All Star Post - West Center Position

DH - Ay you make it this year?!
AB - Nahhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

(Photo from espn)
Well, I was wrong. Andrew Bynum won't be the starting Center for the West All Stars as he got about half or less than half of Amare Stoudemire's 1.8ish million votes, which was probably his best chance given that Yao was out for the season and Shaq had moved to the East again.

I cry bull shit.

In that earlier post I mentioned that the only way Bynum wouldn't get it would be if he got injured, or Tim Duncan or Amare Stoudemire were listed as Centers on the ballot. In which case, if they out performed Bynum (which they did), their vote in to the starting lineup would be justified. But to be listed as a Center, you better be playing Center for your team. Amare Stoudemire is a tall guy playing forward for the Suns. Not Center. Who's been starting at Center every game this season except the last two games? Channing Frye. Who started at Center for the last two games? No, they didn't move Amare up a position, they started Robin Lopez.

Well whatever Suns. You wanted a guaranteed Suns player in the biggest all star game in history at the 80,000 seat Dallas stadium (by the way, why would anyone go if they had anything but really good seats? Anything around the 300 section equivalent to an NBA arena is going to be watching tiny ants dunking a split atom. Yes they have that jumbo jumbo jumbo tron but who goes to a live basketball game to watch a large TV above the live game?) Anyway...

The Suns wanted that guaranteed spot. They knew Yao was out and Shaq was in the East. They knew Chris Paul could easily take the starting guard spot over Nash if his team was playing better (and TMAC of all people almost edged him out). They knew Amare probably wouldn't have been voted in over Tim Duncan (all star constant), Carmelo Anthony (after an all star like performance against the Lakers in the playoffs), Dirk Nowitzki (first team all NBA last season), and maybe Pau Gasol (huge part of the Laker championship last season). They knew he'd put up around 20 points and 10 rebounds with high flying dunks and alley-oops from Nash while Bynum would put up around 15 and 8 (2009 stats) on not so many fast break high flying dunks and hook shots and post moves and on a stacked Laker team that has 5 guys that can put up 30 if they wanted to and hey! He might injure his knee again!

And yet the suns LIED. They played Amare at Forward every game this season while Channing Frye brought out opposing Centers because he can hit the 3 pointer so Amare could cut and have the lane all to himself, not to mention taking the defensive responsibilities from the other league's centers so Amare didn't have to (although Amare having to guard the leagues PFs isn't that much easier).

Well, maybe in another lifetime Bynum. Amare's high fly act won the fans' affection and adoration which lead to your assassination in the voting polls. You increased your PPG by a point, shot over 55%, increased your FT% by 3%, stayed out of foul trouble, and played good defense against the league's top centers. You were the best Center in the west (Biedrins, Camby and Kaman [LAC record], Marc Gasol, Hawes, Jefferson, Nene, Oden, Okafor, and Okur) and you lost to a forward. That sucks.



Little sloppy, but thunderous no doubt.

Yes Amare's probably a better scorer than Bynum, but they are two different positions. If Amare played center for the Suns, this post would never have happened. Good day.

Recent quick hits of the NBA off season you might want to be aware of:

(Photo from lowposts)

Orlando Magic sign Jason Williams out of retirement for one year and $1.3 million. After trading away Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee and Tony Battie to the Nets for Vince Carter, the Magic were left with their PG position players at the start of last season with all star Jameer Nelson and Anthony Johnson. Between the baseline reason why the Magic felt they needed a playmaker in Jason Williams? Nelson and Johnson were the PGs before Rafer came. But when Nelson went down, Alston helped them get to the finals. Perhaps a playmaking guard off the bench is VITAL to the team's success when Nelson is on the bench. But if Nelson goes down and Williams leads them to the Finals... maybe Stan Van Gundy sticks with what gets him there this time around.

Quentin Richardson traded for the fourth time to the Miami Heat for Mark Blount from Twolves. Q Rich isn’t good. Isn’t going to be the sole reason Wade stays in Miami. With a PER rating of 11.6 and averages of 10.2/4.4/1.6 and 1.7 3ptm (4.6 3ptA), Q Rich isn't the Ying to Wade's Yang. Which is why you read between the baselines. Q Rich is in the last year of his contract and in the Free Agent class of 2010, the Heat will have $9.35 million off of their plate to get Wade some REAL help. Mark Blount is also in the last year of his contract but owed $7.9 million. So with Q Rich, they have more money to get rid of (?) for the FA class of 2010.

