The NBA unveiled the 2014 All-Star Game starters—and their complementary snubs—when fan voting came to a close last week.
LeBron James led all players with 1.4 million votes, while Kevin Durant, his positional opposite in the Western Conference, was a close second with 1.3 million.
Normally, the inherent popularity contest that is this exhibition showcase leaves many a deserving candidate left off the starting squad.
There always exists at least one player at each position that falls by the wayside. Small-market obscurity, last-minute PR campaigns and fan subjectivity are the usual culprits.
But that wasn’t necessarily the case this time around.
Top picks for the Eastern Conference were spot on across the board. All but one selection out West were fully qualified as well.
The Association is too stacked with formidable, highlight-worthy members. There are simply more game-changing players than there are spots on the hardwood.
Not every one can possibly be satisfied.
Yet, when a league MVP contender stays home, while an injured player who should be at home but is actually starting—then, well, problems arise. The same goes when each squad is devoid of an actual NBA center.
With that in mind, let’s now highlight the biggest all-star snub at each position.
Note: Conference affiliation had no bearing on this list. It’s only a coincidence that each selection derives from the West. We will also omit small forward. The top four of James, Durant, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony all made the team.
4. DeMarcus Cousins, Center, Sacramento Kings
Oh, were you expecting a slightly more childish big man?
DeMarcus Cousins leads all centers with 22.6 points and 1.78 steals per game. He grades top four at his position for rebounds (11.6), assists (3.0) and double-doubles (28).
The once self-destructive and un-coachable Cousins is finally realizing his all-world talent under Kings head man Mike Malone. He has tossed aside his volatile antics and is scoring, rebounding and assisting his way to NBA stardom.
Yes, Cousins hasn’t exactly saved the Kings from owning the second-worst record in the Western Conference. But all-star voting is predicated on individual numbers—not intangible franchise-saving qualities.
And his are better than Dwight Howard’s.
Cousins ultimately gets the nod over his positional counterpart because of his stellar 26.4 player efficiency rating.
Plus, the poor city of Sacramento needs this. And it’s not like a more egregious snub doesn’t already exist on Howard’s own team.
3. Chris Paul, Point Guard, Los Angeles Clippers
We’ll get to why this pick didn’t receive a higher ranking in just a moment.
Chris Paul is the Association’s leading floor general with 11.2 dimes per contest. No other player operates with superior court vision or better incorporates his teammates.
Paul began 2013-2014 with 11 straight double-doubles and has 26 on the season (sixth-most). He’s only played in 34 games.
Paul is as complete an NBA point guard as there is in the game. He is extremely active on the glass with a position-best 4.6 RPG and is phenomenal defender with 1.8 defensive win shares and 2.4 steals.
His 5.1 offensive win shares and 27.4 PER rates fourth and third, respectively, among all players.
There are two reasons why Paul falls to No. 4 on this list.
First, he has not played a full campaign due to 11 games missed with a separated right shoulder. Second, Stephen Curry is the next undeniable superstar point man and is totally deserving of an all-star bid.
The Clippers top dog will find his satisfaction in a championship trophy anyways.
2. James Harden, Shooting Guard, Houston Rockets
People, the shaving of the beard was not real.
Frightening all-star promos aside, James Harden boasts the game’s sixth-highest point total at 23.9 PPG. He is the Rockets’ best player and primary reason why they own the fifth playoff spot out West.
One of the NBA’s most dynamic backcourt members ranks first in scoring, third in rebounds (4.9) and assists (5.6) and fifth in steals (1.36) among shooting guards.
His 21.2 PER places him in the top 20, while his 4.4 OWS puts him at No. 8 for those league categories.
Okay, we give total respect to all-time great Kobe Bryant and his 988,884 votes. But the man has suited up for just six games in ’13-’14. And when he has, an 11.3 PER and ghastly negative-0.3 win shares has materialized in his place.
Bryant obviously made it on historical popularity and a Twitter-based gravitational pull. That’s okay.
Thankfully, Harden’s beard remains. It would have earned the No. 1 spot all by itself if that televised stunt was more than just an optical illusion.
Tread carefully, NBA advertising—these are people’s lives you’re potentially destroying.
1. LaMarcus Aldridge, Power Forward, Portland Trailblazers
The biggest overall snub is actually a narrow qualifier when comparing him to teammates and positional fellows.
LaMarcus Aldridge is a top-two power forward across most statistical rankings. He is second with 24.7 PPG, 11.6 RPG and 27 double-doubles.
Portland’s big man also operates as a reliable ball-handler with 2.9 APG (No. 6) and shoots accurately from the line to the tune of an 81.7 free-throw percentage (No. 3).
Aldridge owns the advantage in points, rebounds, blocks (1.0) and PER (23.9) over Western Conference starter Blake Griffin. But the Clippers PF rate higher in assists, field goal percentage (52.6), steals (1.1) and total win shares (6.7).
That said, Aldridge is a more polished and complete presence on the front line. He also qualifies as just that much more important than fellow Trailblazer Damian Lillard (23.9 to 19.5 PER, 5.9 to 5.6 WS).
Will Griffin’s SportsCenter Top 10 dunks entertain the masses on All-Star weekend? Of course.
But will Aldridge state his case with some emphatic highlight-reel plays of his own? You can bet on it.
Either way, every one of these players will likely earn a roster spot when coaches vote Thursday for the seven reserves for each conference.
Check back then for an updated and surely more scandalous list of all-star snubs.
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