iverson to start in all-star game???

[davemanddd]

all the fools who voted for a.i. should be ashamed of themselves. what a major has-been and a complete cancer to any team he plays for. you would think after his "performance" in detroit last year and his complete flop in memphis this year that he would have been put out to pasture and yet here he is starting the all-star game??? he should show some class and do the nba a favor by declining the invitation.

[British_Pharaoh]

Suuuuuuuuuurely he won't play and will step aside so someone worthy can start the game
surely.

[swerb]

Reserves I would go with ...

East: Rondo, Pierce, G.Wallace, Granger, J.Johnson, Bosh, D.Rose

Garnett can't play, I'd add Josh Smith. Iverson declines to play, I'd add Antawn Jamison over David Lee/Joakim Noah.

West: C.Paul, Durant, Nowitzki, D.Williams, Z.Randolph, A.Brooks, Roy

Much tougher on this side. Omitting Kidd, Kaman, Gasol, Boozer, Westbrook, Billups, M.Ellis is tough.

[davemanddd]

Suuuuuuuuuurely he won't play and will step aside so someone worthy can start the game
surely.

don't call me shirley. hee-hee!!!

[Gradysmanldy]

Jesus, the east reserves are definitely going to leave someone very deserving off. I like the Z. Randolph call, he's as much to blame for the Grizzlies success thus far than anyone. I like the leadership he's showing with the kids down there, I can't believe he's even the same person.

Brooks and Billups is the tough call from here; Billups has the more polished resume and is the far better defender, totally the cheese to the macaroni. Brooks is an incredible talent though, might be the second best overall point guard in the league.

My money says AI starts the game. Dude is a thug with way too much pride to do anything else.

[OldDawg]

My money says AI starts the game. Dude is a thug with way too much pride to do anything else.

Are you kidding me??
AI thinks he deserves to start.
He now thinks the fans get it and all the GMs and HCs out there don't.
98% of the league wouldn't touch the guy with a 10m pole (waxing metric for you guys).

If the league wants to make sure he pulls out, all they have to do is require a couple of practices.

"If I can't practice, I can't practice. It is as simple as that. It ain't about that at all. It's easy to sum it up if you're just talking about practice. We're sitting here, and I'm supposed to be the franchise player, and we're talking about practice. I mean listen, we're sitting here talking about practice, not a game, not a game, not a game, but we're talking about practice. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game last it's my last but we're talking about practice man. How silly is that?

Now I know that I'm supposed to lead by example and all that but I'm not shoving that aside like it don't mean anything. I know it's important, I honestly do but we're talking about practice. We're talking about practice man. (laughter from the media crowd) We're talking about practice. We're talking about practice. We're not talking about the game. We're talking about practice. When you come to the arena, and you see me play, you've seen me play right, you've seen me give everything I've got, but we're talking about practice right now.

[jb]

Why not?

This isn't anything other than a fans' exhibition game. To mistake it for recognition as a good player is in error. This isn't a post-season award. This is a lifetime achievement recognition for a first ballot HOFer who will probably be playing in his last ASG. I hope he does start and gets he loudest ovation.

I've never liked AI the person soince the bolwing ally riot he and his punk ass crew started and thought he was a selfish SOB of the court. I also as a fan have admired and watched him in his glory years in awe. That 6ers team he took to the Finals was the worst team ever to play in the Finals, rivalled only by the cavs' team that got swept vs SA . And a 6 footer caried them.

Give him his day. I have no problems. Sometimes, the brilliance of the uncluttered mind of the voting 90% ers trumps those who believe they are in the know.

Just sayin'.

[Shadow Scars]

Glad to see that the NBA All Star Game is just as much of a popularity contest as the MLB All Star Game. Makes me sick.

PS- I'll ask here since there isn't an all star threat yet. Has the lineup for the 3 point shootout been announced yet? I can't find any info on it. I really hope Boobie or AP are in it. One of our Cavs deserves to be in it after their 3 point performances thus far. Hell, put Z in it.

[British_Pharaoh]

Suuuuuuuuuurely he won't play and will step aside so someone worthy can start the game
surely.

don't call me shirley. hee-hee!!!

Lol that was awful

you're better than that....I assume (maybe you're not)

[e0y2e3]

Why not?

This isn't anything other than a fans' exhibition game. To mistake it for recognition as a good player is in error. This isn't a post-season award. This is a lifetime achievement recognition for a first ballot HOFer who will probably be playing in his last ASG. I hope he does start and gets he loudest ovation.

I've never liked AI the person soince the bolwing ally riot he and his punk ass crew started and thought he was a selfish SOB of the court. I also as a fan have admired and watched him in his glory years in awe. That 6ers team he took to the Finals was the worst team ever to play in the Finals, rivalled only by the cavs' team that got swept vs SA . And a 6 footer caried them.

Give him his day. I have no problems. Sometimes, the brilliance of the uncluttered mind of the voting 90% ers trumps those who believe they are in the know.

Just sayin'.

X infinity

All I have to add is I voted for Gilbert.

Free Gilbert

http://www.facebook.com/pages/FREE-GILBERT/267033994186

[diminishingskills]

Next year, we really have to start a viral campaign to get Sasha Pavlovic voted into the starting lineup. Imagine if it is something like 12 million votes for Sasha, compared to 3 million for Kobe. I shed a tear just writing that sentence.

[jb]

Next year, we really have to start a viral campaign to get Sasha Pavlovic voted into the starting lineup. Imagine if it is something like 12 million votes for Sasha, compared to 3 million for Kobe. I shed a tear just writing that sentence.

It's all about the get out the vote in Russia, John. The numbers are there, waiting for the right campaign.

[diminishingskills]

It's all about the get out the vote in Russia, John. The numbers are there, waiting for the right campaign.

It has to happen, as Bill Simmons would say.

I don't think we could get away with a write-in campaign to get a retired player into the starting five, much as I'd like to see Mark Price suiting up for the East. But an obscure active player? That can't be against the rules, right?

Maybe we can convince him to change his name to Sreekumar Ming Pavlovic, to really lock in all of Asia? A billion Chinese (and hundreds of millions of Indians) ARE going to care about this game, dammit...

[khetti]

Iverson: starting All-Star game a "no-brainer;" makes no apologies for start.

He does have a somewhat valid point, but still, step aside and take a reserve role.

[FUDU]

JB I'd agree with you if the 90% of the voters voted him in for the reason you would, but we all know everybody that voted him in thinks he played 35 minutes a game this season averaging 25ppg and 6 assists.

[Hi Oktane]

JB I'd agree with you if the 90% of the voters voted him in for the reason you would, but we all know everybody that voted him in thinks he played 35 minutes a game this season averaging 25ppg and 6 assists.

Are you suggesting the voters may regret their uninformed/emotional decision?

[CAVSTRIBEBROWNSin07!]

The NBA All Star Game has ALWAYS worked this way. Dr J, Kareem, and others were playing in ASGs well past their primes. There's nothing wrong with it, it is an exhibition game after all.