Monroe: Even Star Players Need Some Help

[duncan228]

Even star players need some help (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Even_star_players_need_some_help.html)
Mike Monroe - Express-News

Last week, former Seattle star Gary Payton said Minnesota power forward Al Jefferson was more deserving of a starting spot on the Western Conference All-Star team than the Spurs' Tim Duncan.

Now Payton thinks the Western Conference coaches got it wrong, too, because they left Jefferson off the roster all together when reserves were announced Thursday.

This time, he has a more valid point. Jefferson has had a better season than Lakers power forward Pau Gasol, and there's only one reason Gasol got the nod over the Timberwolves' big man: He plays for the team with the best record in the NBA. Jefferson, meanwhile, plays for a team that has won only 16 games.

Do the coaches factor in a team's record when they vote for the reserves?

“I think it's important,” Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said a couple of hours after casting his All-Star votes. “Somebody's going to score on a bad team. It just ends up being that way. Somebody's going to get opportunities.”

Of course, a great record wasn't enough to get Mo Williams a spot on the Eastern Conference team, and that is an even more glaring miscarriage of All-Star justice. LeBron James is the front-runner for this season's Most Valuable Player award, but he isn't winning games for Cleveland by himself.

Putting Williams on the team instead of Orlando's Jameer Nelson would have given the Cavs, Magic and Celtics two players apiece. As it is, the Magic have three All-Stars, which may make some of us reconsider our belief that Stan Van Gundy is the top candidate for Coach of the Year.

[m33p0]

Al Jefferson>David West

[Bob Lanier]

Here I am, a web forum user writing about what another web forum user writes about what newspaperman writes about what TV talking head says about actual basketball player.

Never, I think, was my avatar more apt.

[Bob Lanier]

But I'd definitely say it's debatable whether Jefferson or Gasol has had the better season.

Jefferson scores 5 more points a game, but takes 7 more shots - and he gets to the free throw line less. Gasol is astronomically more efficient by any measure. They're comparable rebounders, with Gasol having a slight edge on the offensive glass. Gasol's nearly twice as good a passer.

The only undeniable edges Jefferson has are in shotblocking (though they're about equally good defenders overall, and Gasol's having an unusually bad year in that statistic) and in turnovers.

And Jefferson certainly isn't doing much in the intangibles department.

[HarlemHeat37]

well you also have to consider that Gasol is playing with the best player in the NBA, who certainly gets most of the attention on the Lakers..you also have to factor in worrying about Bynum, Odom, and the rest of the Lakers..

it's different than Al, who has no consistent form of a supporting cast..

I personally think Gasol is the better player, particularly due to size/defense, which is directly related when it comes to Pau..but Jefferson will be better, probably as soon as next year..

[024]

gasol > jefferson > west

would hornets trade west for jefferson? hell yeah.

[mystargtr34]

Yea i agree.

Gasol > Jefferson > West

Theres not much between Gasol and Al though.

[1Parker1]

I'm shocked about David West making it...:wow

[j-money24]

David West was NOT deserving...
the coaches did make some mistakes though.
MO williams got snubbed forsure and Al got snubbed ... i also dont think lewis shouldn't have made it, i would rather see nelson and howard from the magic, but 3 players is too much from this magic team...

[ClingingMars]

Here I am, a web forum user writing about what another web forum user writes about what newspaperman writes about what TV talking head says about actual basketball player.

Never, I think, was my avatar more apt.

:lmao

he really made the grade.

[sook]

Al Jefferson>David West

that is so blatant it isn't even funny

[sook]

David West was NOT deserving...
the coaches did make some mistakes though.
MO williams got snubbed forsure and Al got snubbed ... i also dont think lewis shouldn't have made it, i would rather see nelson and howard from the magic, but 3 players is too much from this magic team...

IMO


Jeferson should have been there in place of west , and Mo was WAY more deserving than AI this yr, yes AI.