All Stars 2017

courtesy: nba.com

Of all the years I have been writing this blog, I've been ranting and raving about all star selections.  Some years haven't been so bad, but others have gotten downright ugly.  This year is about as close to perfect (in my mind) as it's going to get.

West:
Anthony Davis
Kawhi Leonard 
Kevin Durant
Stephen Curry
James Harden
Russell Westbrook
Demarcus Cousins
Klay Thompson 
Draymond Green
Marc Gasol
Gordon Hayward
DeAndre Jordan

East:
LeBron James
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Jimmy Butler 
Kyrie Irving
Demar Derozan
John Wall
Paul George
Kyle Lowry 
Paul Millsap
Kevin Love
Isaiah Thomas
Kemba Walker

The root of the problem every year was the fans voting the starting lineups.  Fans are morons.  (Myself included on that list.)  This year, and hopefully forever going forward, fans only accounted for 50% of the votes.  Which we are lucky that is the case because otherwise Zaza Pachulia would be starting for the West team.  For the record that is the most extreme example of fair-weather fan voting I've ever seen.  The entire Warriors starting 5 doesn't need to be all stars just because they are a "super-team."  

Another factor helping the cause (and me from pulling out my hair) is that the beloved, yet past their prime stars are all almost all gone.  The most extreme offenders from this list were: Kobe, Yao, Iverson, and T-Mac.  So until LeBron and Curry get a little grey, we "shouldn't" have to worry about this for a while.  

Along those same lines, I was amazed that Carmelo and Wade didn't get voted in.  Don't get me wrong, I'm happy they didn't, but I figured the New York faithful would at least get Melo in there. Their buddy Chris Paul would have been a snub this year had he not gotten hurt last week.  He was having a fantastic season, but since he wouldn't be able to play anyway, it doesn't matter that much that he wasn't voted in.  

Speaking of point guards, every was up in arms that Westbrook wasn't starting despite averaging a triple double so far this year. Naturally Steph Curry was voted in; it was close though).  Now I will admit that it was a bit ridiculous that he wasn't voted a starter, but Curry is still MVP-esque level so he really wasn't being "robbed" since another elite player was playing in front of him.  It's just those undeserving popularity votes that kill me.  

Here's hoping to another good voting turnout next year!