And what’s the deal with writers reporting that because two players are good friends, they will automatically be happy and have a good season? This happened two years ago when Kevin Garnett was almost a Laker and one of the selling points was that 3^rd team pg bench warmer Shammond Williams was his cousin. Just because they are cousins, that will be the deal maker? (By the way, KG didn't go to the Lakers even when his COUSIN WAS THERE, who got cut from the team that year, anyway).

Leon Powe signed with Cleveland Cavaliers. Of course he won’t be able to play until after the All Star break. But this is a very nice addition if and only if Powe is able to play at the level he played at during the 2008 Finals. Powe provides energy and skill and can create problems for other teams. But he also has a knee issue. He signed for 2 years for the minimum a 3 year player can get. His reasoning, trying to get his knee back in shape and sign for more money in 2 years. This is probably why the Celtics didn't re-sign him. They’ll probably put a lot of money toward retaining Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins anyway and they'll need the roster space and can't afford (playing wise) to have a player take up roster space to sit on the bench. Cavaliers are thinking they need all the help they can get at a price they can afford for a playoff run to please King James.

The Clippers waived Mark Madsen. And if you read RBTB’s previous post regarding the Clippers, you’ll see that although Madsen is a “good locker room guy” (whatever that means), he was due 2.8 million that came off the books next year. If they could get him off the books sooner, even better for the Clippers. Good for Mark too because I doubt he'd get much playing time (even though he hasn't had decent playing time for almost his entire career) behind Griffin, Camby, Kaman and Deandre Jordan. But these are the fragile fragile big men of the Clippers we're talking about...

Amare Stoudemire is 50/50 about returning to the Suns next year. Can you blame him? The Suns aren’t good anymore. Steve Nash, Amare, Grant Hill and Jason Richardson is not greater than or equal to Steve Nash, Amare, Grant Hill, Boris Diaw, Raja Bell and one of Shawn Marion or Shaq. Amare hasn’t cemented anything about his legacy other than All Star appearances and a rookie of the year award. His future in Phoenix looks dim.

The Atlanta Hawks signed Joe Smith (his 10th team). Terms weren't disclosed but it would be safe to assume it's the league's veteran minimum like Jason Williams of the Magic ($1.3 million/1 year). Joe Smith is ol' reliable and averaged 6.6/4.6 last season for the Thunder and Cavaliers. He'll likely average the same in Atlanta behind Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia.

Those are the facts. And that's a couple ways to read between the [base]lines.

Yao out for season, Shaq in Cleveland, who's the starting all star center for the West?

With Yao Ming out for the season to recover from foot surgery and Shaquille O'Neal being traded out of the Western Conference to Cleveland, who is likely to be voted as the starting center for the western conference all star starting lineup? (Above photo from JoshqPublic).

FACTS:

2005 All Star West Center Voting:

1. Yao Ming - Hou - 2,558,278
2. Brad Miller - Sac - 429,413
3. Marcus Camby - Den - 313,214

2006 All Star West Center Voting:

1. Yao Ming - Hou - 2,342,738
2. Marcus Camby - Den - 859,086
3. Mehmet Okur - Utah - 494,261

2007 All Star West Center Voting:

1. Yao Ming - Hou - 2,451,718
2. Amaré Stoudemire - Pho - 1,209,333
3. Erick Dampier - Dal - 385,179

2008 All Star West Center Voting:

1. Yao Ming - Hou - 1,709,180
2. Amaré Stoudemire - Phx - 998,969
3. Marcus Camby - Den - 412,563

2009 All Star West Center Voting:

1. Yao Ming - Hou - 2,532,958
2. Shaquille O'neal - Phx - 1,850,018
   
3. Andrew Bynum - LAL - 549,131
4. Mehmet Okur - Utah - 437,106
5. Greg Oden - Por - 359,318
6. Andris Biedrins - GS - 357,984
7. Al Jefferson - Minn - 310,643
8. Tyson Chandler - NO - 242,356
9. Chris Kaman - 231,928
10. Marcus Camby - 158,491

Probable Centers on rosters to challenge for starting West Center:

Nene Hilario (Den), Al Jefferson and Kevin Love (Minn), Greg Oden and Lamarcus Aldrich (Por), Mehmet Okur (Utah), Andris Biedrins (GS), Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol (LAL), Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby (LAC), Amaré Stoudemire (Phx), Erick Dampier (Dal), Luis Scola (Hou), Emeka Okafor (NO), Tim Duncan (SA)

2009 All Star BALLOT for Centers (who you were allowed to vote for at Center):

Andris Biedrins, Golden State; Andrew Bynum, LA Lakers; Marcus Camby, LA Clippers; Tyson Chandler, New Orleans; Nick Collison, Oklahoma City; Al Jefferson, Minnesota; Chris Kaman, LA Clippers; Brad Miller, Sacramento; Greg Oden, Portland; Mehmet Okur, Utah; Shaquille O'Neal, Phoenix; Yao Ming, Houston.

