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I predict JHO will have an even better second half of the season!
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Mav's snub: Addition by omission?
01:31 AM CST on Saturday, February 3, 2007
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
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Josh Howard had a feeling he was going to get the short end of the All-Star stick. And he has a few words of advice to all the Western Conference coaches who think he's not worthy.
Mainly, that they may be sorry they omitted him from their ballot.
Howard returned to Dallas on Friday wearing the big smile that only new fathers know. His son came into the world Wednesday night, less than 24 hours before Howard was left off of the All-Star reserves.
"I knew that was going to happen," Howard said. "I've been saying for a long time that the All-Star Game is overrated. I still have an opportunity because of those two guys who are hurt, but it's a long shot to me. So I'm looking forward to spending that time with my son."
Howard could still be in Las Vegas on Feb. 18, but it will require commissioner David Stern replacing one of the injured Western Conference stars, Carlos Boozer or Yao Ming, with Howard. Even if that happens, it's still a bit hollow because the coaches didn't vote him in.
Regardless, Howard will concentrate on the business at hand, which is keeping the Mavericks atop the NBA.
"Motivation, that's all I need," he said of the snub by coaches. "They don't want me to be an All-Star? I'm going to show them. I've been an underdog my whole life. This is just another step to prove everybody who didn't vote for me wrong."
Howard, in his fourth season, has plenty of good years ahead of him and he is likely to be an All-Star before his career is done. But nobody can take away the joy he had on Wednesday when, at 9:38 p.m., his first child was born.
"It's an amazing feeling being able to bring somebody else into this world," he said. "Last night [Thursday] was the first night I actually cried. I'm still stunned about it. All I could do was stare at him."
Howard didn't arrive back in Dallas until after Friday's practice, but teammates and coaches couldn't believe Howard didn't get the call for his first All-Star Game.
"We all know he's playing at an All-Star level," coach Avery Johnson said. "What kind of words? Disappointed? Disgrace?
"Last year when Detroit sent four guys, guys were playing at an All-Star level and their team was being rewarded for having a good record. We didn't get rewarded."
Why not?
"It's hard to figure out," he said. "But Josh is a team player and he'll try to make it next year. We got bigger fish to fry, but it's still disappointing."
As Dirk Nowitzki added, being an All-Star is not why he plays. But Howard is going through a proving process that Nowitzki also endured early in his career.
"I probably deserved to be on one before I made it the first time, so I guess it happens," he said. "You just have to keep working and keep showing the coaches you deserve it."
The Mavericks also felt that a double standard was at work in picking the teams. One argument made for Washington's Caron Butler making the Eastern Conference reserves was that he was averaging 20 points and eight rebounds and wasn't even his team's first option offensively.
Howard's numbers are virtually identical and neither is he the Mavericks' first option. And his team has the league's best record.
"It's like they're punishing us for being the Mavericks," Howard said.
Six teams with poorer records than the Mavericks placed at least two players in the All-Star Game.
"You couldn't help but notice that," said Jason Terry. "The Suns have three players, San Antone has two, but what can you do. You just go on about your business."
Howard said, "It just makes me stronger. I had a lot of family and friends call and say I was their all-star regardless. We [the Mavs] still got a lot to prove. They still don't think too much about us. We're going to be all right."
