2012 All Star Voting

[Folster]

Here's my one and only ballot:

West: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, and Marcin Gortat.

I voted Paul over Westbrook because he's a better distributor. Love barely edged out Griffin, and the homer in me voted Gortat over Bynum.

East: Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwight Howard.

Putting 3 Heat in the starting line-up sickened me, but with Stoudemire, Anthony, and the Knicks playing like crap there was nobody else to put in front of them

 

[Superbone]

I voted like a fan (not the best 5; guys I like; sometimes just to avoid Heat players):

West: Nash, Paul, Hill, Durant, Gortat

East: Rose, Holiday, Amare, Granger, Howard

 

[slinslin]

Gortat no way deserves it over Marc Gasol, not even close.

 

[Superbone]

Gortat no way deserves it over Marc Gasol, not even close.

Too bad. I voted for Gortat and will continue to do so.

 

[Folster]

Gortat no way deserves it over Marc Gasol, not even close.

Gasol: 37.7mpg, 15.2 ppg, 10.6 rpg, and 2.6 bpg.
Gortat: 30.0 mpg, 14.7 ppg, 9.3 rpg, and 1.6 bpg (with a broken thumb)

Let's look at their stats per minute.

Gasol: .403 ppm, .281 rpm, .069 bpm.
Gortat: .490 ppm, .310 rpm, .053 bpm (with a broken thumb)

There's not that big of a difference between the two players as you claim; although, Gasol beats Gortat pretty handily in assists and steals per game. I'm willing to wager that Gortat has better averages (in ppg and rpg) than Gasol by the end of the season. Since the splint has been removed from his thumb he has been tearing it up. The fact is you could make a solid argument for Gasol, Gortat, or Bynum to be the starting center for the West.

 

[sunsfan88]

Gasol ain't better than Gortat, its not even close.

 

[JustWinBaby]

I voted

West
Gortat
Dirk
Love
Nash
Rubio

East
Howard
Amare
Lebron
Wade
Rose

I would love to watch Nash and Rubio together. I guess I should have given them Griffin. Well the Coaches will probably vote him in for me.

 

[slinslin]

Gasol ain't better than Gortat, its not even close.

Yeah he is a lot better. He is younger, more skilled, can actually pass and block shots, much better defensive presence and actually right now the best player on a much better team.

Gasol anchors the 9th best defensive team. Gortat #20.

Roy Hibbert is putting up virtually the same numbers as the best player on his team and anchors the 4th best defensive team.

Gortat is assisted on 78% of his baskets!! Gasol 64%, Hibbert 39%!


Gortat assist rate 5.78, Gasol 21.27
Gortat usage rate 21.57, Gasol 17.68
Gortat win shares 11.03, Gasol 13.20
Gortat adjusted win shares 6.79, Gasol 8.26

PER and Adjusted PER pretty much a wash.

Centers by Adjusted PER, this takes in account actual assisted rates and not estimates and also charges taken.

Dwight Howard 25.74
Greg Monroe 23.22
Al Jefferson 22.30
Roy Hibbert 21.84
Andrea Bargnani 21.50
Samuel Dalembert 21.45
Marcin Gortat 21.12
Marc Gasol 20.81
Andrew Bynum 20.29
Spencer Hawes 20.29
Al Horford 19.49
Javale McGee 18.49
Tim Duncan 18.46
Tyson Chandler 18.13
...

 

[sunsfan88]

Bynum might not be assisted but he gets most of his open looks because teams double and triple team Kobe so he's left open 1 on 1.

For Gortat teams often double the pick & roll or trap him so its harder for him.

Continue the Gortat hate baby!

 

[jbeecham]

Centers by Adjusted PER, this takes in account actual assisted rates and not estimates and also charges taken.

Dwight Howard 25.74
Greg Monroe 23.22
Al Jefferson 22.30
Roy Hibbert 21.84
Andrea Bargnani 21.50
Samuel Dalembert 21.45
Marcin Gortat 21.12
Marc Gasol 20.81
Andrew Bynum 20.29
Spencer Hawes 20.29
Al Horford 19.49
Javale McGee 18.49
Tim Duncan 18.46
Tyson Chandler 18.13
...

You realize that Gortat is higher in that list than Gasol right?

Honestly, I don't know what half of those stats stand for. Both players are very productive for their teams and they're playing on very similar levels. I wouldn't say that either is clearly better than the other. I also wouldn't penalize Gortat for playing with the best assist man in the league over the last 6-8 years... he still has to get to the open spot & make his shots.

Gortat is obviously more mobile which makes him a better fit on the Suns than Gasol would be.

 

[Lorenzo]

I would love to see dirk get voted in one year, but this year he has not played well enough to earn the starting nod. not that he would have got voted in anyway if he played lights out...

