TNT unveiled the 2010 NBA All-Star starting rotation this past Thursday. You can see the 10 finalists above.
Many are clamoring over Allen Iverson making the All-Star game as a starter and how he doesn't deserve to make it. We at The Proud Franchise are not upset over AI's inclusion in the mid-season classic. Iverson helped usher Hip Hop sensibilities into the NBA landscape. In terms of press, he has become one of the league's more under-appreciated players because of it. Also, let's be real. Only good things can come of AI in an exhibition game. No, we are not mad at that.
We are mad at including this man into the All-Star festivities.
As you can see, Kevin Garnett is just as disgusted at the fan vote. The man is every bit a shell of his former self as Iverson is, yet KG is not catching the equivalent amount of flack. Why? Because he's a respected veteran of the NBA who doesn't stand for everything that is wrong with basketball.
Honestly though, I couldn't care less. I'm really upset over the fact that Garnett making the All-Star roster could mean David Lee being on the outside looking in. Lee has done enough to warrant being one of the top 24 basketball players in the NBA. In the past month, he has certainly been making a case for himself by averaging 22 points per game, 13 rebounds per game, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting at 50% and 80% clips. The addition of a mid-range jump shot has opened up more opportunities for Lee than affirmative action... and he is now reaping the benefits. Even Kobe Bryant gave Lee a ringing endorsement during a halftime interview in last night's game.
However, Garnett's undeserved nod hurts Lee's chances of making the All-Star roster. There has been a great number of All-Star caliber frontcourt players in the Eastern Conference this year. Chris Bosh, Josh Smith, Gerald Wallace, and Al Horford are all deserving of All-Star berths. Also, basketball analysts have been clamoring recently about players from winning teams deserving to be all stars over players from losing teams. This will also hurt our great white hope's chances... but, let's hope that it doesn't. Knicks fans have been watching All-Star games with limited interest for years. Let's hope we have something to root for on February 14th.
Oh yeah, Chris Webber and Jeff Van Gundy deserve to die and I hope they burn in hell.
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