I, for one, would have to cast aspersions on a coach who didn’t cast a vote for Carmelo Anthony to make the all-star supporting cast.
The Nuggets forward should get out of his cast and return to action this week. This star deserves to be an all-star — along with Chauncey Billups, who I believe is a lock (more on that later). It’s up to the Western Conference coaches, and the votes will come out Thursday.
As for Anthony, he continues to evolve into a dynamic player, getting his points while improving his rebounding (7.3 per game is second-best in his career) and teamwork (3.6 assists, also second-best). The Nuggets are 28-15 with him in the lineup, and 9-0 when he shoots 50 percent or higher. Oh, and they’re in first place.
“I don’t think there’s any question right now,” Nuggets coach George Karl said when asked whether Anthony should be an all-star. “What (small forward) in the league is better than Carmelo? Period. In the Western Conference, especially. There’s just not many three-men having better years than Carmelo is. He’s down statistically, but this team is up because he’s giving himself to the team.”
This weekend, surely each NBA coach is going through the painstaking process I went through in naming the all-star reserves. Following scrupulous study, here are my seven selections:
1. Shaquille O’Neal, Phoenix center. Asked if O’Neal was a lock, Karl said, “Probably.” O’Neal is playing rejuvenated basketball and an important role in the Suns’ offense. The All-Star Game just happens to be in Phoenix and one would suggest Shaq probably won’t ever play this well again. Finally, he’s a true center, and coaches must select one center, two forwards, two guards and two wild-card picks.
2. Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers center/forward. The Lakers are the best team in the West, so they should have at least two all-stars (Kobe Bryant is starting). And, even though the Lakers are the best team, no other individual Laker should be on the all-star team other than Gasol.
3. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas forward. He’s a perennial all-star.
4. Brandon Roy, Portland guard. An all-star last season — and he’s playing better than last season and his team is playing better than last season.
5. Tony Parker, San Antonio guard. Just like the Lakers’ situation, the Spurs are the best in their division, so they should have two players (Tim Duncan is starting). And Parker averages 20.3 points and 6.6 assists.
6. Chauncey Billups, Denver guard. Coaches are smart enough to realize Billups is the key reason the Nuggets are division leaders. If only one Nugget makes the all-star team (and it would be a travesty if none did), then that man should be Billups.
And so this brings us to the battle for the seventh spot. I say it’s Anthony, beating out Steve Nash, because even though Nash has been Nashy again this season, the Suns don’t deserve to have three all-stars (starter Amar’e Stoudemire and the aforementioned O’Neal). Deron Williams, the Utah guard who is second in assists, will surely make the conversation, but I believe Portland’s Roy gets the nod over his division rival. If for some reason O’Neal doesn’t make it, and Gasol is the West’s lone reserve center, then I still think Anthony — the second-best all-star on a division leader — deserves to beat out Nash, who would be the second all-star on a team with five less wins than division-leading Denver.
Speaking of benches . . .
Denver’s bench is one of the NBA’s best and that’s not something you hear discussed too often.
“I don’t think our bench gets enough credit,” Karl said. “We have Anthony Carter and Chris Andersen coming off the bench for defensive assignments, and then Linas Kleiza and J.R. Smith coming in and being instant offense. In general, I think they’re one of the top five-to-seven benches in the league. They score well. But there have been times where they’ve come in and made a defensive change in the game and won us a basketball game, which I think very few NBA benches can do.”
Entering the weekend, the Nuggets’ bench averages 32.8 points per game. The fourth-highest scoring bench, Milwaukee’s, is barely ahead at 33.4.
And the Nuggets are one of just three NBA teams to have two bench players averaging in double-digit scoring — Smith (13.8 points) and Kleiza (10.6). I’m defining a bench player as someone who has started less than 10 games.
Nine times a Nuggets reserve has either led Denver in scoring or tied for the team high.
Good company.
In talking about Jameer Nelson, the Magic guard who helped beat the Nuggets a week ago, Karl said Friday: “He reminds me of a young Chauncey Billups. And Jameer bumps guys off — he has a cannonball effect when he drives to the basket, where no one knocks him off-balance.”
Spotlight on …
Paul Millsap, Jazz forward
Without the injured Carlos Boozer, the Jazz has leaned on “a miniature Carlos Boozer.” That’s what Nuggets coach George Karl calls Millsap, a 6-foot-8 forward who averages 15.5 points and 9.5 rebounds.
“He does the same type of dirty work as Boozer — very good offensive rebounder, very good finisher around the basket,” said Karl, whose Nuggets host Utah tonight. “He’s executed their offense and learned how to play in their offense. Surprisingly for a young kid, he’s really taken this opportunity and is playing great. He’s solid. He’s not spectacular but consistently very good.”
Last week, Millsap, 23, played two of his best games ever, and did so back to back. On Tuesday against Minnesota, he scored 28 points and had 15 rebounds, nine offensive. On Wednesday against Houston, he put up 20 and 12.
Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
