http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14031303p-14863370c.html
NBA notebook: It's time to flip a coin in All-Star selection process
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, January 1, 2006
Three weeks remain for fans to vote for the starters in the Feb. 19 NBA All-Star Game in Houston, and there will be tremendously tough decisions to make on players in each conference.
However, those pale in comparison when coaches fill out the roster.
The NBA certainly has made voting convenient. It's easy to vote at arenas and 130 movie theaters, in 19 languages on NBA.com, on cell phones and by text messaging.
Technology has allowed the league to continue to reach more buyers. Since the league is keeping up, this is the perfect opportunity to announce it is extending both All-Star rosters to 15 players. The NBA eliminated the injury list this season, so in concert, bump up the number of participants available for the marquee event that has lost some luster over the years.
There always will be players who should make the team and don't. Ultimately, that's not a bad thing. Young players often have to pay their dues to get there, and if there's a little humble pie or extra motivation out there for the neophytes, it's all good.
Just consider a fan's decision on two forwards in the Western Conference. Houston's Tracy McGrady and Minnesota's Kevin Garnett lead the voting, with San Antonio's Tim Duncan closely behind in third.
Immediately, one of these three should-be starters won't start. But Houston's Yao Ming, who's injured and does not deserve to start on the basis of his play, holds nearly a 1 million-vote advantage at center over Denver's Marcus Camby.
The Nuggets center is out after surgery on a broken little finger, but he clearly has been the West's best all-around man in the middle. He's the league's leading rebounder at 12.9 per game, perennially is one of its best shot blockers and is averaging 16.3 points.
There can be plenty of legitimate debate regarding the West's starting guards, but the voters have Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and Phoenix's Steve Nash in place, and it'll be hard to do better than that.
However, now is where it gets really good. Each conference's coach will vote on the remaining players. Spurs point guard Tony Parker arguably has been more efficient than Bryant and Nash this season. Parker is scoring effectively and among the West's field-goal percentage leaders.
Other guards who have played at an All-Star level this season include Seattle's Ray Allen and Golden State teammates Jason Richardson and Baron Davis. If a choice must be made, it seems Richardson and Davis have had more impact on their team than Allen has on his.
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili is an All-Star - All-World, for that matter - talent, but he might have missed too many games to receive legitimate consideration.
Guaranteed, even at this early date, there will be some disappointed and deserving forwards who will watch the game on television. Should the current voting rate continue, let's start with Duncan, Clippers power forward Elton Brand, Phoenix's Shawn Marion and Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki as players with nightly statistical performances and impact that are worthy of starting in this game.
Brand has been one of the league's top five players all season despite ranking seventh in voting just ahead of Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire, who has not played a game because of knee surgery.
Then a case easily can be made for Denver's Carmelo Anthony and Memphis' Pau Gasol, who have been solid all season. Gasol's team is having the better season, so if it came down to a decision between these two, he should get the nod.
And it's fodder for another time, but in the Eastern Conference, consider the decisions to be made at guard. Philadelphia's Allen Iverson, Washington's Gilbert Arenas, Miami's Dwyane Wade, Milwaukee's Michael Redd and Detroit's duo of Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton are deserving. New Jersey's Vince Carter and Jason Kidd have excelled, and Boston's Ricky Davis has that type of talent.
Iverson and Wade lead the voting, so the East's coaches have about a month to decide upon whom they'll vote before the reserves are announced on Feb. 9.
What is a foul?
If you watch games and try to judge what a foul is from calls made by referees, it is extremely difficult.
Unquestionably, officials have an incredibly difficult job, and they obviously have mandates and directions to follow.
However, if a defender barely touches an offensive player with his forearm or even an extended arm, should that be called instead of the consistent times players go over the back in pursuit of rebounds without a call?
Blast from the past
Former Kings forward Erik Daniels is averaging 19.4 points and 9.2 rebounds for the Fayetteville (N.C.) Patriots in the NBA Development League. The Kings might look at Daniels if they need to add a player because of injuries.
NUMBERS GAME
* The Pistons have been the league's best team and lead the league in three-point shooting at 41 percent. Last season, Detroit shot 34.5 percent from three-point range, and 20 teams had better percentages.
* Only three teams - Golden State, Phoenix and Seattle - average more than 20 three-point attempts per game, while two - the Clippers and New York - average fewer than 10 per game.