PROBABLE 2010 ALL STAR BALLOT FOR WEST CENTERS:

Nene Hilario (Den), Al Jefferson (Minn), Greg Oden (Por), Mehmet Okur (Utah), Andris Biedrins (GS), Andrew Bynum (LAL), Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby (LAC), Amaré Stoudemire (Phx), Erick Dampier (Dal), Luis Scola (Hou), Emeka Okafor (NO)

Read between the baselines:

Well Yao Ming sure brings in the votes with well over 2 million almost every year, he now won't even suit up this season or be on the all star ballot due to his foot injury sustained in the playoffs against the Lakers. Based on the 2009 voting and who is probably going to be C eligible for the all star game, the top candidates for the Yao replacement is Amaré Stoudemire (unless the Suns find a replacement for Shaq. Listed as a forward at 2009 ballot), and Andrew Bynum (3rd in voting behind Shaq and Yao last year).

Case for Amaré

(Photo from RyanSarda.wordpress.com)
Amare, a 4 time NBA All Star, was a starting F for the 2009 all star game after averaging 21.4 pts, 8.1 reb, 2 ast, a steal and a block and before having surgery on his eye that took him out of the rest of the season. Those are all star numbers and he's exciting to watch and popular among fans. The all star starters are VOTED in by FANS. That's something to keep in mind because sometimes, the more popular player gets voted in over a better player who may be more deserving of the all star spot.

The Suns, however did take a step backward last season and didn't make the playoffs. Trading Shaq away and resigning Nash could possibly make the Suns more of the run and gun team we saw in the pre shaq seasons. From those days though, the Suns are minus Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, and Joe Johnson. They now have Leandro Barbosa, Nash and Amaré joined by Grant Hill, Jason Richardson, Robin Lopez, and Earl Clark. If they get back to their run and gun offense, Amaré's numbers could jump back to 25 pts and 9 rebounds shooting 59% FG he averaged in 2007-2008. If he's on the ballot as a C, and has a good year like he had before Shaq came, he has more than a good chance at getting the West starting C nod.

Case for Bynum

(Photo from Andrew-Bynum.net)
Again, Bynum was third in voting behind the 2 guys that won't be on the ballot this year. Before wrecking his knee again against the Grizzlies (again), Bynum had scored in double figures 12 straight games, including a 42 point career high against the Clippers. Of those 12 straight games, he had double figures in rebounds in six of them including at least 14 in four of those six. Then he got injured at the end of January, a few weeks before the all star game. When he came back, he was worked slowly back into the rotation and had a sub par playoffs where he couldn't get any time on the floor due to foul trouble.

In the 2007-2008 season before he got injured for the first time, he scored in double figures in 16 times out of 18 games before he wrecked his knee in the middle of January. In those 18 games, he got double figure rebounds 10 times and 9 rebounds 4 times. For that season, which lasted 35 games for him, he was AVERAGING a double double at 13.1 pts and 10.2 reb.

If he gets back to form and that knee finally is at 100%, he can probably get back to averaging a double double and having a shot at the starting west C position come all-star weekend. As stated, the fans vote for the starting lineup and the Lakers will have a lot of air time on TV for all fans to see. After winning the championship and getting Ron Artest and Lamar Odom, the Lakers could have the best record in basketball with Bynum getting a lot of attention from the media and fans. The Lakers will be a great team and Kobe and Pau could be considered locks to make the all star team (Kobe starting, Pau probably a reserve). If Bynum can put up his pre knee injury numbers, he could definitely make the team and possibly be voted in to the starting lineup by the fans.

Other players who could get it are Nene Hilario who was 2nd in the the league in FG% and has some flash and flare with his energy and slam dunks, Mehmet Okur who has been an all star reserve, averaged 17 points last year and can shoot the 3 pointer, and Al Jefferson, who before his injury, averaged 23 points and 11 rebounds (!) but plays in Minnesota where the Wolves don't win a lot of games and aren't as popular league wise as the Lakers or the Suns are.

The showdown for the All Star west center started when it was announced Yao was out for the season.

Those are the facts, and that's one way to read between the [base]lines.