OT: Blake Griffin to be named All-Star Reserve?

[Darkwebs]

RT @reallisa: hint Blake Griffin will be named All-Star reserve: Clippers' flight moved up so they won't be flying during announcement.

according to Adande's twitter.

Well, there goes one All-Star spot if this tweet is correct, and to a PF no less. Looks like LaMarcus' chance of being an All-Star just diminished ever so slightly. I think he stil has a good chance to make the team- it's probably gonna come down to either him or Love (and maybe Z-Bo, to a lesser extent).

If I had to put money on it, I would guess LaMarcus makes it, especially with that outstanding performance against the Spurs, though who knows how much that helped since I think many coaches would have submitted their All-Star ballots already.

It will be announced during the Heat-Magic game on TNT. Can't wait!

 

[Klinky]

LaMarcus would be a real "feel good" story for the All-Star Game. They'd be crazy not to invite him just for the political gains alone...

 

[illmatic99]

Best rookie since Timmy, and not just because of his numbers either. Totally deserves to make the team.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Griffin is a stud who has better numbers than Aldridge.

 

[julius]

Griffin is a stud who has better numbers than Aldridge.

that doesn't always mean a player is a all star. Monta Ellis had better #'s than Brandon last year, yet didn't make the team.

 

[crowTrobot]

it's probably gonna come down to either him or Love (and maybe Z-Bo, to a lesser extent)

or him and duncan

 

[Nikolokolus]

that doesn't always mean a player is a all star. Monta Ellis had better #'s than Brandon last year, yet didn't make the team.

Better per game numbers perhaps, but he was horribly inefficient getting those numbers. Conversely, Griffin is getting his by shooting at a higher percentage than LMA, getting to the line far more often than LMA, with a significantly higher rebound rate than LMA and a much higher assist rate. The one knock you could pin on Griffin is that his defense is pretty mediocre.

I don't get the uproar. Sure I'd like to see LMA get in, but leaving Griffin off the squad would be a travesty IMO -- especially since his game is tailor made for an exhibition like this.

 

[crowTrobot]

skipping rookie soph game if he makes it. boooooooo

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports....star-game-expect-him-to-miss-rookie-challenge

 

[agoo]

I think this is a case of laundry over actual thought process. Griffin over Aldridge is a no-brainer. As for Love, Randolph, or the Tim Duncan life-time achievement award, I wouldn't be holding my breath waiting for Aldridge to make it.

 

[Natebishop3]

I think this is a case of laundry over actual thought process. Griffin over Aldridge is a no-brainer. As for Love, Randolph, or the Tim Duncan life-time achievement award, I wouldn't be holding my breath waiting for Aldridge to make it.

Yeah... it's pretty sad how hard it is to make the team in the west.

 

[illmatic99]

I remember KP finding out and telling Roy he made it the morning of the day they announce the all stars. Pretty sure Cho and LA know now if he's made it or not.

I really want him to make it and would be a bit disappointed if he didn't, but otoh, he could use the rest.

 

[MIXUM]

excellent point yuyuza .... they already know.

theres also the chance someone gets hurt and la goes that way like randolph did last year

 

[Natebishop3]

excellent point yuyuza .... they already know.

theres also the chance someone gets hurt and la goes that way like randolph did last year

Maybe it's just me, but I've always thought that making it as a consolation All-Star wasn't quite as special.

 

[chris_in_pdx]

LaMarcus would be a real "feel good" story for the All-Star Game. They'd be crazy not to invite him just for the political gains alone...

That is, if the NBA thought that the average NBA fan gave two shits about the Blazers.

 

[PapaG]

skipping rookie soph game if he makes it. boooooooo

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports....star-game-expect-him-to-miss-rookie-challenge

Since he's in the dunk contest, I don't think it's unreasonable that he skips the rookie game. He should get at least one day of rest over the break (without travel).

 

[PapaG]

Maybe it's just me, but I've always thought that making it as a consolation All-Star wasn't quite as special.

It pays the same. I don't think the player would mind at all.

"Oh no, I'm only the 13th best player in the West!!!"

 

[B-Roy]

Well done. He deserves it.

 

[andalusian]

I have no problems at all with Griffin making the team. He deserves it just fine.

If Love get in over LMA, however, that would be pretty stupid.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I have no problems at all with Griffin making the team. He deserves it just fine.

If Love get in over LMA, however, that would be pretty stupid.

Why would it be stupid? He is the leading rebounder in the NBA. He has better number almost across the board than Aldridge. His team sucks, but is that really his fault?

 

[PapaG]

Why would it be stupid? He is the leading rebounder in the NBA. He has better number almost across the board than Aldridge. His team sucks, but is that really his fault?

His lack of defense and diversity on offense plays a large role in his team being the worst in the West.

