats a guy from espn...Have to say i agree

Not that I don't believe you, but link?

P.S. What does being a writer from ESPN mean? Are they the most superior minds in basketball?

[mattyBoi]

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-2 ... Snub-.html

Nope it doesnt and i never said that...but i knew someone would say that because of my wording.

*this is some guy from espn*

[drsd]

washington has 2 all-stars and orlando 1, this is just bs...

The Magic have a team. The Wizards have two stars. I choose the first.

[MJallday59]

From Hollingers chat transcript:


Melody (LA): Hedo Turkoglu has to be an all-star, even if it means Jamison gets left out! If any team besides boston deserves two all-stars, isn't Orlando the easy pick? A la - better record???

John Hollinger: If you look back at every lame All-Star pick from the past decade, it was when coaches went for the second-best player on a team with a winning record to "reward" them for their start (Woo-hoo. I'm sure the coaching staff and the other 11 players were thrilled). Then we look back a year later and go "wait, Mehmet Okur made the All-Star team?" Turkoglu had a nice year so far, but he hasn't been one of the 12 best in the East.

[whocares]

1. suckers for statistics.
2. if anything, close calls should be evaluated with head to head matchups in perspective.
3. for instance, hedo dominated pierce in the second half of the last game; both offensively and defensively.
4. it is, of course, blasphemy to suggest that hedo is on par with the likes of pierce.
5. it was obvious that hedo was not going to be selected when they announced that he had been selected the player of the week.
6. all that said, hedo's game is not flashy and it is not suitable for an all-star game.
7. all-star game is not about the concept of basketball.
8. it is a show based on basketball.
9. unfortunately, all-star as an adjective means more than it should.
10. it would be much better if the name was changed to "all-show stars".

[tranjSAIC]

I have no problem with Jasmison making it, I think my problem is with the NBA. Because they need 3 guards and 4 forwards, it didn't come down to the 7 best players. It came down to the 7 best players as long as they fit into the categories. I'm glad the NBA finally got smart and eliminated the need to have a backup center, now they need to have no categories at all.

If that was the case, it wouldn't have been Hedo vs Jamison, it would have been Hedo vs JJ for the last spot. I think Hedo would have won it in that case, JJ made the team because the east guards sucks so bad this year.

[tranjSAIC]

-= original quote snipped =-



The Pistons had 4 of their 5 starters make the allstar team a couple years ago.

But they also were a dominate team, they were on the verge of being THE best team ever. The Nugz are good but they aren't elite enough to be considered for that many allstars.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

Why does a part of me hope Jamison or Johnson get injured before the All-Star game...

[Donkey McDonkerton]

I truly hope Jamison breaks his ankle. Hedo desreves this so much more than he does. we have like a three game lead on them, lead the division, and still only one all star. thats it the Media hates the Magic.

You're horrible, it's a freaking all star game.

Jamison is averaging a double double...

[Optimus_Steel]

This might not be a bad thing, it could motivate Hedo to work even harder in the offseason so that he gets better. But it sucks that a player from a team with a losing record makes it over Hedo who's team is 11 games over .500.

[EasternMagic]

im kinda suprised that foyle didnt make it, one center on the east team? foyle got foyled

dwight got lucky he somehow took the starting spot from foyle

[gizzardsfan]

Wizards fan here (that should get your attention, right?). I'm not here to troll. I recognize that Hedo is having a great season and it's a shame if there is indeed a limit on who is eligible to win the Most Improved award, because he'd be a very strong candidate.

But I checked around, and I'm curious if anyone is willing to make an argument that Hedo is having a better season than Jamison (who seems to be the target of a certain amount of animosity around these parts). On a statistical basis, it's hard.

I know there are X-factors, and you guys mention that Orlando has a three-game lead on Washington. The Wizards have played almost the entire season without their All-NBA point guard. I believe (as do most of us Wizards fans) that it's a credit to both Butler and Jamison that we're only three games back without the aforementioned All-NBA point guard in the line-up. I think the X-factors are a wash, at best.

I know that, in the past, All-Star spots have been awarded more frequently to first-place teams, but aside from that, is anyone willing to argue that Hedo is more deserving? If not, that's fine. I won't camp butt into your threads anymore.

[j-ragg]

Hedo is not having a better year.

The only argument you can make is that the Magic have a better record, but it's not like the Wizards are some bottom feeder.

