From LaMarsha to LaMarcus to Snub

In the past I have been known to rip on LaMarcus Aldridge. Saying things like: “He’s too soft”, “I wish he would show some passion”, “He needs to take it inside more”. And it turns out I was right. The once soft and tender LaMarsha has become a strong inside force, one of the league leaders from 5 ft in and a legitimate All-Star. He answered his critics (while proving them right) and with the new dimensions in his game he has transformed himself from a high-level role player into one of the few players you can rely on every night for 20 and 10.

We made fun of him earlier this year as much smaller and much less talented players pushed him around the court. I think he got embarrassed and decided he would do something about it, good for him!

So with the reserve forwards being announced this week it was quite disappointing when LaMarcus was left out. I like the Blake Griffin inclusion, he is electric, the Clippers matter and he has the stats to be there. Nowitzki deserves to get in. even if you drop 6 points from his scoring average for all the flopping calls that go his way he still is an elite scoring threat.

The once-great Tim Duncan is a very good role player for the best team in the league. That doesn’t mean he is an All-Star. Pau Gasol is looking slow and unable to match up with the more powerful post players and his scoring is down this year, is this a pity case? “Pau we’re sorry you look like a turkey, but hey at least you’re an All-Star. And Ginobili, seriously? The guy should go play soccer and stop screwing up basketball with his flopping and flailing. The next time I see Ginobili drive to the hoop and not elbow someone in the face will be the first time.

Remove Gasol, Duncan and Ginobili and replace them with Steve Nash, LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love. Zach Randolph (who is putting up amazing numbers) still gets snubbed but that’s okay, basketball isn’t his life, selling weed is. And then the commish can make Monta Ellis (the leagues #6 scorer) the fill in for the Yao Ming spot.

Not that the All-Star game is the NBA’s biggest problem (look no further than the referees) but this has to be the joke roster right? David Stern is so diabolical I wouldn’t put it past him to have alternative motives for influencing the rosters. If it is international appeal he is after someone should tell him that Tim Duncan’s Virgin Islands are not another country.

YOU JUST GOT BURNED