NBA All-Star Snubs

It's time for America's favorite game show...Guess who was snubbed!!

With the announcement of the NBA's All-Star reserves last evening, there's always (and I do mean always) a wave of those that were not chosen by the coaches within their conference to be a reserve. I have found one common thread, but we'll wait a bit before that's unveiled.

First to the Eastern Conference. I'll give you the stats of three players who were "contending" for one spot.

Player A: 19.4 points a game/11.6 rebounds
Player B: 19.0 points a game/9.4 rebounds
Player C: 13.6 points a game/9.8 rebounds

Who are you selecting? To me, it's so obvious that Player A deserves the nod, right? Well, if it isn't Player A, it has to be Player B. Player B scores more then Player C and barely has less boards. So, if it's not Player A, then it's Player B, right?

(Buzzer sounds).

I'm sorry. It's Player C that the coaches selected. You've probably been able to figure out that since I do not have any assist numbers, that these players are most likely centers, and they are.

Player A is David Lee of the New York Knicks. Player B is Brook Lopez of the New Jersey Nets. Player C is Al Horford (right) of the Atlanta Hawks. Based on straight stats, Lee should be going, but Horford got the nod...for one reason. He's a Hawk and Atlanta has won 29 games in comparison to the Knicks 18 wins and we all know about the plight of the Nets and their 4 whole victories.

We're going to stay in the East with the second snub.

Player A: 18.7 points a game/4.8 boards/3.6 assists
Player B: 21.9 points a game/8.7 boards/1.2 assists
Player C: 18.6 points a game/11.0 boards/1.9 assists

This one's a bit tricky as two of the three made the reserve squad. I'm adding a bit of a wrinkle, too. Who, of these three should not go?

I'm thinking Player A shouldn't be going. I know he's got more assists, but he gets clobbered on the boards. Player C dominates on the boards. Player C does have the lowest acoring average, but it's a mere 0.1 points compared to Player A.

(Buzzer)

Players A and C made the team and Player B (the highest scorer) is left out in the cold. Player A is Boston's Paul Pierce. Player B is Washington's Antawn Jamison (left). Player C is Charlotte's Gerald Wallace. Yes, Jamison is clearly being snubbed because he's a Wizard, a team that only has 14 wins. The Bobcats have 22 and the C's have 29.

In the West, here's the picture at a certain position.

Player A: 23.1 points/5.0 assists/4.6 rebounds
Player B: 26.0 points/5.6 assists/4.3 rebounds
Player C: 24.8 points/4.9 assists/4.8 rebounds

One made it, two didn't. Who made it? Player B should clearly get this one, shouldn't he? He has the highest scoring average and higher assist numbers. You couldn't go wrong with Player C either. He scores more than Player A and has a couple more boards overall. He only lacks a tad in assists.

(Buzzer)

Wrong. That honor as a reserve would go to Player A despite having the lowest scoring average. Player A is Portland's Brandon Roy (right). Player B is Golden State's Monta Ellis. Player C is Sacramento's Tyreke Evans.

Again, a winning team's player get rewarded. Portland has 27 wins while Golden State has amassed only 13 and Sacramento has 16.

There's no exact way anyone can surmise how a player is placed on an All-Star team. To me, it's about stats. Reward those having good seasons. I know that others may feel a different way and would also add winning into their equation.

But the NBA already has something for winning. It's called the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.