All-Star Ballots are out.

[HurricaneDij39]

Reggie Jackson
Dwyane Wade
LeBron James
Paul George
Andre Drummond

Russell Westbrook
Brandon Knight
Kwahi Leonard
Kevin Durant
Tim Duncan

Knight and Duncan aren't going to get in, but I still voted for them to give them notoriety for their efforts. Duncan especially for seamlessly sacrificing his role and for playing at the level he is on the cusp of his 40th birthday.

Also want to give a shoutout to Westbrook who I believe is playing the best ball of his career this year but is so overshadowed by Steph Curry...

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Coaches do have a say on the rest of the roster. The all-star game is for the fans. If the fans want to see Kobe one last time, they'll vote him in, if not, they won't. No point in worrying about who made it, who didn't and who got screwed.

Even with a coaches vote, there would be controversy because some positions are so deep that there's no way to include everyone who's having an all-star caliber season.

Coaches, and probably most of the players, would rather not have it at all. Fans care a lot more about it than they do. If the NBA did like MLB and made the all-star game actually count for something, then maybe you take the fan vote away, but not when it's completely meaningless.

Raise the stakes and make it for home court in the finals. The tanking level in these games has gotten out of hand. Besides, home court in the finals doesn't have the same meaning it used to now that it's back to the 2-2-1-1-1 format.

 

[trojanfan12]

Raise the stakes and make it for home court in the finals. The tanking level in these games has gotten out of hand. Besides, home court in the finals doesn't have the same meaning it used to now that it's back to the 2-2-1-1-1 format.

Imo, the problem with that is that is would essentially render having the best regular season record meaningless.

While I do tend to agree that the 2-2-1-1-1 format removes some of the home court advantage, it doesn't remove it entirely. Plus, from a fan perspective, I'd rather have 4 games to attend than just 3.

One of the best things about the NBA All-Star game, imo, is that it is the one all-star game that is truly for the fans. Unless the league is willing to say that it's no longer about the fans, it should be left alone.

I get that having someone like Kobe voted to the all-star game will mean that someone who is more deserving will be sitting home, but the fans want to see him in one last all-star game. Maybe the league should add 1 more spot to each roster for "lifetime achievement." Essentially a spot for great players at the end of their careers that the fans want to see one more time, but doesn't take a spot away from a more deserving player.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

One of the best things about the NBA All-Star game, imo, is that it is the one all-star game that is truly for the fans. Unless the league is willing to say that it's no longer about the fans, it should be left alone.

I get that having someone like Kobe voted to the all-star game will mean that someone who is more deserving will be sitting home, but the fans want to see him in one last all-star game. Maybe the league should add 1 more spot to each roster for "lifetime achievement." Essentially a spot for great players at the end of their careers that the fans want to see one more time, but doesn't take a spot away from a more deserving player.

I'm a fan, so does my opinion count? I'd rather see real basketball as opposed to the less-than half-hearted efforts these guys consistently put forth in these games.

But no, essentially the only opinions that matter are the dumb teenagers that follow the game today and cast multiple votes of players based on name recognition.

Kyrie Irving, for example, is a recognizable name simply because of his association with LeBron, and even before LeBron came home.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

As I've said in the other thread, there was never any tanking in the NBA when Jordan was around (at least when he was with the Bulls)...

 

[trojanfan12]

But no, essentially the only opinions that matter are the dumb teenagers that follow the game today and cast multiple votes of players based on name recognition.

Agree with this. There should be a way to limit the number of votes one fan can make. Being able to vote an unlimited number of times makes no sense.

 

[lakersrule]

Why raise the stakes of an exhibition game? The All-Star has always been what it is. 3 quarters or so of matador defense followed by a quarter or so of actually trying to win. The fate of the finals should not be determined by an exhibition game, especially when there are players on each side that have no chance of making the finals. I think baseball is doing it wrong.

 

[trojanfan12]

Why raise the stakes of an exhibition game? The All-Star has always been what it is. 3 quarters or so of matador defense followed by a quarter or so of actually trying to win. The fate of the finals should not be determined by an exhibition game, especially when there are players on each side that have no chance of making the finals. I think baseball is doing it wrong.

I do get Hurricane's point about wanting to see real basketball. Personally though, I like the way it currently is done. I like seeing the players spend 3 quarters making some pretty awesome plays, etc. and showcasing their talent, followed by getting down to some real basketball in the 4th quarter when they start trying to win. It makes for a fun balance, imo.

