Yao Or Duncan: Who Starts At Center?

[duncan228]

http://www.hoopsvibe.com/nba-blog/yao-ming-or-tim-duncan-who-starts-at-center-for-western-conference-at-all-star-game-ar46243.html

Yao Ming Or Tim Duncan: Who Starts At Center For Western Conference At All-Star Game?

Picking between Yao Ming and Tim Duncan is like splitting hairs. You can’t go wrong with either player because they’re both brilliant.

After all, Yao excels in the low block and as a global ambassador for the NBA. And Duncan is the game’s greatest power forward, sporting more championship ice than a rapper fresh off a trip to Jacob the Jeweler.

But fans will soon have to pick between these players because Duncan is listed as a center on the NBA’s 2007-08 All-Star ballot. Fans, of course, vote for the All-Star game’s starting line-ups. The coaches vote for the reserves.

This means Timmy D, who started the past nine midseason classics at forward, will go head-to-head with Yao’s international fan club. The Rockets’ center typically receives millions of Chinese votes, so Duncan will likely come off the bench.

Fans can’t go wrong with who they vote-in as the starter, but their choice will inflame old complaints about the selection process.

On the one hand, Duncan is coming off his fourth NBA Title in nine years and dominates both ends of the floor. On the other hand, the All-Star game is for the fans and they want Yao.

So who should start? Well, you to decide. Below is the case for Yao and Duncan to suit up as the west’s starting center at the All-Star game. Read the post, make a decision, and hit us up with your vote in the comment box below.

The Case For Yao To Start:

Plain and simple, the All-Star game is about pleasing fans. And the fans want Yao.

Yao is posting massive numbers and his Rockets are contenders. It’s not like Adonal Foyle, Scott Pollard, or Jerome James is getting voted in ahead of Duncan.

The NBA is a global entity. And the league sees Asia as a lucrative, untapped market. The suits at head office want Yao to start, so millions of Chinese viewers will watch on television.

The Case For Duncan To Start:

Duncan is probably the NBA’s best player. Kobe is the most individually talented, LeBron James is the future, but Duncan is a straight-up, team-first winner. He should be recognized for his accomplishments by starting at the All-Star game.

Duncan is also posting massive numbers and his Spurs sit near the top of the Western Conference, too. Remember, ‘The Big Fundamental’ is also an elite defensive player, anchoring San Antonio’s trademark defense.

We get the point. The NBA is focused on leveraging its brand overseas. Well, when the world focuses on New Orleans in February, why not showcase a humble superstar like Duncan?

[samikeyp]

Yao could average 5pts, 5reb and 5to and he would still start because of his popularity in his home country.

Doesn't matter though....TD still goes and even if he didn't, the rest would be good for him.

[spurscenter]

if the voting is strictly at nba stadiums

duncan would take it

online voting, forget it, Yao gets it

[romain.star]

Here is a foreseeable scenario for the season 2008/09: Yi Jianlian scores.. let's say 10.4 pts and 4.9 rbds a game. He is part of the All star game ballot and becomes an All Star starter because of his countrymen who massively voted for him.
That would mark the begining of the end of the ASG.

[howbouthemspurs]

That is a very stupid question... even if Yao gets injured the Chinese would pick him to start.

[krinkx]

even if yao is in the nbdl... he will still start the asg... :)

[Texas_Ranger]

ASG is just one game. Who cares if Yao starts, we all know that Duncan is much better than Yao, so I don't care about who'll start.

I just don't like those bastards who picked Duncan as a center, so fuck those morons.

[Extra Stout]

Here is a foreseeable scenario for the season 2008/09: Yi Jianlian scores.. let's say 10.4 pts and 4.9 rbds a game. He is part of the All star game ballot and becomes an All Star starter because of his countrymen who massively voted for him.
That would mark the begining of the end of the ASG.
Right, because the ASG has endured lasting damage from having the fans vote in A.C. Green to start over Karl Malone.

[Darkwaters]

Theres no way Yao doesn't start this year for the west unless A) Hes traded out East...then he starts in the East B) He dies (in which case he still wins the vote, but can't actually start) C) We have some manner of "Duncan-Gate" to adjust the vote in our favor.

[Hemotivo]

Yao

[Walter Craparita]

Yao.

ITS THE ALL STAR GAME.

[Kori Ellis]

if the voting is strictly at nba stadiums

duncan would take it

online voting, forget it, Yao gets it

Yao actually usually dominates the paper vote too... not just online.

[FromWayDowntown]

This still strikes me as much ado about nothing. Tim's NBA legacy certainly does not depend in any way upon a few more all-star starts. What will make Tim Duncan a Hall of Famer is already written -- all the rest (more titles, more All-NBA selections, all-star appearances) is just icing.

Though we're early on in the season (but about 20% of the way to the All-Star game), to this point I'm not sure that Tim would truly merit an All-Star selection in the first place, wherever he might be listed on the ballot. With that said, I assume that Tim's play will certainly warrant All-Star selection by January, and if that's true, he'll be in New Orleans for All-Star weekend, whether as a starter or as a sub.

As others have pointed out, it's not as if the popular vote tends to get the starters right on the merits, anyway, so an All-Star start might suggest more about a player's popularity than it does about how good he is.

I guess I just don't understand the attention we're paying to this issue.

[Darkwaters]

I guess I just don't understand the attention we're paying to this issue.

Benos gone. We have to bitch about SOMETHING.

