National Basketball Association

Fresh faces deserve All-Star nods

Published Jan. 28, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Clear the decks. We’re casting our ballot for the NBA All-Star Game reserves.

Usually, we’re dead set against awarding berths to players from teams with losing records. But we've seen the light. This is a season when we’re putting more emphasis on individual achievements, because there already have been some near-legendary games and breakthroughs on the part of some of the best young players the league has seen in years.

In other words, Tim Duncan, you’re staying home.

In other words, Blake Griffin, welcome to All-Star weekend.

In selecting reserves, we’re following the same guidelines that coaches are working under when they make the selections that will be announced on Thursday. Backup spots will go to two guards, two forwards, one center and two players at any position.

In the East …

At guard, you’ve got to put Boston’s Rajon Rondo on the team, no question. He’s leading the league in assists at close to 13 per game. That’s a number that hasn’t been seen in almost 20 years, not since the immortal John Stockton averaged 13.7 in 1991-92. Rondo is a lock.

The other spot goes to Atlanta’s Joe Johnson over New York’s Raymond Felton. Johnson has been a warrior, returning two weeks early from an elbow operation. His numbers are not gaudy (19.6 ppg, 4 rpg, 5.4 apg). But he’s one of the big reasons that the Hawks are in contention for the lead in the Southeast Division.

Felton played like an All-Star from mid-November through mid-December, when the Knicks reeled off 13 wins in 14 games. But his play has slipped decidedly as the Knicks have gone 8-12 over their last 20, with his scoring and shooting averages dipping right along with the frigid temperatures in the Big Apple.

At forward, we’re going green: Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and it’s not exactly a tough decision. The Big Ticket and The Captain have driven Doc Rivers’ team to the top record in the East and second-best record overall to San Antonio.

We couldn’t go with Carlos Boozer in Chicago. Missing the first 17 games of the season because of injury, he just hasn’t played enough. That means that Derrick Rose, who is having an MVP type of season, will be the Bulls’ lone representative.

At center, the pickings are slim, but that’s no surprise because Dwight Howard doesn’t have any rivals in the East. Toronto’s Andrea Bargnani certainly has All-Star quality scoring stats, averaging 21.5 ppg. But we’re going with the Hawks’ Al Horford, with 16 points and 10 rebounds per outing. Those aren’t exactly eye-popping numbers, but in this case, we’ll take the team record over the individual achievement.

For the two players at any position, Miami’s Chris Bosh is a lock. He really hit his stride in December and had been playing at an All-Star level until a recent ankle injury. Bosh has been overshadowed by two future Hall of Famers in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. But he’s shown his importance to the team, especially when it comes to his post play.

The other spot goes to Ray Allen. Believe me, I have trouble putting four Celtics on the team. Why? Last we checked, they’re not the ’96 Bulls. But who else was there? I couldn’t pick the Pacers’ Danny Granger or Bargnani or Felton. Orlando doesn’t deserve to send two players, nor does Chicago. The Wizards’ John Wall? Please. The No. 1 draft pick overall from last June has struggled and isn’t even the best rookie in the East. That honor goes to the Knicks’ Landry Fields.

Memo to East teams: Start drafting some talented players, because the West is kicking your butt in that department.

Out West …

This side of the NBA is loaded at guard, as usual. For our money, the spots should go to the Spurs’ Manu Ginobili and the Thunder’s Russell Westbrook. No one thought the Spurs would have the best record in the Southwest Division, let alone the entire league. Manu makes it because he’s the best player on the best team, plain and simple.

We gave Westbrook the nod over Manu's teammate, Tony Parker. Except for shooting stats, Westbrook’s 22 ppg, 8.4 assists and almost two steals a night top Parker’s numbers. In this case, we’re taking youth over a deserving elder statesman.

At forward, our picks are the Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki and the Clippers’ Blake Griffin. When the Mavs ran off 24 wins in their first 30 games and had about 10 quality wins and looked like legitimate candidates to get back to the NBA Finals, Nowitzki was our MVP. Then when he went down with a knee injury, he showed his value to the team as the Mavs lost six straight and were 2-9 without him.

It’s taken Griffin almost no time at all to establish himself as one of the top talents and most exciting players to come down the pike in years. The Clippers do have a losing record, but they are 16-15 over their past 31 games. Griffin’s scoring and rebounding — 23 points and 13 boards a night — are certainly All-Star caliber, and he’s done more to help turn his team's season around than anyone else after their 1-13 start.

What also will help: He makes an almost nightly appearance on the highlight shows with some of the greatest dunks we’ve ever seen. Right now, he’s the second-best player in L.A., after Kobe Bryant.

At the center spot, Yao Ming, the leading vote-getter at the position, can’t play because of injury, which is nothing but good news because it opens up a spot. David Stern will name a replacement, and there will be sentiment for the commish to give Duncan the Irving Thalberg Memorial Award for lifetime achievement. Sorry, but his numbers have slipped well below All-Star level. At last check, he’s 66th in scoring at 13.6 ppg.

Stern should name Pau Gasol as Yao’s replacement. He's overcome a December swoon and is often the best big man in the game. That still leaves us with a backup spot in the middle. Here, we're going with a forward who plays on a 10-win team. Why? Because Kevin Love deserves it by:

• Averaging 21.6 points and a league-high 15.7 rebounds per game. The last player to average 20-plus points and 15-plus rebounds in a season was Moses Malone in 1982-83.

• Posting three games with 30-plus points and 20-plus rebounds. There were only three such games in the NBA all of last season, and no others yet this year. Love had two of those games during November. Only four players in the past 25 years have posted multiple 30/20 games in the same month — Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O'Neal are the others.

• Recording 31 points and 31 rebounds against the Knicks, becoming only the 19th player in NBA history to post a 30-30 game, and the first since Moses Malone in 1982.

Now, on to the last two spots. There is no shortage of candidates. You can make a case for Parker or Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge. While the Blazers have been beset by major injuries to Oden and team-leader Brandon Roy, Aldridge has made every tip-off and has put the Blazers in playoff contention.

But I’m going with two other players. With six straight losses, Utah has had a disappointing season. But Deron Williams continues to be among the elite playmakers in the NBA. Whether it’s scoring (21.9 ppg) or getting the ball to Utah’s scorers (9.4 apg), he deserves a roster spot.

You can argue that the last spot should go to the Spurs’ Parker. Admittedly, it’s hard not to give San Antonio two berths, considering its league-best record. But as I said at the top, I’m rewarding individual performance and going with new blood in the Warriors’ Monta Ellis.

No, Golden State’s 19-26 record isn’t anything to crow about. But like Love and Griffin, Ellis is putting up fantastic stats that just can’t be overlooked. He’s averaging 26 ppg on 47 percent shooting overall, while pouring in 37 percent of his 3-pointers. Those numbers are All-Star quality, any way you look at it.