Andriod_KiNg
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Here i got it from http://cbs.sportsline.com/nba/story/8176426?snubs20805 :
Leaving Webber off All-Star team a joke
By Tony Mejia
SportsLine.com Staff Writer
http://cbs.sportsline.com/columns/writers/mejia
[font=Arial, Helvetica]It seems missing four of the past five games to rest his sore left knee cost Chris Webber an All-Star berth. The most glaring omission, Webber is one of only two players (Kevin Garnett the other) averaging over 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
That he returned in style against Portland with a triple-double Saturday night, or that he was voted player of the month for January apparently didn't matter.
He missed just two games in the season's first two months, squashing any doubts of his ability to make it all the way back from the major surgery that cut his 2003-04 season in half.
Meanwhile, Webber has been dominant. He's more reliant on his jumper now and not as fierce on the boards, but his production hasn't tailed off much. In fact, his numbers across the board are far better than Seattle's Rashard Lewis and San Antonio's Manu Ginobili, both making their first appearance.
That's taking nothing away from either player. It's no coincidence that Lewis' improved play has coincided with his team's emergence, and Ginobili is one of the more fun players to watch. However, taking either over Webber simply isn't right, from the standpoint of actual productivity, which is how these tough calls should be made.
Ginobili is a special case because he does the things that fans want to see in an All-Star Game, playing with an international flair. That's fine. The league prides itself on strengthening its image globally and sometimes caters to that. But please, not at the expense of someone clearly more deserving.
We can stomach Golden State's Jason Richardson (22.3 points per game) being left off the West team because he missed nine games and his team hasn't been prosperous. Elton Brand? Despite averaging 20 points and nearly 10 rebounds, he's standing in line behind Webber on our beef list. Ditto with fellow Kings Peja Stojakovic, Brad Miller and Mike Bibby, all of who received some support.
That should tell you something. On a team that boasts three other All-Star caliber players, Webber leads the Kings in scoring, rebounding and trails only point guard Bibby in assists. His exclusion is a joke.
Does LeBron have Jordan-like pull already?
Ilgauskas is having a nice season, but with Shaquille O'Neal starting and Ben Wallace and Jermaine O'Neal on the roster, what's the need for another center?
If you're going to put Ginobili in the game with entertainment purposes in mind, shouldn't a deserving showstopper like Francis get the same respect? Or how about Redd? Leaving him off the Olympic team might have cost the United States a gold medal, and now his own conference leaves him out, too. He's the Rodney Dangerfield of basketball despite having arguably its best shooting stroke.
So we don't seem completely disgruntled, the selections of Shawn Marion, Antawn Jamison, Gilbert Arenas and Dwyane Wade have our full blessings. Jamison, Arenas and Wade are worthy first-timers who have clearly elevated themselves to the top of their positions. Marion could have been victimized by playing in the shadow of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire, but his on-court productivity and eye-popping numbers won out.
It's really a shame the same can't be said about Webber.
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Leaving Webber off All-Star team a joke
By Tony Mejia
SportsLine.com Staff Writer
http://cbs.sportsline.com/columns/writers/mejia
[font=Arial, Helvetica]It seems missing four of the past five games to rest his sore left knee cost Chris Webber an All-Star berth. The most glaring omission, Webber is one of only two players (Kevin Garnett the other) averaging over 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
That he returned in style against Portland with a triple-double Saturday night, or that he was voted player of the month for January apparently didn't matter.
He missed just two games in the season's first two months, squashing any doubts of his ability to make it all the way back from the major surgery that cut his 2003-04 season in half.
Meanwhile, Webber has been dominant. He's more reliant on his jumper now and not as fierce on the boards, but his production hasn't tailed off much. In fact, his numbers across the board are far better than Seattle's Rashard Lewis and San Antonio's Manu Ginobili, both making their first appearance.
That's taking nothing away from either player. It's no coincidence that Lewis' improved play has coincided with his team's emergence, and Ginobili is one of the more fun players to watch. However, taking either over Webber simply isn't right, from the standpoint of actual productivity, which is how these tough calls should be made.
Ginobili is a special case because he does the things that fans want to see in an All-Star Game, playing with an international flair. That's fine. The league prides itself on strengthening its image globally and sometimes caters to that. But please, not at the expense of someone clearly more deserving.
We can stomach Golden State's Jason Richardson (22.3 points per game) being left off the West team because he missed nine games and his team hasn't been prosperous. Elton Brand? Despite averaging 20 points and nearly 10 rebounds, he's standing in line behind Webber on our beef list. Ditto with fellow Kings Peja Stojakovic, Brad Miller and Mike Bibby, all of who received some support.
That should tell you something. On a team that boasts three other All-Star caliber players, Webber leads the Kings in scoring, rebounding and trails only point guard Bibby in assists. His exclusion is a joke.
Does LeBron have Jordan-like pull already?
Ilgauskas is having a nice season, but with Shaquille O'Neal starting and Ben Wallace and Jermaine O'Neal on the roster, what's the need for another center?
If you're going to put Ginobili in the game with entertainment purposes in mind, shouldn't a deserving showstopper like Francis get the same respect? Or how about Redd? Leaving him off the Olympic team might have cost the United States a gold medal, and now his own conference leaves him out, too. He's the Rodney Dangerfield of basketball despite having arguably its best shooting stroke.
So we don't seem completely disgruntled, the selections of Shawn Marion, Antawn Jamison, Gilbert Arenas and Dwyane Wade have our full blessings. Jamison, Arenas and Wade are worthy first-timers who have clearly elevated themselves to the top of their positions. Marion could have been victimized by playing in the shadow of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire, but his on-court productivity and eye-popping numbers won out.
It's really a shame the same can't be said about Webber.
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