 

[AzStevenCal]

I would love to see dirk get voted in one year, but this year he has not played well enough to earn the starting nod. not that he would have got voted in anyway if he played lights out...

Actually, I think he might have if he'd been at his best this season. His play in the postseason last year raised his profile considerably and it's just his misfortune that he can't take advantage of it this season.

Steve

 

[Lorenzo]

Actually, I think he might have if he'd been at his best this season. His play in the postseason last year raised his profile considerably and it's just his misfortune that he can't take advantage of it this season.

Steve

I would think that and I did think that coming into the season, but history says no. dirk is one of the least popular NBA players in the history of basketball when you look at his actual level of production. dirk isn't the all star game type anyway.....he's not really that exciting to watch in those games.

 

[sunsfan88]

Wasn't Dirk in the all star game last year or the year before?

I remember when the game was close at the end and Deron Williams made a bonehead move to intentionally foul with the lead, Dirk gave him a look and everyone was laughing about it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Wasn't Dirk in the all star game last year or the year before?

I remember when the game was close at the end and Deron Williams made a bonehead move to intentionally foul with the lead, Dirk gave him a look and everyone was laughing about it.

He's talking about Dirk not being voted in by the fans. The coaches have put him on the team 10 times but I don't think he's ever been voted in as a starter.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

Oh ok. To be honest, Dirk isn't the best PF in the West. Alridge, Griffin and Love are all way ahead but yea All Star game isn't really judged by skill anyway its all about popularity and Dirk has a rep as a soft player so its no surprise fans don't vote for him.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Oh ok. To be honest, Dirk isn't the best PF in the West. Alridge, Griffin and Love are all way ahead but yea All Star game isn't really judged by skill anyway its all about popularity and Dirk has a rep as a soft player so its no surprise fans don't vote for him.

Dirk isn't the same player this year that he's been in the past so I have no problem with someone putting those guys above him. As for being soft, I think that's about as incorrect an opinion as anyone could form of the guy. I'm not sure if it was because he was a foreigner or if it was because he was German or just exactly what it was but he's never been given a fair shake by some of the former NBA players turned analyst (Webber, Barkley etc.).

Steve

 

[Lorenzo]

Dirk isn't the same player this year that he's been in the past so I have no problem with someone putting those guys above him. As for being soft, I think that's about as incorrect an opinion as anyone could form of the guy. I'm not sure if it was because he was a foreigner or if it was because he was German or just exactly what it was but he's never been given a fair shake by some of the former NBA players turned analyst (Webber, Barkley etc.).

Steve

I agree steve. Dirk has always had rep for being soft. I think it's because he's 7 foot and is a great shooter. When dirk came into the league there wern't very many guys like him. Now it's way different because of guys like dirk who helped pave the way. all of those guys that were mentioned (aldridge, love, etc) all try to play like dirk. they all shoot jumpers like dirk has done for many years. they all put the ball on the floor like a guard and drive to the basket like dirk has for years. so they in essence are soft too? dirk just has a reputation for that for some reason. I just think he is not very popular. he never has been. in dallas yes, but anywhere else? no...all of the other all stars who are dirk's caliber have a lot of fans everywhere you go. I think it does have something to do with being foreign and very unique....just my opinion.


think dirk has proven that he is better than webber ever was and now is going ahead of charles eventhough chuck is way more popular for obvious reasons. dirk carried a franchise on his back to a title and made clutch shot after clutch shot in the regular season and in the playoffs and in the finals to include a ring. something that barkely and webber never did. chuck called it for dirk last year and was probably the only person in the media that predicted dallas to win from day 1 last year... so I don't think chuck is a hater....not to mention few realize that charles actually informed donnie nelson about dirk nowitzki in the first place when he made a trip to germany when dirk was a teen. charles and dirk are actually tied together in a weird way.

webber played against dirk when dirk was young and was a developing player so there might be some tension there...i don't know what else can be said when dirk is scoring 35+ points a game against denver in a playoff series and webber is blaming dirk being soft for the mavericks losing the series.

 

[Lorenzo]

Oh ok. To be honest, Dirk isn't the best PF in the West. Alridge, Griffin and Love are all way ahead but yea All Star game isn't really judged by skill anyway its all about popularity and Dirk has a rep as a soft player so its no surprise fans don't vote for him.

right now this season yes dirk can be behind all of those players.. I think when healthy he is clearly a better PF than all of them and is the best PF in the league now that tim duncan and KG are both well beyond their prime. dirk and adridge faced off in the playoffs last year and I recall one guy scoring in very low figures and missing all of his shots when it mattered most. in the last 5 years dirk added a unstoppable post game and it helped take him over the top as a player. even coach gentry says he is the most unguardable player in the league.