Ray Allen deserved to be on the All-Star Team

Jammer · Post #1 » by **Jammer** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:52 am

If Yahoo Sports leaking of the All-Star Team reserves is correct,
then Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo didn't make the All-Star Team,
based on the coaches voting.

The thing is, Ray Allen, an 8 Time All-Star,
is probably having his best season, ever, efficiency wise.

He ranks #1 of All the Celtics in individual defense, with Tony Allen 2nd, measured by the
PER of his opponent thru 47 games.

His offensive efficiency is sick, Ray averages 1.42 points per shot,
but he only takes 12.7 shots per game for an 18.0 ppg average.
For example, on 4 more shots per game Ray would be averaging 23.68 ppg.

He rarely turns the ball over or fouls, unlike his wingmate,
Paul dribble it off the foot Pierce.

Congratulations Paul.

I just have a hard time accepting
Devin Harris or Jameer Nelson as a better player than Ray Allen.

Danny Granger, Chris Bosh, Rashard Lewis and Joe Johnson are all deserving.

The two I object to are Harris and Nelson.
I'd take Rondo over either Harris or Nelson, too.

Ray is playing the best defense of his career,
but doesn't have a reputation for being a great defender.

So, even though Ray's NET PER is 14th best in the NBA,
even coaches seem more impressed by scoring average than defense and efficiency.

Eastern Conference Players NET PER Ranking thru all 2009 All-Stars to 1/29/09
(Note: 2009 All-Stars are in Italics)

+24.9 Lebron James
+19.7 Dwayne Wade
+14.2 Dwight Howard
+11.5 Zydrunas Illgauskas
+10.8 Kevin Garnett
+09.6 Danny Granger
+09.6 Ray Allen
+08.5 Michael Redd
+08.2 Andre Iguadala
+07.9 Chris Bosh
+06.7 Devin Harris
+06.5 Ramon Sessions
+06.4 Jameer Nelson
+06.3 Rajon Rondo
+06.0 Rashard Lewis
+05.5 Paul Pierce
+05.5 Joe Johnson
a couple of dozen guys
+01.5 Allen Iverson Historically Iverson was always +5.5 to +8.5 until this year

chakdaddy · Post #2 » by **chakdaddy** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:00 am

Who selected these rosters, Gary Payton?

Granger and Bosh are the only ones you can make a case for over Ray; Harris and Johnson probably deserve it over Rondo. But Nelson should be in the back of the line behind Rondo and Mo Williams.

David West over Al Jefferson out west is another joke.

TheOGJabroni · Post #3 » by **TheOGJabroni** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:14 am

Sorry to Ray Allen. What a snub!

Fencer reregistered · Post #4 » by **Fencer reregistered** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:44 am

This time around, it's the coaches that select the All-Star reserves. Or assistant coaches, really, because head men usually delegate this responsibility to their underlings, and they almost always get something wrong. Shocking, I know, but they're the reason someone like Ray Allen makes the team in the midst of a rather average 2007-08 turn, but misses it during a fantastic and All-Star worthy run in 2008-09.

They are a strange lot, prone to rewarding the second and third-best players on good teams instead of great, All-Star-level players on losing teams. You know they spend two days preparing for ways to try to guard someone like Al Jefferson prior to a game of theirs against the Timberwolves, but when it comes time to vote ... yay, David West.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,137630

For once, Ball Don't Lie actually makes a bit of sense ...

phoolishly_insane · Post #5 » by **phoolishly_insane** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:44 am

Eddie House got snubbed too. :lol:

rambo_ortega · Post #6 » by **rambo_ortega** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:46 am

it should've been ray instead of nelson. they chose lewis already. what a snub.

Zin5 · Post #7 » by **Zin5** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:48 am

It was the first thing I looked for when I saw the reserves. I'm really starting to think that Ray may be one of the most underrated players in the league, even by his own fans (think of the number of Ray trade threads we've had). I can understand Rondo not making it, I didn't think he really deserved it. However, as far as this team is concerned, Ray deserved it even over Paul, especially considering Ray's performance at last year's ASG.

RayAllen#34 · Post #8 » by **RayAllen#34** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:03 am

Fencer reregistered wrote:This time around, it's the coaches that select the All-Star reserves. Or assistant coaches, really, because head men usually delegate this responsibility to their underlings, and they almost always get something wrong. Shocking, I know, but they're the reason someone like Ray Allen makes the team in the midst of a rather average 2007-08 turn, but misses it during a fantastic and All-Star worthy run in 2008-09.

They are a strange lot, prone to rewarding the second and third-best players on good teams instead of great, All-Star-level players on losing teams. You know they spend two days preparing for ways to try to guard someone like Al Jefferson prior to a game of theirs against the Timberwolves, but when it comes time to vote ... yay, David West.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,137630

For once, Ball Don't Lie actually makes a bit of sense ...

Ray wasn't chosen as a reserve during the 2007-08 season. He was selected as an injury replacement that year. Also, during his Sonics season where he averaged 27ppg before the all-star break, he again wasn't selected as a reserve, but was put in as an injury replacement. As an elite level athlete i do think that he's underrated. He DEFINITELY deserved to make it this season, his efficiency was unbelievable, 50%+ fg% for a guard, and a jump shooter at that.

