NBA All-Star Snubs: Why Golden State Warriors Guard Stephen Curry Deserved To Make The Team
By Chris Walder
Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
All-Star snub alert!
This is a big one.
It’s hard to include everyone. Seven spots isn’t a lot when you think about it. There were going to be some big names left off. That’s just the way it is.
However, there is absolutely no excuse for not including Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry.
None.
Forward David Lee became the first Warriors player since 1997 (Latrell Sprewell) to be selected to the roster, and rightfully so. He’s just half a point away from being the only player in the league averaging 20 points and ten rebounds a game this season (19.6 points, 10.8 rebounds).
The team is playing out of their minds at the moment and defying all logic and perception on a nightly basis. They step on those who predicted a failure of a year with every win they obtain. No one outside of Oakland had the Warriors 11 games over .500 (26-15) and sitting comfortably in the 5th seed in the Western Conference halfway through the season.
I certainly didn’t.
That deserves to be commended. That deserves to be applauded. Coach Mark Jackson has done a fantastic job rallying his players and getting them to play winning basketball.
When it was revealed that arguably his best and most important player (Curry) was royally snubbed from the Western Conference roster, Jackson immediately brought the selection process into question.
"“We know who the jurors are,” Jackson said, referring to the Western Conference’s head coaches. “I think you have to question the process. I’m not going to go all Dr. King on us, but you’ve got to stand for what’s right, man. These guys have changed this whole organization. They have led. They have sacrificed. They have defended. They have competed.” (San Francisco Chronicle)"
I’m not going to argue with the David Lee pick, because even I had him making the team when I made my predictions prior to the reveal. He’s having a tremendous year and absolutely deserved to be rewarded for it.
While Lee is clearly a big part of the Warriors turnaround, none of this would be happening without Stephen Curry. He is their most valuable player, with all due respect to Lee.
Through 39 games (he’s staying healthy), Curry is averaging 20.9 points (8th in NBA), 6.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds. He’s also shooting a staggering 45.1% from behind the arc, which is second-best in the league.
Those numbers alone warrant the strongest of consideration, especially when you compare them to the other guards who made the All-Star team.
James Harden | 25.8 PPG, 5.4 AST, 4.5 REB, 58.3 TS%, 22.0 PER | Rockets‘ record: 22-22
Russell Westbrook | 22.7 PPG, 7.1 AST, 5.3 REB, 51.9 TS%, 23.0 PER |Thunder’s record: 33-10
Tony Parker | 19.8 PPG, 7.4 AST, 58.0 TS%, 22.9 PER | Spurs‘ record: 34-11
Stephen Curry | 20.9 PPG, 6.6 AST, 4.1 REB, 57.4 TS%, 19.8 PER |Warriors‘ record: 26-15
(*numbers courtesy of SBNation)
Since I’m not at all happy with the Curry snub, I suppose I should come up with a player who did make the team to remove so I can put Stephen in his place.
I’m not sold on TrailBlazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge as an all-star, and that has nothing to do with him being the only player selected that I didn’t pick in my predictions.
There is no question that from a statistical standpoint, Aldridge is right up there with the best forwards in the game today. Although, the Blazers are struggling this season, unlike the Warriors, who are thriving in a very difficult division and conference. I’m not so sure LaMarcus is even the most important player on his own team right now with the way rookie Damian Lillard is playing.
Look, I’m not nearly as upset over Aldridge making it over Curry as I am that Curry didn’t make it in the first place.
Heck, if only one Warrior could make it, I would have rather seen Stephen make it over Lee, but I suppose beggars can’t be choosers.
I have this feeling that coaches decided to slight Curry because this is the first time we’ve really seen him be consistently good. Perhaps he needs to show more over a longer span before the league really starts giving him some love.
Everyone has their own opinion on who the snubs are for the All-Star team, but after reading and witnessing reactions to the roster reveal last night, I think it’s safe to say that Stephen Curry is one of the more universal snubs that we can all agree on.