Why Boston Celtics Forward Kevin Garnett Didn’t Deserve To Be Named An NBA All-Star Starter
By Chris Walder
Mandatory Credit: Bob
With the voting system that’s currently in place, NBA fans around the world have complete control over who earns a spot in the starting line-up for both conference all-star teams.
It’s all one big overblown affair anyways. The actual game means nothing in retrospect. The whole weekend is designed purely to give the fans exactly what they want. If they want to see certain players compete, then what’s stopping them?
Being named a starter for either the Eastern or Western conference all-star teams is a huge honor. It’s proof in the pudding that you are seen as one of the best all-around basketball players in the league today.
With that being said….
What on Earth is Kevin Garnett doing there?
Now, I don’t really have the right to complain about this selection, as loyal NBA fans are the reason he’s in the starting unit in the first place. We all voted him in.
It wasn’t his fault.
I just can’t put my finger on why exactly he was voted in.
He’s certainly a well-renowned player. He’s a name. He’s popular. He’s been one of the more polarizing figures around the league for the past 18 seasons.
He’s the also master of getting under the skin of opposing players with his verbal onslaughts. Just ask Carmelo Anthony.
By the way, Carmelo was also named a starter for the Eastern Conference all-star team. That should be interesting.
If I was a casual fan and saw his name on the ballot, I’d probably check it off as well.
Although, based on the numbers he’s been putting up for an underachieving Celtics squad (20-18, 8th in Eastern Conference) this season, his starting nod seems rather unwarranted.
Through 38 games, Garnett is averaging 14.6 points on 51.1% shooting. He’s also grabbing 7.1 rebounds and dishing out 2.1 assists a game. His numbers are down across the board in most statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, blocks, free-throw percentage).
With all due respect of course, I can think of two or three guys (Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls, Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks) right off the top that probably deserved to be a starter over Garnett this year.
In fact, just by looking at their numbers side-by-side, you can see a major discrepancy.
Kevin Garnett: 14.6 points, 51.1% field-goal percentage, 7.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.8 blocks
Chris Bosh: 17.5 points, 54.5 % field-goal percentage, 7.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.4 blocks
Tyson Chandler: 12.4 points, 67.3% field-goal percentage, 11.0 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.1 blocks
Joakim Noah: 12.4 points, 45.6% field-goal percentage, 10.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 2.0 blocks
Not only are those three men having better years numbers-wise, but their teams are also fairing better in the standings as well.
Does a team that’s just two games over .500 warrant two all-star starters?
I don’t think so. Although, in the west, the Los Angeles Lakers are even worse off with a record of 17-22 and they also have two starters.
Garnett isn’t having a terrible year, but I still feel that there are more deserving candidates that should have been thrusted in to his spot instead. He didn’t even make the all-star team last season, and he was arguably having a much better year.
Now he’s a starter? Come on.
Call me old school, but numbers should matter. Talent should matter. This is proof in the pudding that all you have to be is fan-friendly to be voted in by the masses.
The fans got this one wrong, in my opinion.
Kevin Garnett is an all-star starter. End of story. I just don’t believe he should be, that’s all.