Kleeman's Last Word

My final All-Star reserve lists

Yes, I am changing my choices again. If you want to call my sports analysis John Kerry-esque, I will not defend myself. I have flip-flopped three times in trying to tabulate a list of players who deserve to be sent to New Orleans as reserves.

I will stick with my Western Conference selections. I don't care if Peter Vescey thinks no players on losing teams should be All-Stars - consider this my last minute lobby to get Chris Kaman voted to the game. His team stinks (13 wins, I know), but his averages of almost 18 points and 14 rebounds far exceed what anyone expected from him this season.
Al Jefferson is also throwing up terrific numbers on a woeful team, but as the centerpiece of an 7 for 1 trade (and I emphasize 7 for 1 trade), he was expected to be half decent.
Kaman has morphed into Elton Brand in the star forward's absence. Admit it, folks, anytime the guy made a shot the last few years, you thought about that Geico ad slogan, "so easy a caveman can do it." The bulky center cut his hair and beard and is putting up monster numbers. He MUST be there. He deserves to be there.

I realize Marcus Camby has never been voted to an All-Star team and is having a terrific season. I cannot, in good conscience, support sending three Denver Nuggets to the Big Easy. With so much talent in each conference and only 12 spots to offer, many players will get hosed. He might be tallying fantastic defensive numbers, but his teammates have not joined him on the other end. The Nuggets can score in blitzes, but they defend like Barbie Dolls.

It's tough to choose between David West, Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson. I didn't know West was this good and apparently, a lot of other teams had no clue, either. In the Hornets nine-game winning streak, he torched the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets--two teams known for rugged defense.

The Warriors hold on to the final playoff spot, but not by much. It's tough deciding which player deserves a reserve spot more--Baron Davis, the heady point guard who collapses defenses and finds the three bombers (or shoots them himself), or Stephen Jackson, who may be the best man-to-man defender on a team known for giving up a lot of points. I would be happy to see either Warrior on the Western Conference roster.

My man Andres Nocioni has followed up my perhaps lone selection of him with dismal performances. A 2-12 outing against the league worst Minnesota Timberwolves earns him an ousting from my list. After the Phoenix Suns beat down the Atlanta Hawks earlier this week, I also removed Josh Smith. The Bucks lose 112-69 Wednesday night? Andrew Bogut's a gonner.

As long as we're discussing players who've failed miserably, here's a player who put an extra somethin', somethin' into his performances this week - Hedo Turkoglu. He made my original list, but now that choice makes even more since. After drilling the Garnett-less Celtics with a buzzer-beating three and dropping 27 and 12 on the dismal Miami Heat, he should get the coaches' vote.

Here are my FINALIZED reserve rosters (the players I think should be there)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
G - Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
G - Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
F - Carlos Boozer, Utah Jazz
F - Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
C - Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns
WC - Chris Kaman, Los Angeles Clippers
WC - Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers

EASTERN CONFERENCE
G - Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons
G - Richard Hamilton, Detroit Pistons
F - Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando Magic
F - Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
C - Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors
WC - Caron Butler, Washington Wizards or Antawn Jamison
WC - Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland Cavaliers

BIGGEST APOLOGIES (Guys I left off the list): Ray Allen, Boston Celtics; whichever Wizard is not selected; Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson, Golden State Warriors; Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs; David West and Tyson Chandler, New Orleans Hornets; Marcus Camby, Denver Nuggets; Al Jefferson, Minnesota Timberwolves.

This is what should happen tomorrow night when EJ, Kenny and the Chuckster announce the reserves. I'm not betting it will.

posted by Robert Kleeman @ 7:35 PM