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Paul/Parker
Bryant/Roy
Spurs' Parker should be All-Star
Mike Monroe
For all the justifiable attention paid to Roger Mason Jr. after his game-winning 3-point shot on Christmas Day, the pass he got from Spurs point guard Tony Parker went largely unappreciated.
You have to watch the replay of the final sequence of the Spurs' 91-90 victory several times to know that Parker's pass was the most difficult part of the play.
At full speed, and on the dribble after a crossover got him past Grant Hill at the top of the key, Parker leaned to his right, took a bump from Hill and fired a perfect, one-handed dart.
Had the pass made Mason reach, one way or the other, or not been as crisp, the Spurs' 3-point ace never would have been able to get it up as accurately or beat the final buzzer.
In living rooms all across San Antonio (and a few in Argentina), a segment of Spurs fans who believe Parker incapable of finding open teammates was incredulous.
But Parker made the pass, and you wonder how many of the league's point guards could have done the same.
The list is short: Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups, Jason Kidd and Mike Bibby.
Yet, Parker is fifth in the latest results of fan voting for All-Star starters, behind Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Paul and Manu Ginobili.
The Western Conference coaches will have to rectify this injustice to Parker, just as they have each of the past two seasons. This season, though, the compe ion in the West is especially fierce. Billups supplanted Allen Iverson as an altogether deserving Western guard, but Jason Kidd also is eligible in the West this season. Portland's Brandon Roy, who made his All-Star debut last season, has staked an undeniable claim to another berth.
Nash, merely a two-time MVP, is suffering diminished numbers because the Suns no longer try to put up shots in seven seconds or less. Utah's Deron Williams, bothered all season by injury, has all but conceded that he won't make his first All-Star appearance.
You wonder if the nine games Parker missed after spraining his left ankle in November will factor into the coaches' decision. Since the Spurs will have played 40 games by the time they vote in January, those lost games shouldn't matter, even with the strong compe ion among Western guards.
Paul and Bryant should be this season's Western starters, but McGrady always gets a boost from voters in China. They cast internet votes for Yao Ming and naturally support his high-scoring Rockets teammate. At this point, though, he doesn't merit All-Star status.
If Paul does overtake McGrady for the second starting spot — with more than two million votes cast, he trailed him by fewer than 21,000 — it will be interesting to see how the coaches deal with McGrady, who admits he is far from 100 percent and whose numbers are way down from his career norms.
This seems like a season that cries out for five guards on the Western roster. Paul and Bryant should be elected to start. Parker, Billups and Roy deserve the other three slots, even if it means four point guards on the roster.
Ginobili? He would be the first to tell you his somewhat choppy return after September surgery merits another long All-Star weekend of relaxation with his family, not a second All-Star berth.
Paul/Parker
Bryant/Roy
What an absolute disgrace the starting lineup will be if McGrady gets voted in.
Nobody pays much attention to the Allstar game anyways. TP is an allstar, but I would rather he sit at home like TD and Manu then go out and play in a meaningless game.
Paul's playground antics scream perfect for the All-star exhibition game.
Who seriously cares about the all star game?
Mcgrady will be voted in.
Mcgrady
Kobe
Amare
Duncan
Yao
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Paul
Roy
Dirk
Gasol
Shaq
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Billups
Parker
I think thats the way it will be. But of course alot can change until then.
Standard answer
timmyD sitting at home during the allstar game? haha.
Parker may deserve an all-star position if he is in the east instead of the west where there are too many great PGs. I will put Billups/nash/Kidd/Deron/Paul over parker, but no way should Phil Jackson select 6PGs to his all-star team, so TP is gonna absent from the All-star.
TP must be there. Only CP3 is playing better than him in the West and the entire league
Is that some kind of joke?
The only PG I might put ahead of TP is Paul at this point of the season.
+1
This season Parker >> Nash or Kidd
For DWill the discussion is probably open but the Spurs record speaks for Parker.
For Billups I don't know, individually Parker looks better, but I must admit I am rather impressed with the effect Chauncey has on the Nuggets.
The All Star game is a popularity contest. Parker doesnt openly campaign like some players, i.e Amare, so he will make it more than likely as a reserve. He deserves to be there though.
refs give allstars questionable calls
Becasue of the Yao factor in China, another Rocket got a shoe contract with a Chinese manufacturer last month. I think there are six Rockets with fat contracts now.
This is going to be a factor in the future in the Rockets being able to bring stars on board without going over the salary cap.
I'd rather see more guards in the All Star game. Its a guard's game anyway.
Phil Jackson doesn't decide which guys make up the West's bench for the ASG. Those players are selected based on the votes of all of the West coaches - not just Jackson.
Oh and saying that either Kidd or Nash is better now than Parker is absurd.
The last time I checked, Gilbert Arenas had more votes than Brandon Roy, which explains in a nuts how ridiculous the all-star voting situation is.
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