| 07 February 2011
1) Your All-NBA Team after three months of play, please and thanks (2 guards, 2 forwards, 1 center).
Don: 1. My All NBA team...
Derrick Rose - still my front-runner for MVP.
Kobe Bryant - biased? Perhaps, but for all the talk of "he's slowing down", he's still - just quietly - having a pretty damn good season. The other competitor for this slot would be Dwyane Wade, who's had some big games... but Bryant's been the more consistent.
LeBron James - as much as I thought he wouldn't sustain the numbers, LeBron James has. And he's the primary reason that Miami have won as many games as they have. Often as not, he's the sole reason.
Kevin Durant - I completely love what Durant brings to each and every game, and just recently we were treated to a bit of gumption in KD that we'd not seen before. Great stuff.
Dwight Howard - The manbeast. As for the past few years, Dwight Howard's been the best anchor in the game, bar none.
Rob: 1: C - Dwight Howard Superman has continued his high level of play throughout the first half. Best big man in the game right now.
PF - Amar'e Stoudemire Amar'e is turning out to actually be a bargain pick up for the Knicks this year. The improvement in that organisation is pretty much down to one guy.
SF - LBJ If you can keep your Heat when all about you are losing theirs....
SG - D-Wade Still performing at the highest level this season. D-Wade is the glue that holds the Heat together.
PG - Derrick Rose Having an amazing season and making the Bulls increasingly relevant as the playoff picture starts to take a little shape.
2) The reserves for the All-Star Game were announced recently – do you think any player got the shaft? If so, who should they replace on the roster (not including players voted in by fans)?
Don: For the ASG, it's about as inevitable as sunrise that someone gets shafted in someone else's opinion. The most obvious snub for me isn't the one that everyone's pointing to: Carlos Boozer. Guy's having a great season, and is one of the main reasons Chicago look so good. Look out once Noah returns!
Rob: I think LaMarcus Aldridge is a huge snub. Both Tim Duncan and Yao Ming should be scratching their heads at their inclusions on the West roster. Plenty of love for Andrew Bynum, but he hasn't played enough to warrant selection (see: Ming, Yao - wtf?)
Lots of posts on the 'snub' (and subsequent pick) of Kevin Love. I said last week that he simply wasn't good enough to make the roster and the coaches obviously think the same thing. The Commish is oiling the squeaky wheel on this one.
Joe Johnson, C-Bosh and Boston's beloved Ray Allen are all pretty fortunate to be there.
3) There was a big debate recently over "clutch" performers. Which current player in the NBA would you want to have the ball in his hands with the game on the line?
Don: Still Kobe. Noted Laker-hater Henry Abbott can cherry-pick all the stats he likes, as Ryen Russillo said: "I'll take the guy who's been there and hit those shots before."
Rob: Best guy in the clutch? Paul Pierce. Best reason that The Truth is the guy? Ray Allen. The dual threat of the Celtics (not to mention KG as a pretty decent guy to give the rock to in the dying seconds) gives Pierce more room to do his thing in the dying seconds.
4) Game of the week – pick the winner – Thurs, Feb 10th: Lakers @ Boston.
Don: Duh? Lakers by 8.
Rob: Celtics (again!).
And Happy Birthday Steve Nash...
