Voting for the NBA All-Stars finishes next week - the paper balloting finishes Monday, in case you only vote for your team from dilapidated McDonald's alongside the highway - but we can be pretty sure of a lot of the starters at this point. I entered these in as the voting for starters stand now. Sure, Rondo could swing ahead of Rose again by then, or Garnett ahead of Stoudemire, but since all of those player will be making the squad anyway, I can't imagine it matters.
WEST
STARTERS
C Yao Ming (HOU) (injured, likely to be replaced by PF Paul Gasol (LAL) – 18.5 PPG, 10.9 RPG , 1.9 BPG)
PF Kevin Durant (OKC) – 28.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG
SF Carmelo Anthony (DEN) – 23.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG
SG Kobe Bryant (LAL) – 25.3 PPG, 5 RPG, 4.5 APG
PG Chris Paul (NO) – 16.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 9.8 APG, 2.8 SPG
SUBS
SG Manu Ginobili (SA) – 18.9 PPG, 4 RPG, 4.7 APG
PF Tim Duncan (SA) - 13.8 PPG, 9.3 RPG
PF Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) – 24.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG
PF Kevin Love (MIN) – 21.5 PPG, 15.7 RPG
PF Blake Griffin (LAC) – 22 PPG, 12.7 RPG
PG Deron Williams (UTA) – 22 PPG, 9.4 APG
PG Russell Westbook (OKC) – 22.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 8.3 APG
Anyone have a problem is we replace Duncan (playing only 29 minutes a game these days) with LaMarcus Aldridge (POR) (averaging 26.3 PPG and 11.3 RPG this month, as well as 21 PPG and 9 RPG for the year)? He’s playing to give his mother, who has cancer, something to look forward to.
I think they’re probably more likely to give his spot to Monta Ellis (GS) (25.7 PPG, 5.0 APG. 2.3 SPG) or Eric Gordon (LAC) (23.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.5 APG) if they give it to anyone.
EAST
STARTERS
C Dwight Howard (ORL) – 21.9 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.3 BPG
PF Amar’e Stoudemire (NY) – 26 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.4 BPG
SF LeBron James (MIA) – 25.4 PPG, 7 RPG, 7.2 APG
SG Dwyane Wade (MIA) – 24.9 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 4.2 APG
PG Derrick Rose (CHI) – 24.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 8 APG
SUBS
PG Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 10.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 13.4 APG
PF Kevin Garnett (BOS) – 15 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 1.7 SPG
SF Paul Pierce (BOS) – 19.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.4 APG
PG Raymon Felton (NY) – 17.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 8.8 APG, 1.9 SPG
PF Carlos Boozer (CHI) – 20.5 PPG, 10.1 RPG
PF Josh Smith (ATL) – 15.9 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.9 BPG
SF Danny Granger (IND) – 20.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.2 SPG
Possible spoilers - Chris Bosh (come out huge the past two months - 18.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG), Andrew Bogut (defensively dominant: 13.2 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 2.9 BPG) and Al Horford (good stats - 16.1 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.1 BPG – but two Hawk players might be too much to ask).
That look about right to everyone?