Sir Charles In Charge » Jeremy Lin

Why The NBA All-Star Voting System Needs To Change

Chris Walder — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 17:23:18 +0000

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Leave it to the one and only “Sir” Charles Barkley to stir up a bit of controversy once again.

In a recent interview with South Florida’s 104.3 The Ticket WMSF-FM, Charles let it be known how he feels about the crop of players currently slotted in to be starters at the 62nd edition of the NBA All-Star game in Houston this February.

“I don’t think the fans should ever vote is because they just vote for their favorite players. I’m a big Kevin Garnett fan. But there’s no way in the world he should be starting the All-Star game right now. And the same way with Dwight Howard. Those fans who have penciled those two guys in (to) start… that’s a travesty to be honest. I like Dwight Howard but he ain’t played like no All-Star this year and Kevin Garnett (the same).”

A travesty? I wouldn’t go to that extreme, but the “Round Mound of Rebound” does have a valid point.

As of now, both Dwight Howard of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics are pencilled in as starters for the Eastern and Western Conference All-Star teams based solely on fan-voting. Howard ranks second with 716,671 and Garnett is third with 390,751 for their respective teams.

The NBA All-Star game is just an overblown, overhyped contest of some of the best players in the sport, with nothing of real value at stake. If the fans want to see players like Garnett and Howard participate in the event, then what’s stopping them?

The votes have spoken.

But…

Do they deserve to be there based on their individual performances up until this point?

In my humble opinion, the answer is clear as day.

No.

Through 32 games, Kevin Garnett is averaging 14.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists a game. Taking away his shooting from the field (field goal percentage), his numbers are down across the board in every statistical category. The Boston Celtics also sit with a record of 15-17 and are struggling to maintain a hold on that final eighth playoff spot in the East.

So what exactly has Kevin done this season to warrant so many votes?

Nothing really.

He’s a name. He’s one of the most recognizable players in the league. He also plays in a big basketball market in Boston. Garnett is receiving votes based on his play from years past, as his struggles this season certainly don’t warrant a spot on the team, let alone as a starter.

What about the leagues residential “Superman”, Dwight Howard? Dwight is averaging 17.4 points (down from last seasons 20.6) and 12.0 rebounds (down from last seasons 14.5) through the same 32 game span. He’s still one of the dominating superstars in the NBA today, but his production on the court has certainly taken a hit since he’s come over to the Los Angeles Lakers. The team also find themselves two games out of the final playoff spot in the west with a record of 15-17 and have clearly been one of the more disappointing stories in basketball these past two and a half months.

Kobe Bryant, Dwight’s teammate in L.A, is currently the overall leader in votes with 1,117,456. Do the Lakers deserve two of their stars as starters in this years all-star game, considering their struggles thus far?

I don’t believe they do, but that doesn’t matter.

Again, the votes speak for themselves.

That’s where I have an issue, and that’s where I begin to agree with Charles Barkley.

The system we have in place now isn’t perfect. Heck, Houston Rockets guard Jeremy Lin sits third amongst Western Conference guards with 605,624 votes. Lakers guard Steve Nash, who has missed a majority of the season due to injury, has more votes (202,274) than Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (97,671) and San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (128,996).

That’s not right.

I am fully aware that this game is merely an exhibition and the fans should hold all of the power as this is all for them. I understand that.

All I’m saying is that considering the importance we put on players who have earned all-star nods over the years and the pedestal we put them on after earning such a distinction, why can’t we just spread out the voting in a more equal manner so that people who know what they’re talking about and have a mind for the sport can have their say as well?

How would that work? How about this..

25% of the votes come from the fans. 25% of the votes come from select media. 25% of the votes come from league head coaches. 25% of the votes come from the players. That would go towards both the starting line-ups and second units.

I truly believe that this is the perfect system. The fans still have their say, yet we all don’t have to feel that the voting is tainted and misguided.

Then again, it’s never going to change. It’s always going to be this way.

The votes have spoken. The fans have spoken.

Chris Walder is the Lead Editor for Sir Charles in Charge. You may follow him on Twitter @WALDERSPORTS

NBA Games of the Week: Dec. 25 – 30 (Previews/Predictions)

Jay Rosales — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 16:15:51 +0000

Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday, December 25 – Oklahoma City Thunder (21 – 5) vs. Miami Heat (18 – 6)

This game needs little to no introduction. David Stern ensured we’d all spend our entire Christmas day hovering around TV to watch some premium games, but the NBA Finals rematch is still head and shoulders above the rest as the Game of the Day. The obvious matchup to key in on is Kevin Durant and LeBron James, the leading candidates for MVP. Another one to keep track of is Ray Allen and Kevin Martin. They couple as the off-season’s best acquisitions as well as two of the best 6th men in the NBA.

Keys to Victory: One of the main reasons for the Thunder’s demise last season was the disappearance of James Harden. This is the ultimate audition for Martin to prove that he’ll provide what Harden couldn’t against the Heat – scoring and spark off the bench. If Miami learned anything from last year’s Finals, it’s how to effectively use James as a Point Forward. Playing as a 4, James could either use his improved post game to score at will, or break his man down to open up the floor for his 3-point shooters.

Prediction: Oklahoma City wins 105 – 101.

Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Wednesday, December 26 – Golden State Warriors (18 – 10) vs. Utah Jazz (15 – 14)

Before the season started, you’d be hard-pressed to find prognosticators who chose either of these teams to make the playoffs. I’ve already made my case for the Warriors here. As for the Jazz, how could you get excited for an eighth-seeded team whose off-season acquisitions were a pair of Williamses (Mo & Marvin) and reviving the corpse of Jamaal Tinsley? Yet, here they both currently stand as playoff contenders with solid contributions up and down their respective lineups.

Keys to Victory: As well as David Lee and Carl Landry have been rebounding (11.4 & 6.8 respectively), Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap have been better (10.4 & 8.2). The winner of this game may be decided on Golden State’s defensive end. They rank 4th in defensive rebounding, but the Jazz rank 3rd in offensive rebounding.

Prediction: Utah wins 110 – 102.

Thursday, December 27 – Boston Celtics (13 – 13) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (21 – 6)

It’s Rajon Rondo. It’s Chris Paul. It’s the battle for the mythical title of Best Point Guard in the NBA. Imagine this – Rondo goes off for a triple-double while Paul wins the tight game with six points in the final minute. Sound plausible, doesn’t it? Paul Pierce is coming off a 40-point outing vs. Cleveland, so Caron Butler and Matt Barnes should have their hands full. If you think Kevin Garnett will stand idle while DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin try posterizing, think again!

Keys to Victory: Boston will need their backcourt veterans off the bench to step up. Jason Terry and Leandro Barbosa need to match the output of Jamal Crawford and Eric Bledsoe if the Celtics have any shot at winning this game. For the Clippers, they need to be aggressive on the ball-handler and jump the passing lanes. Boston’s Big Three averages eight turnovers a game, while L.A. is the league leader in steals per game.

Prediction: Clippers win 108 – 92.

Friday, December 28 – Philadelphia 76ers (13 – 14) vs. Golden State Warriors (18 – 10)

The Warriors recently completed a 7-game Eastern Conference road trip where they went 6 – 1, including victories over Brooklyn, Atlanta, and Miami. Yet, they still lost ground on the streaking Clippers! The Warriors need to take care of business against inferior competition if they want stay in playoff hunt. Their last three losses have been to teams with sub-.500 records. The Sixers have been playing well despite not getting a single minute from Andrew Bynum. Jrue Holiday has been playing like a bona fide All-Star, averaging 18.9 points, 8.9 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. This will be their third game of an eight-game road trip that will truly test their mettle as a playoff-worthy team.

Keys to Victory: The Sixers don’t stand out in any particular statistical category, other than limiting their turnovers (2nd in the NBA). Earlier this season, they defeated a Utah Jazz club that has many similarities to this Golden State team (both are top 5 in points, steals, and assists). Philadelphia won that game by getting their usual All-Star contribution from Holiday (26 points, 7 assists, 6 boards), as well as scoring from multiple sources (Jason Richardson, 20 points, Thaddeus Young, 14 points, and Nick Young, 12 points off the bench). For the Warriors, they need to take advantage of the road-weary Sixers and get off to a fast start. Golden State ranks 6th in pace, while Philly ranks 25th.

Prediction: Golden State wins 105 – 90.

Saturday, December 29 – Oklahoma City Thunder (21 – 5) vs. Houston Rockets (14 – 12)

If the playoffs were to start today, these two would meet in the first round. That’s possibly seven games of playoff basketball bliss! The Thunder are #1 in offensive efficiency while the Rockets are #1 in points per game and pace. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are the top scoring duo in the NBA while James Harden and Jeremy Lin are the top duo in steals per game. This game also marks Kevin Martin’s return to Houston. Expect a nice reception when the leading candidate for 6th man of the year enters the game.

Keys to Victory: In their first meeting this year, Durant grabbed the headlines by scoring 37 points, but it was the play of their bench that pushed it into a one-sided affair. The Rockets will need some better production if they hope to pull the upset. Marcus Morris is coming off his two best games of the season (based on game score), and Greg Smith provides solid rebounding and efficient shooting off the bench. For the Thunder, Westbrook will need to assert himself against Lin. Last time around, Westbrook only score 14 points, missed all his 3-point attempts, shot 40% from the line, and turned the ball over five times.

Prediction: Oklahoma City wins 110 – 108.

Sunday, December 30 – Boston Celtics (13 – 13) vs. Sacramento Kings (9 – 18)

Call me crazy, but I have a weird feeling that a fight will break out in this game. DeMarcus Cousins (if he is to play) led the NBA in personal fouls in his first two seasons and has always been known as a loose cannon, dating back to his days in Kentucky. Throw him in the post against the most intense Power Forward of the past 15 years, Kevin Garnett, and you have the makings of an extremely physical battle down low. This also gets my Game of the Day, stamp-of-approval because you really should witness Sacramento’s collective reaction when Jimmer Fredette steps on the floor. He’s a crowd favourite that has put up some great numbers off the bench, leading the team in PER, TS%, ORtg, and WS/48 minutes.

Keys to Victory: The Kings need Marcus Thornton, Aaron Brooks, and Isaiah Thomas to hit their threes. This will keep Boston’s perimeter defenders honest and keep the post free of double-teaming on Cousins and Jason Thompson. For the Celtics, they need to crash the boards on the defensive end. Sacramento ranks 25th in FG%, but Cousins and Thompson both average more rebounds per game than any Celtic.

Prediction: Boston wins 108 – 94.

Last Week: 4 – 3

Season Record: 29 – 18

Jay Rosales is a writer for Sir Charles in Charge. You may follow him on Twitter at @Rosalesaurus