Ocean's 11? Nonsense -- stick with Mejia's 15 in Vegas
Never have I seen it this crowded in a conference; truthfully, most of the guys on the above list deserve a place in the All-Star showcase. The first thing that will ruffle feathers is Anthony, the NBA's leading scorer, not finding a spot among my 13. He simply missed too many games and cost his team significantly with a bonehead move.
The two forwards who should most appear on coaches' ballots will be MVP candidates Nowitzki and Boozer. That leaves strong competition among the other contenders. Howard and Marion, driving their teams to the top of the conference, deserve the spot more than Anthony or Randolph. In a close call, Howard gets the nod.
Among the guards, Nash is a no-brainer as one of the backups, and I'm of the belief that Allen, despite missing 10 games due to injury, is also worthy of a spot. He has been averaging a career-best 26.1 points per game despite being the focal point of opposing defenses with tag-team partner Rashard Lewis unavailable.
Williams, second to Nash in West assists, is my other guard choice. Although Boozer and Okur have had wonderful seasons, Williams' development has been the biggest reason the Jazz sit atop the Northwest Division. He should be recognized for that.
David Stern will choose a player to replace the injured Yao. In my scenario, that player will be Iverson -- who I believe will actually be voted in outright by West coaches. Iverson finished just behind McGrady in fan voting despite coming over from the East nearly two months into the season.
Stoudemire, because of his importance to the Suns and his impact on both ends of the floor, gets my nod as the reserve center. He's still not 100 percent but has managed to average nearly a double-double while helping his team to a pair of outrageous win streaks. That's just enough to edge out Okur and Camby, whose contributions blocking shots and on the boards merit his consideration.
Eastern Conference
Forwards: Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana; Caron Butler, Washington; Luol Deng, Chicago.
Center: Dwight Howard, Orlando.
Guards: Jason Kidd, New Jersey; Richard Hamilton, Detroit; Vince Carter, New Jersey.
Snubs: F Emeka Okafor, Charlotte; F Tayshaun Prince, Detroit; F Paul Pierce, Boston; F Antawn Jamison, Washington; C Eddy Curry, New York; C Alonzo Mourning, Miami; G Michael Redd, Milwaukee; G Ben Gordon, Chicago; G Chauncey Billups, Detroit; G Joe Johnson, Atlanta.
The East has its share of close calls, but there is more wiggle room with Pierce and Redd being left off my team because of injuries. It really is tough to overlook both, given the kinds of seasons they were enjoying before going down, but Pierce hasn't played since Dec. 20, and Redd's Jan. 5 injury is supposed to keep him out four to six weeks.
Without Pierce filling his customary role as the East's top reserve forward, Indiana's O'Neal and Washington's Butler are next up behind James and Bosh. O'Neal is averaging more than 19 and 10 and playing the best defense of his career, while Butler has elevated his game to an elite level, gaining notice even in the significant shadow of Arenas. Butler's toughness really guides the Wizards through stretches of games and is a major reason they're in the mix for the East's top record at the break.
For the same reason, Deng is an All-Star. He makes a similar impact for Chicago as Prince does for Detroit, excelling at both ends of the floor. Although many believe Gordon should be Chicago's All-Star representative, in my book it's Deng. He narrowly claims a spot over Charlotte's Okafor, who has bounced back from a disappointing sophomore season by averaging 15 points, 11 boards and three blocks. If his team had any more success, he would get the love Dwight Howard receives in Orlando.
Speaking of Howard, he's the clear choice to back up Shaq in the middle. Although still raw offensively, Howard has managed to lead the Magic in scoring (17 ppg) and has been among the NBA's rebounding leaders all season, currently pacing the East.
New York's Curry could be an All-Star next season if he continues to make strides. There's no question he's a different player now than when the season started, but I don't think his late push will be enough to merit a roster spot.
The guard spots in the East figure to be the most hotly contested, and it wouldn't shock me if there were four reserves behind Wade and Arenas. Gordon could get the nod over Deng to represent the Bulls, but I have him just missing out behind the Pistons' Hamilton, quietly enjoying his finest season, and the Nets' backcourt combination of Kidd and Carter, who have had to carry unbelievable weight during this season's attrition.
Detroit's Billups and Atlanta's Johnson are also worthy, but there simply isn't room.