* Imagine if Warriors guard Jason Richardson could get to the free-throw line more frequently. His 22.8 points per game rank 13th in the league, but he averages only 4.8 free-throw attempts. He has 19.2 field-goal attempts and 5.7 three-point attempts per game.
* Just in case you wondered, Miami center Shaquille O'Neal is shooting 46.6 percent from the free-throw line. But he'll make them when it counts.
* Four players - Philadelphia's Allen Iverson, Miami's Dwyane Wade, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and Cleveland's LeBron James - average 10 free throws or more per game. In comparison, Phoenix averages a league-low 17.3 free-throw attempts.
* The Kings' 3.3 blocks per game exceed only Milwaukee (3.0), Seattle (3.0) and Toronto (2.7).
* Think of sweet shooting strokes, and Bucks guard Michael Redd's name comes to mind. But Redd is shooting a surprisingly low 81.7 percent from the line. That ranks 91st.
* After 29 games last season, the Kings were 20-9, compared to 12-17 this season.
RIM SHOTS
* Indiana's Ron Artest is only fifth in All-Star voting among Eastern Conference forwards, but wouldn't it be wild if he received a spot in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game in Houston but wasn't even playing for his own crew?
* It's little or no consolation, but Kings forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim leads the league in field-goal percentage at .551 .
* Is it more incredible that Philadelphia's 6-foot, 165-pound Allen Iverson averages 43.8 minutes per game or leads the league at 34.1 points per game?
* Boston guard Delonte West was the less heralded backcourtmate of Jameer Nelson at Saint Joseph's in 2003-04, but he's the one who starts in the NBA. Nelson comes off the bench for the Orlando Magic. West is smooth, confident and a better shooter.
* More and more, it appears the Kings' biggest mistake of the offseason was not re-signing shooter extraordinaire Eddie House. The little combo guard is putting up numbers off the bench for Phoenix.
* Meanwhile, Memphis on Friday welcomed back former Kings guard Bobby Jackson, who had not played since he injured his hamstring on Dec. 9.
* The Grizzlies' Damon Stoudamire was having an excellent season after arriving from Portland as a free agent, but after rupturing a tendon in his knee, he will join Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire on the rehabilitation trail.
About the writer: The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.
NBA notebook: It's time to flip a coin in All-Star selection process
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, January 1, 2006
Three weeks remain for fans to vote for the starters in the Feb. 19 NBA All-Star Game in Houston, and there will be tremendously tough decisions to make on players in each conference.
However, those pale in comparison when coaches fill out the roster.
The NBA certainly has made voting convenient. It's easy to vote at arenas and 130 movie theaters, in 19 languages on NBA.com, on cell phones and by text messaging.
Technology has allowed the league to continue to reach more buyers. Since the league is keeping up, this is the perfect opportunity to announce it is extending both All-Star rosters to 15 players. The NBA eliminated the injury list this season, so in concert, bump up the number of participants available for the marquee event that has lost some luster over the years.
There always will be players who should make the team and don't. Ultimately, that's not a bad thing. Young players often have to pay their dues to get there, and if there's a little humble pie or extra motivation out there for the neophytes, it's all good.
Just consider a fan's decision on two forwards in the Western Conference. Houston's Tracy McGrady and Minnesota's Kevin Garnett lead the voting, with San Antonio's Tim Duncan closely behind in third.
Immediately, one of these three should-be starters won't start. But Houston's Yao Ming, who's injured and does not deserve to start on the basis of his play, holds nearly a 1 million-vote advantage at center over Denver's Marcus Camby.
The Nuggets center is out after surgery on a broken little finger, but he clearly has been the West's best all-around man in the middle. He's the league's leading rebounder at 12.9 per game, perennially is one of its best shot blockers and is averaging 16.3 points.
There can be plenty of legitimate debate regarding the West's starting guards, but the voters have Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and Phoenix's Steve Nash in place, and it'll be hard to do better than that.
However, now is where it gets really good. Each conference's coach will vote on the remaining players. Spurs point guard Tony Parker arguably has been more efficient than Bryant and Nash this season. Parker is scoring effectively and among the West's field-goal percentage leaders.
Other guards who have played at an All-Star level this season include Seattle's Ray Allen and Golden State teammates Jason Richardson and Baron Davis. If a choice must be made, it seems Richardson and Davis have had more impact on their team than Allen has on his.
