All-Star game

[MarkPope]

Anyone around here been voting for their favorite players?

[lal4l]

YA, but why did they bring it out so early... Before we could even see the people play...

[MarkPope]

Well, now we have seen them play, so let's get out there and vote for the players we really think deserve to be there. http://www.nba.com/allstar2006/asb/eng/ballot.html?from=sweeps

[lal4l]

I might be actually going to the game.... It should be fun.

[MarkPope]

Isn't the game in Vegas this year? Or is that next year? I would absolutley love to go. Have you all been voting on a regular basis?

[lal4l]

Its in Houston

[Dward00]

$%$$ Kobe, and Mcgrady. I'm voting Nash, and Parker.

[MarkPope]

Is it in Vegas next year?

My west team was: Camby, Brand, Dunca, Kobe, and Nash

[lal4l]

Ya Mark sure is!

[MarkPope]

Vegas would be incredibly fun to go to. I may make the trip out to the game next year if I can.

My east team was: Ben Wallace, Dwight Howard, Lebron, Billups, and Hamilton.

[lal4l]

Take Dwight out of that Mark no dice....

[MarkPope]

Who would you replace Dwight with? I think he deserves it this year.

[lal4l]

Who would you replace Dwight with? I think he deserves it this year.

Jermaine O'Neal or Bosh no doubt....

[MarkPope]

Jermaine O'Neal or Bosh no doubt....

I can see that. I think Howard brings more to the table right now that O'Neal. I'm not sure why, but I just have a thing that he's not really as valuable as everyone makes him out to be. It's a great debate though. That's why All-Star voting is so much fun.

[lal4l]

I can see that. I think Howard brings more to the table right now that O'Neal. I'm not sure why, but I just have a thing that he's not really as valuable as everyone makes him out to be. It's a great debate though. That's why All-Star voting is so much fun.

I think your loving his potential in which everybody can see.. Do you think their are any regrets for getting him over Okafur?

[Timberwolf]

My votes:

Western Conference:
Forwards: Wally, KG
Guards: Nash, Parker
Center: Camby (he has had a great season and he is much worthy than the stiffs out West)

Eastern Conference:
Forward: Lebron, Rasheed Wallace
Guards: Gilbert Arenas, Billups
Center: Ben Wallace

I wanted to vote for Shaq, but he hasn't played much all season and Wallace has been more deserving.

[Timberwolf]

I think your loving his potential in which everybody can see.. Do you think their are any regrets for getting him over Okafur?

Definitely not. First off, here's what happened. Bobcats became very intrigued with Dwight Howard. They loved him so much that they traded to move up for the #2 pick with the thinking Orlando got Okafur and Charlotte wanted Howard. Unfortunately for the Bobcats, everyone started to rave about him so much and the fact that McGrady was going to leave so the Magic decided to go after Dwight with all the stuff that was going on. Charlotte had to settle with a consolation prize. That's thing about high school players. Now they are getting scouted a lot and you hear so much about them on the Internet and basketball magazines that every team is starting to find out. It wasn' the case in the nineties where teams can keep a secret on high school players like the Timberwolves did with KG. Had KG got so much hype and publicity the way Howard got, Golden State drafts KG for their #1 pick.

[MarkPope]

I think your loving his potential in which everybody can see.. Do you think their are any regrets for getting him over Okafur?

No way there are any regrets about Howard over Okafor. Howard is a better defender right now. I should replace Howard with Bosh on my list.

[lal4l]

Yup yup

[MarkPope]

The starters come out pretty soon, right? I wonder if there will be any late chargers making a push for a spot.

[Dward00]

I guess if I have to be fair, and not biased, I would vote like this:

Tim Duncan - pf
Kevin Garnett - sf
Yao Ming - c
kobe Bryant - sg
Tony Parker - pg

Jermaine O'Neal - pf
Lebron James - sf
Shaq O'Neal - c
Dwyane Wade - sg
Chauncey Billups - pg

I don't think anybody doesn't go with Garnett, and Duncan for their forwards in the west.

I guess there are some shocking ommissions here so let me explain:

1.) Parker over Nash: I just feel that a 6'0" player leading the NBA in points in the paint and putting up a gaudy 56% field goal percentage is way more impressive then another point guard who averages 10 assists a game.

2.) Iverson: I GUESS he deserves to be on the allstar team, but only as a reserve. Wade, and Billups could do exactly the same as he does if they had a team to pamper them. AND play some D.

3.) Mcgrady: Pretty much same as Iverson. I like to compare Mcgrady to Marbury: highly over-rated..........especially by themselves.

Here's some people I pick that I didn't like picking:

1.) Kobe Bryant: He's clutch. That's the only reason why.

2.) Yao Ming: He's definitely not allstar starter material but there's no competition. Camby would be reserve but I don't like him neither.

3.) Shaq: I have always hated him, but I will not take the first reasonable chance I get to pick Ben Wallace over him. Wallace does NOT change the game like Shaq.










Does anybody remember when NBA centers were the best players in the league?

10-15 years ago these players were gods: David Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, and Alonzo Mourning. Anyone I'm leaving out? Don't say Mutombo plz.

[MarkPope]

It's interesting how people differ on their All-Star picks. I could never vote for Yao over Camby. But that's just me. That's why it's fun to talk about this stuff.

[lal4l]

You have to pick all stars of this year not the past thats why I dont like how McGrady is getting so many votes same with Yao

[Timberwolf]

No offense, but why is Yao getting lot of votes. I understand the ballot stuffing in the Asian countries, but c'mon. The guy has underacheived in the NBA so far. I think he has been a huge dissapointment. I think Kandi is a lot better than Yao and that's saying something.