Love seems to me to be all about himself and his stats. Winning seems secondary. Every interview I've heard from him centers around his stats. He lost me when he told Dan Patrick that a 22/16 game that they lost wasn't a "Kevin Love game".

I really don't think the guy cares if he wins of loses. Now that Rambis lets him do whatever he wants, notice how he isn't complaining anymore. Yet, the team is still complete crap.

 

[andalusian]

Why would it be stupid? He is the leading rebounder in the NBA. He has better number almost across the board than Aldridge. His team sucks, but is that really his fault?

Most certainly he is part of the problem. His god-awful defense is a big issue.

The way I look at it is this - the Blazers are +15.3 points per 100 possessions with Aldridge on the court compared to when he is off. The T-Pups are only +4 pts. per 100 possessions with Love on the court compared to when he is off. The Wolves margin per game is around -6, without Love they would be -10 which would move them from the worst team in the western conference to the worst team in the western conference.

With LMA the Blazer's margin per game is about 0, remove LMA's contributions and the Blazers go from #8 in the conference to the worst team in the conference.

If you use margin on/off and remove both LMA from the Blazers and Love from the T-Pups, the Blazers margin per game will bearound -12 or -13 (because the Blazers have a slower pace it's not the entire -15.3 points), worse than the -10 margin the T-Pups would be without Love.

It is pretty clear to me, using these statistics - that LMA's contributions for the Blazers wins are much much bigger than Love's are to the Pups.

At the end of the day it looks to me as if this is an all-"star" game, not an all-"utility" player. Love to me, is not a star. You can not build a good team with him as your #1 player in the NBA. You can around LMA. I have no doubts that whenever a team plays the Blazers the coaches go around and say "if we contain LMA, we have a good chance of winning this game". I doubt very much coaches go into games against the pups saying that "if we contain Love, we win this game". He is just not a star. Fantastic role player, every team can use a guy with his rebounding skills - and he can shoot, he can pass some and he is not a head case. He is like Z-Bo without the off-court drama and with better ability to play within a system at the cost of less one-on-one ability to create for himself. Would love having him on the Blazers next to LMA - but would hate seeing him replace LMA. He is just not that good, not that dominant, not a star.

 

[Natebishop3]

I just think the problem is that LMA is too plain. No flash. Griffin gets the love because of his numbers, but also the rim rattling dunks.

 

[andalusian]

I just think the problem is that LMA is too plain. No flash. Griffin gets the love because of his numbers, but also the rim rattling dunks.

I think that at this point - LMA is a better player than Griffin, but Griffin is a star, even if he is not as good, statistically, as LMA. I have no doubts that stopping Griffin is item #1 on the board for every coach playing against the Clips. Griffin deserves to go to the all-star game. Everyone wants to see him, he is a major piece for his team and the one the other teams have to prepare for. LMA is all of the above except - not everyone wants to see him. Love is nothing of the sort - no-one prepares for him, no-one really cares much to see him - he is just numbers. If you want to go see numbers - go to a bar with a Keno display (or play the lottery - which is funny, because Love plays for the lottery as well).

 

[PapaG]

I just think the problem is that LMA is too plain. No flash. Griffin gets the love because of his numbers, but also the rim rattling dunks.

Griffin's team isn't terrible, either.

I think LMA, Griffin, and Z-BO all deserve to be All-Stars over Kevin Love.

All that Love has proven is that he can put up stats as the primary option on a truly terrible team.

 

[Natebishop3]

Griffin's team isn't terrible, either.

I think LMA, Griffin, and Z-BO all deserve to be All-Stars over Kevin Love.

All that Love has proven is that he can put up stats as the primary option on a truly terrible team.

I suspect that if Roy was healthy and Aldridge was putting up these numbers in addition to Roy's usual numbers, he would be a lock. Of course, the team would also be playing significantly better if Roy was healthy too.

 

[Moo2K4]

Blake absolutely deserves it. Hell, he's the only player in the NBA this year averaging 20/10/3. Beyond that, he's bee the most must-see player in the NBA this entire season. It would make no sense for him to not to be there, regardless of his teams W/L record.

 

[hasoos]

I won't be surprised if 2 power fowards are picked for backups because it is most likely 2 SF are going to start.

 

[Rhal]

I have no problem that Blake making the game, he is the kind of showy player you want in an allstar game. Kevin Love does not deserve to be on it, he is all about his own stats with shitty shitty defense and the timberwolves score keepers gift him 2 to 3 rebounds per game at home, sometimes more.

 

[HailBlazers]

Seriously, If this Game is about Fun what would be the point of putting Love it in!? At least LMA can throw down some Oops

 

[hasoos]

Seriously, If this Game is about Fun what would be the point of putting Love it in!? At least LMA can throw down some Oops

But it isn't. It's about money. They were charging $150 a ticket for that pile of shit game last year. Ridiculous.