 

[lakersrule]

I do get Hurricane's point about wanting to see real basketball. Personally though, I like the way it currently is done. I like seeing the players spend 3 quarters making some pretty awesome plays, etc. and showcasing their talent, followed by getting down to some real basketball in the 4th quarter when they start trying to win. It makes for a fun balance, imo.

Each team plays 82 regular season games. There is plenty of opportunity to see real basketball. The All-Star game and weekend festivities are supposed to be fun exhibitions of these skilled athletes.

 

[trojanfan12]

Each team plays 82 regular season games. There is plenty of opportunity to see real basketball. The All-Star game and weekend festivities are supposed to be fun exhibitions of these skilled athletes.

I agree. But I do see Hurricane's point. These are the best players in the league. Watching them play real basketball for a whole game would be pretty good.

But, as you say, the NBA All-Star game is set up as a fun atmosphere for the fans and imo, it's the best of the major sports all star games. It's actually the only one that I make it a point to watch. The fact that we get to see them turn up the intensity in the 4th quarter of these games is a bonus.

 

[CitySushi]

My Updated Allstar Power Rankings:

West:
Curry
Westbrook
Durant
Leonard
Griffin

Green
Duncan
Davis
Thompson
Lillard
Paul
Harden/Favors/Rondo/Knight/Gasol


East:
Wall
Butler
James
George
Drummond

Lowry
Thomas
Millsap
Anthony
Bosh
Love
DeRozan/Batum/Jackson/Lopez/Vucevic

 

[ChrisGar15]

As I've said in the other thread, there was never any tanking in the NBA when Jordan was around (at least when he was with the Bulls)...

Odd comment. I remember quite a few teams that tanked at the end of the season during the Jordan era. The lottery was created because of tanking ... highlighted by the 1984 (think I have the draft right) where Bowie, Jordan, Hakeem were coming out.

Checking articles on the WWW -- there is one "the Top 10 Tank Jobs in NBA History" -- 4 out of the top 10 were in the Jordan era. (including 2 teams tanking the same year trying to get Tim Duncan) Another one was the "tanking for Derrick Coleman" year.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

You do understand what the term "fan vote" means, right?

You're expecting to much out of the local residents again - Just saying

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I do get Hurricane's point about wanting to see real basketball. Personally though, I like the way it currently is done. I like seeing the players spend 3 quarters making some pretty awesome plays, etc. and showcasing their talent, followed by getting down to some real basketball in the 4th quarter when they start trying to win. It makes for a fun balance, imo.

It's really a game that counts for nothing any way, so I see no reason to change it. If it actually counted for something, then may be

 

[wildturkey]

Close enough to finally make my picks:

East: Wall, Lowry, DeRozan, Butler, Lebron, George, Melo, Millsap, Bosh, Drummond, Wade, Love

Just missed out: Whiteside, Jackson, Thomas, and Walker

And I left out Irving because he hasn't played enough games. He'll likely get voted in but he doesn't deserve it imo. You gotta play at least half the season.

West: Curry, Kobe, Westbrook,Thompson, Durant, Green, Leonard,Griffin, Cousins, Davis, Harden,Lillard

Just missed out: Paul, Redick, Aldridge, McCollum

Kobe is getting in a legacy vote, which is earned I guess but it still sucks because there's so many other guards in the West that also deserve it.

And I know there's no way he'll get it but JJ Redick deserves some kind of recognition for his play this year. He's having a career year, his shootings numbers are insane, and he's pretty much keeping the Clippers offense alive. Without his shooting, every bit of their spacing collapses and there's no room anyone else to do anything. Take him out and they lose a lot more games than what they are.

 

[CitySushi]

Starters for the West:
Curry
Westbrook
Kobe
Durant
Leonard

Starters for the East:
Lowry
Wade
Lebron
George
Anthony

 

[CitySushi]

Dray and Butler snubbed for starters but locks for reserves.

 

[ManuForever]

Looks like the West is playing small ball lol. Zaza got more votes than Draymond...what's up with that?

 

[ManuForever]

Dray and Butler snubbed for starters but locks for reserves.

Spurs fans went NUTS with voting the last few days. I'm happy to see it paid off.

 

[The Derski]

Devin Booker for the three point contest