KG is not getting votes now, but he will likely start since McGrady will likely not play in the All-Star Game.

I pick Nash and Parker as guards. Yeah Parker does not play like a shooting guard, but I was going to vote for him over Kobe. I just wasn't going to root for Kobe since I don't like the guy. Besides there are point guards who play like shooting guards nowadays hence why I voted for both point guards. Arenas definitely plays like a shooting guard.

I remember NBA centers used to be very good when I was a kid, but now you would be hard-pressed to find someone who is very good. The Western Conference ballot is horrible. I could not vote for any center. I sure wasn't going to vote for Yao and definitely I wasn't going to vote for Kandi. Camby is deserving since he plays a big role in Nuggets wins.

[princessfishy]

ok...my picks were completely biased. :love2: i voted for nash and marion. why amare is even on there...whatever...lol. the other ones were duncan and parker. i dont like the spurs, for obvious reasons, but they are good players and deserve to go as well. :)

[Timberwolf]

Maybe it's me, but I think Shawn Marion is overrated. He is great in the regular season, but he is awful come post-season. He was really bad in the Western Conference Finals last year along with Quentin Richardson.

I feel the same way about the Spurs too, Sarah.

[princessfishy]

1.) Parker over Nash: I just feel that a 6'0" player leading the NBA in points in the paint and putting up a gaudy 56% field goal percentage is way more impressive then another point guard who averages 10 assists a game.



well, id have to disagree on your take on nash. altho i, too, would rather have a 6'0 player, id rather have the player with better game. sure parker leads nash in average ppg, (nash - 18.8/parker - 19.3) but IMO thats not enough of a spread for me to pick parker over nash. nash has had 23 double-double's this season compared to parkers 4. nash also has a higher 3-pt % at 41.5 to parkers 23.5, free throw % - nash at 93.5 to parkers 66.3. not only that, but the assists. nash has 430 just this season, the only player over an average of 10 pg, with 11.3. parker has 232 on the season, in at 5.9 apg.

for me, the numbers speak for themselves. id take nash anyday :)

[lal4l]

Yao is better then Kandi... But Ben Wallace and big Z are better then Yao and those are things some ppl dont see... So is Jermaine

[princessfishy]

Maybe it's me, but I think Shawn Marion is overrated. .

yep, its just you :tongue:

seriously tho, hes a great player. he may not have the numbers as some of the other guys around the NBA, but as we've seen from kobe and lebron, some numbers really arent that important team-wise if you cant get the 'W'.


go suns

[lal4l]

He is awesome! Such an ALL AROUND player very underrated

[das&kml]

Is it in Vegas next year?

Vegas hosts the 2007 All-Star game and probably will be the new home of the Hornets (or whatever name they choose). David Stern is more obsessed with money than the fans that he would be affecting by moving teams.
My All-Star squads:
West = C: Marcus Camby
PF: Tim Duncan
SF: Kevin Garnett
SG: Kobe Bryant
PG: Steve Nash
Reasons: Camby was putting up impressive numbers before being injured, so don't take away the total numbers that players are putting up. Duncan and Garnett are the two best at their positions in this era, so they are locks. Kobe, though a rapist, has been the best scoring machine the league has to offer. Nash, well, he puts up the same numbers even without Stoudemire. Enough said.

East = C: Ben Wallace
PF: Chris Bosh
SF: LeBron James
SG: Dwayne Wade
PG: Allen Iverson
Reasons: Ben Wallace has been a force on the NBA's best team. Chris Bosh will not get any votes because he plays for the Raptors, but name another PF from the East that plays better than he does night-in and night-out. James and Wade are both carrying their respective teams, so they will be starters for the next 10-12 years if injuries do not affect their play. Iverson is the hardest working player in the league and still the best at what he does. Still doesn't receive the credit for being one of the best defensive players in the NBA. The only alternate I could see for Iverson is Billups.

[Dward00]

Vegas hosts the 2007 All-Star game and probably will be the new home of the Hornets (or whatever name they choose). David Stern is more obsessed with money than the fans that he would be affecting by moving teams.
My All-Star squads:
West = C: Marcus Camby
PF: Tim Duncan
SF: Kevin Garnett
SG: Kobe Bryant
PG: Steve Nash
Reasons: Camby was putting up impressive numbers before being injured, so don't take away the total numbers that players are putting up. Duncan and Garnett are the two best at their positions in this era, so they are locks. Kobe, though a rapist, has been the best scoring machine the league has to offer. Nash, well, he puts up the same numbers even without Stoudemire. Enough said.

East = C: Ben Wallace
PF: Chris Bosh
SF: LeBron James
SG: Dwayne Wade
PG: Allen Iverson
Reasons: Ben Wallace has been a force on the NBA's best team. Chris Bosh will not get any votes because he plays for the Raptors, but name another PF from the East that plays better than he does night-in and night-out. James and Wade are both carrying their respective teams, so they will be starters for the next 10-12 years if injuries do not affect their play. Iverson is the hardest working player in the league and still the best at what he does. Still doesn't receive the credit for being one of the best defensive players in the NBA. The only alternate I could see for Iverson is Billups.


There really aren't very many Power Forwards in the east that are locks. That doesn't mean there aren't any good ones. Chris Bosh, and Dwight Howard are both damn good.

[MarkPope]

Voting for the game ended yesterday, right? It will be interesting to see the final tallies. Does anyone know what events besides the game they are having during All-Star weekend this year?