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili is an All-Star - All-World, for that matter - talent, but he might have missed too many games to receive legitimate consideration.
Guaranteed, even at this early date, there will be some disappointed and deserving forwards who will watch the game on television. Should the current voting rate continue, let's start with Duncan, Clippers power forward Elton Brand, Phoenix's Shawn Marion and Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki as players with nightly statistical performances and impact that are worthy of starting in this game.
Brand has been one of the league's top five players all season despite ranking seventh in voting just ahead of Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire, who has not played a game because of knee surgery.
Then a case easily can be made for Denver's Carmelo Anthony and Memphis' Pau Gasol, who have been solid all season. Gasol's team is having the better season, so if it came down to a decision between these two, he should get the nod.
And it's fodder for another time, but in the Eastern Conference, consider the decisions to be made at guard. Philadelphia's Allen Iverson, Washington's Gilbert Arenas, Miami's Dwyane Wade, Milwaukee's Michael Redd and Detroit's duo of Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton are deserving. New Jersey's Vince Carter and Jason Kidd have excelled, and Boston's Ricky Davis has that type of talent.
Iverson and Wade lead the voting, so the East's coaches have about a month to decide upon whom they'll vote before the reserves are announced on Feb. 9.
What is a foul?
If you watch games and try to judge what a foul is from calls made by referees, it is extremely difficult.
Unquestionably, officials have an incredibly difficult job, and they obviously have mandates and directions to follow.
However, if a defender barely touches an offensive player with his forearm or even an extended arm, should that be called instead of the consistent times players go over the back in pursuit of rebounds without a call?
Blast from the past
Former Kings forward Erik Daniels is averaging 19.4 points and 9.2 rebounds for the Fayetteville (N.C.) Patriots in the NBA Development League. The Kings might look at Daniels if they need to add a player because of injuries.
NUMBERS GAME
* The Pistons have been the league's best team and lead the league in three-point shooting at 41 percent. Last season, Detroit shot 34.5 percent from three-point range, and 20 teams had better percentages.
* Only three teams - Golden State, Phoenix and Seattle - average more than 20 three-point attempts per game, while two - the Clippers and New York - average fewer than 10 per game.
* Imagine if Warriors guard Jason Richardson could get to the free-throw line more frequently. His 22.8 points per game rank 13th in the league, but he averages only 4.8 free-throw attempts. He has 19.2 field-goal attempts and 5.7 three-point attempts per game.
* Just in case you wondered, Miami center Shaquille O'Neal is shooting 46.6 percent from the free-throw line. But he'll make them when it counts.
* Four players - Philadelphia's Allen Iverson, Miami's Dwyane Wade, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and Cleveland's LeBron James - average 10 free throws or more per game. In comparison, Phoenix averages a league-low 17.3 free-throw attempts.
* The Kings' 3.3 blocks per game exceed only Milwaukee (3.0), Seattle (3.0) and Toronto (2.7).
* Think of sweet shooting strokes, and Bucks guard Michael Redd's name comes to mind. But Redd is shooting a surprisingly low 81.7 percent from the line. That ranks 91st.
* After 29 games last season, the Kings were 20-9, compared to 12-17 this season.
RIM SHOTS
* Indiana's Ron Artest is only fifth in All-Star voting among Eastern Conference forwards, but wouldn't it be wild if he received a spot in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game in Houston but wasn't even playing for his own crew?
* It's little or no consolation, but Kings forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim leads the league in field-goal percentage at .551 .
* Is it more incredible that Philadelphia's 6-foot, 165-pound Allen Iverson averages 43.8 minutes per game or leads the league at 34.1 points per game?
* Boston guard Delonte West was the less heralded backcourtmate of Jameer Nelson at Saint Joseph's in 2003-04, but he's the one who starts in the NBA. Nelson comes off the bench for the Orlando Magic. West is smooth, confident and a better shooter.
* More and more, it appears the Kings' biggest mistake of the offseason was not re-signing shooter extraordinaire Eddie House. The little combo guard is putting up numbers off the bench for Phoenix.
* Meanwhile, Memphis on Friday welcomed back former Kings guard Bobby Jackson, who had not played since he injured his hamstring on Dec. 9.
* The Grizzlies' Damon Stoudamire was having an excellent season after arriving from Portland as a free agent, but after rupturing a tendon in his knee, he will join Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire on the rehabilitation trail.
About the writer: The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.