Jamison deserved it more.

Joe Johnson however... that's the pick I don't agree with.

But I'm glad Hedo got recognition, that's all we were basically asking for a while ago. If you said before the season that this would be happening, we would all be pretty damn happy.

[whocares]

1. put it this way.
2. how many gm's would be willing to be in charge of the magic and would swap hedo with jamison straight up?
3. not many is what many feel around here.

[j-ragg]

That's a stupid way to look at it.

No GM's would trade Horford for Hedo either, but Hedo is having a better year.

[Typhoon20]

It was either Jamison or Hedo, statistically on the same level, but the Wizards record without Arenas I guess put Jamison in front of Hedo.

Jamison deserves it, but if they had picked Hedo in front of Jamison, my opinion would have been the same.

[whocares]

1. one with a certain quality cannot be faulted for seeing that quality everywhere.
2. jamison and hedo are similar players with a slight difference in their respective outside/inside game ratios.
3. this horford "kid" that was mentioned is listed as center/forward.

[Just Plain Mark]

Wizards fan here (that should get your attention, right?). I'm not here to troll. I recognize that Hedo is having a great season and it's a shame if there is indeed a limit on who is eligible to win the Most Improved award, because he'd be a very strong candidate.

But I checked around, and I'm curious if anyone is willing to make an argument that Hedo is having a better season than Jamison (who seems to be the target of a certain amount of animosity around these parts). On a statistical basis, it's hard.

I know there are X-factors, and you guys mention that Orlando has a three-game lead on Washington. The Wizards have played almost the entire season without their All-NBA point guard. I believe (as do most of us Wizards fans) that it's a credit to both Butler and Jamison that we're only three games back without the aforementioned All-NBA point guard in the line-up. I think the X-factors are a wash, at best.

I know that, in the past, All-Star spots have been awarded more frequently to first-place teams, but aside from that, is anyone willing to argue that Hedo is more deserving? If not, that's fine. I won't camp butt into your threads anymore.

I would argue Hedo's more deserving based precisely on the 3 game lead the Magic have and Hedo's direct role in getting the wins that contribute to that lead. So I don't think the X factors are a "wash". Not only has Hedo hit at least 2 game winning shots, but he has the 3rd most 4th quarter points in the NBA (behind only Kobe and Lebron).

Also, if its a credit to Butler and Jamison that the Wiz are doing relatively well with Arenas, then it can't also be a discredit to them that Arenas is out. If Arenas was in, he'd get more credit, and the Wiz may or may not have a better record.

Third, I'd say Butler deserves more credit for Washington's record right now, he's playing fantastic. So my conclusion is that Hedo is more deserving because: 1) Hedo's role in Orlando's wins is greater on than Jamison's contributions to Wash's wins (so even if ORL and WASH had the same record, Hedo's production is better); and 2) Orlando has more wins thus Hedo's contribution has been even greater.

[gizzardsfan]

It was either Jamison or Hedo, statistically on the same level, but the Wizards record without Arenas I guess put Jamison in front of Hedo.

They're close, but Jamison has an edge. He's averaging 21 points 10 rebounds. Hedo's production is well shy of that, isn't it? (It's 19 and 6, plus 4 assists. Jamison averages 2 assists.)

So my conclusion is that Hedo is more deserving because: 1) Hedo's role in Orlando's wins is greater on than Jamison's contributions to Wash's wins (so even if ORL and WASH had the same record, Hedo's production is better); and 2) Orlando has more wins thus Hedo's contribution has been even greater.

Your first bolded statement there is problematic. See above. But,

1. I can't see this conclusion. The Magic have two other legitimate scoring options (Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard). The Wizards only have one (Caron Butler). Jamison gets more defensive attention and has to produce more of the offense.

2. I guess I should express my view that a 3 game lead is not that significant. It's actually 3.5 games at the moment, but the Magic have also played 3 more games than the Wizards. In the last 30 games or so, the Wizards have a better record than the magic.

What I want to ask you, here, is this: If your best player got injured (Dwight Howard for you, Gilbert Arenas for me) in week two, would Hedo be having such a good season? Or would he get more defensive pressure and shoot lower percentages? Would this translate to fewer wins for the Magic?

The Wizards lost their best player, and yet they are still on the heels of you guys for 1st place in the Southeast. Why? Because Jamison and Butler have stepped up their game to compensate, which isn't easy to do.