[Indazone]

lol because at Center

Yao >> Duncan LOL

[MaNuMaNiAc]

lol because at Center

Yao >> Duncan LOL
WOW! a Rocket fan thinks Yao is better than Duncan. What a SHOCKER!!

[timmy21_4rings]

Put 2 Chinese names in Guards, 2 in forwards and 1 in Center, they all will be selected to start. It is that simple.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

I think the whole Duncan thing is unfair, but not because the votes Yao recieves from China, but because Duncan has always been a forward, to change him now is just idiotic.

For all you people complaining about the Chinese vote, let me ask you something, how is the fact the Chinese vote for Yao because he's Chinese any different than say a person from Chicago voting for a player simply because he is from Chicago? I guarantee you the latter happens. Fans are fans, and the ASG is NOT about teams, but about individual players.

Chinese people identify with Yao. Yes, they identify with him because of nationality, but that doesn't make their choice any less valid IMO. On top of that, its not like Yao doesn't deserve the nomination. The man is a great player. In the end the ASG comes down to who has more fans, and evidently Yao does. If you're going to blame anyone, blame the idiots that changed Timmy's rightful denomination.

[duncan228]

If you're going to blame anyone, blame the idiots that changed Timmy's rightful denomination.


Let's see ... that would be the media panel of USA Today's David Dupree, the Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith, TNT's Ernie Johnson, Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum, the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell (president of the Professional Basketball Writers Association), ESPN the Magazine's Ric Bucher and some guy from the San Antonio Express-News.

[Roxsfan]

WOW! a Rocket fan thinks Yao is better than Duncan. What a SHOCKER!!

at center, he is better :rolleyes

[mystargtr34]

lol because at Center

Yao >> Duncan LOL

Yao >> Hakeem?
Yao >> D-Rob?

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Let's see ... that would be the media panel of USA Today's David Dupree, the Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith, TNT's Ernie Johnson, Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum, the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell (president of the Professional Basketball Writers Association), ESPN the Magazine's Ric Bucher and some guy from the San Antonio Express-News.
Yup! Those are the ones...

[meta2007]

I hope Duncan can get more votes than Stoudemire.

[dude1394]

I'm thinking that Yao gets in at center, t-mac as guard and battier as forward. Battier was close(maybe third or fourth) in voting last year I think.

[meta2007]

I think Scola might get more votes than Battier.

Melo and Dirk might be starters.

[mystargtr34]

Now we all know why Wang ZhiZhi wasnt on the ballot when he was in the league...

He would be a perennial All-Star

WANG FUCKING ZHIZHI

[mystargtr34]

maybe they should restrict voting for players who have been past the first round.

[CarloP]

at center, he is better :rolleyes

And at guard, I am better than Yao. This statement doesn't mean anything. The whole point is that Duncan isn't a Center. Doofus.

[Racspur1]

Yao must do the " Honorable " thing and defer to the " Master " !

Sun "Racspur" Tzu :fro

[Warlord23]

I like Yao, but he is not even in the same stratosphere as Duncan come playoff time.

Game 7 v/s the Mavs he got outrebounded by both Dirk and Josh Howard.
Game 7 v/s the Jazz he got out rebounded by Boozer, Okur and Harpring.

Dude can have his ASG start and annual playoff meltdown. And as FWD said, an ASG start or two has no implication on Duncan's place in NBA history.

[meta2007]

Actually, Stoudemire's performance in ASG was good!


I hope Duncan can get more votes than Stoudemire.

[FromWayDowntown]

I like Yao, but he is not even in the same stratosphere as Duncan come playoff time.

Game 7 v/s the Mavs he got outrebounded by both Dirk and Josh Howard.
Game 7 v/s the Jazz he got out rebounded by Boozer, Okur and Harpring.


Yet Rockets nuts were chanting "Yao is better!" when Duncan shot free throws on Friday night. They can't REALLY believe that nonsense, can they?

Other than shooting free throws, I'm not sure that there's anything that Yao truly does better than Duncan, regardless of which position Tim plays on the floor. That's particularly true at playoff time. I can't imagine that there's any sane basketball fan on the planet right now who would take Yao over Tim to get through a playoff run, which is probably the most telling indication of which player is better.

[Roxsfan]

And at guard, I am better than Yao. This statement doesn't mean anything. The whole point is that Duncan isn't a Center. Doofus.

shut it, noob.

TD sometimes plays the 5

You're not in the NBA, stop posting stupid stuff..you're not a 1 or a 2 in the NBA and Yao does not play the 1 or the 2 :rolleyes

[ancestron]

I think I should start.
oh wait that says "YAO" or Duncan, my bad

[clubalien]

I think the whole Duncan thing is unfair, but not because the votes Yao recieves from China, but because Duncan has always been a forward, to change him now is just idiotic.

For all you people complaining about the Chinese vote, let me ask you something, how is the fact the Chinese vote for Yao because he's Chinese any different than say a person from Chicago voting for a player simply because he is from Chicago? I guarantee you the latter happens. Fans are fans, and the ASG is NOT about teams, but about individual players.

Chinese people identify with Yao. Yes, they identify with him because of nationality, but that doesn't make their choice any less valid IMO. On top of that, its not like Yao doesn't deserve the nomination. The man is a great player. In the end the ASG comes down to who has more fans, and evidently Yao does. If you're going to blame anyone, blame the idiots that changed Timmy's rightful denomination.

also it is not like they are voting a scrub into the allstar game either. Yao is a good player.

[watertorture]

Yao starts at C, TD at F.

[TampaDude]

Moot point now...

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82026

TD is now a forward again! :toast