GreenGrizz · Post #9 » by **GreenGrizz** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:20 am

NBA loves stats-builders. They would tell kids to be selfish shoot first, pass second and play little defense.

Datruth345 · Post #10 » by **Datruth345** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:34 am

i agree ray allen was a huge snub
imo he deserved it over paul pierce

we all wanted rondo, but like doc rivers said
"i understand that, he will have his time"

ryaningf · Post #11 » by **ryaningf** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:48 am

well said, Jammer. Ray deserved to be there. And Rondo is a better player than Harris or Nelson, this year or any year. But who cares about popularity contests? It's about a ring.

celticfan42487 · Post #12 » by **celticfan42487** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:56 am

Triple M · Post #13 » by **Triple M** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:35 am

Ray deserved it but I'm happy that he is going to have some time off with his family instead.

sh00n · Post #14 » by **sh00n** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:56 am

Wait. . . did OP actually say Rondo should be in the game over Devin Harris?

IEcelticfan · Post #15 » by **IEcelticfan** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 6:24 am

as much as i'd love to see ray2 and rondo make the all-star team, i'd much prefer ray2 to get the much deserved break/rest. hasnt he played the most minutes out of the big 3? it's a long season yes and he stays in excellent shape, both he & KG, but he'll appreciate it later late in the season. just too bad b/c he's been shooting pretty good the last several gms, and the time off could throw him off.

nah, he's ray2, i'm not too worried

Post #16 » by **sully00** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:32 pm

While I think Ray deserved to go you can't say he deserves to go more than either Harris or Nelson. I actually appreciate them naming guys like that because this may be their only chance. They both have better numbers than Ray.

It also probably dawned on them that with AI and D-Wade starting they may want to add someone to the roster that will want to pass it to someone else.

I love Rondo but he is the 4th best player on his team and playing the 4th best ball. He can and will be better than he is now and he will be an All Star.

I also think the fact that the league knows they can hit Ray on the cell and he will graciously accept and show up if somebody bows out plays into it. I would not be shocked if AI doesn't show up so why not let Ray's 9th time be as a replacement and not someone else's first.

PPAW4Life · Post #17 » by **PPAW4Life** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:50 pm

You guys if Fans didn't vote for KG, we'd probably only have 1 All-Star in Paul Pierce.

GreenDreamer · Post #18 » by **GreenDreamer** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:51 pm

sh00n wrote:Wait. . . did OP actually say Rondo should be in the game over Devin Harris?

Yep, because Rondo absolutely destroyed Harris over a back to back 2 games stretch. In the first game Rondo outplayed him handily. In the second he took Devin into the woodshed.Harris actually got benched by his coach it was so bad. Yet Devin is on the All-Star team because he shoots the ball a lot. Sad.

Post #19 » by **sully00** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:57 pm

GreenDreamer wrote:
sh00n wrote:Wait. . . did OP actually say Rondo should be in the game over Devin Harris?

Yep, because Rondo absolutely destroyed Harris over a back to back 2 games stretch. In the first game Rondo outplayed him handily. In the second he took Devin into the woodshed.Harris actually got benched by his coach it was so bad. Yet Devin is on the All-Star team because he shoots the ball a lot. Sad.

By that logic Aaron Brooks and Luke Ridnour should be All Stars over Rondo.

GreenDreamer · Post #20 » by **GreenDreamer** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 6:12 pm

I have to say that the issues with Harris are well deserved, but Jameer Nelson deserves to be on the squad. He's had a great season, and you guys should really check out his Hotzones on NBA.com. Absolutely insane shooting efficiency. Not to mention that he has played very good defense this season and has improved as a playmaker for his team.

Regarding the whole Opponents PER thing, I have long felt that it is a VERY overrated stat. Useful? Definitely, as it can give one an idea of how a player is defending. The thing is that how a player is tasked in a team defense has a lot to do with his Opponents PER, and if he is coming off of the bench it has a HUGE impact on it.

The team defense concept has to really be addressed. Derrick Rose has a seemingly good opponent's PER of 15.0 while Rondo has one of 14.8. Is Derreick Rose playing comparable defense to Rondo? HELL NO!!!! Even the Bulls fans think he is abominable on that end. The lower PER is the result of having to stack the defense just to protect him, as his offensive value to them is so high. That stacking comes at a cost, and it says a lot that the Bulls defense gives up 8.6 fewer points per 100 possessions with him off of the court.

Eddie House's opponent's PER is teh same as Rondo's. Is he a comparable defedner to Rondo? Absolutely not. He isn't in the same zip code defensively. Anytime you want to think otherwise, just keep in mind that when Doc kept Eddie out there with Rondo against the Kings, and Rajon had to pick up Kevin Martin, that the Kings went at Eddie with Beno Udrih instead. Eddie, Tony and any other bench player you want to name benefit from playing the second units of other teams.

Is Ray playing excellent man defense this season/ Yep, he's doing great. Is he the best defender at his position on this team? Uhh... no. He is probably the worst defensive player on our starting unit. Now that isn't an insult, as we are rolling some studs out there on that end.