<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks submitted his picks Friday for Western Conference reserves for the Feb. 15 All-Star Game in Los Angeles. The league will announce the reserves Tuesday. Cheeks wasn't allowed to vote for his own players, but said forwards Zach Randolph and Rasheed Wallace both are worthy of consideration. "I could make a case for either one," Cheeks said. "I don't know if other people can or will, but I can." Randolph is weak defensively, which offends some coaches, but the third-year power forward has put up some impressive offensive statistics. Through 45 games, he is averaging 21.3 points and 11 rebounds a game, and is one of six players averaging double figures in both categories this season. Wallace, who appeared in consecutive All-Star Games in 2000 and 2001, hasn't played consistently at a high level, averaging 17.5 points and 6.9 rebounds in 41 games, but he generally is considered the Blazers' best all-around player. "You look at Rasheed's numbers and those are not All-Star numbers. Not for him," Cheeks said. "He gets 17 points and eight rebounds just being out there. Now if he decided to play at the top of his game night in and night out, he'd have 22 and 12 . . . and there would be no question who should make the All-Star team. </div>http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonia...26702115370.xml I don't think that any player involved in so many trade talks deserves to be on the allstar team, and it's clear that Sheed hasn't put forth his full effort. However, anyone who would say that Randolph doesn't deserve to be there is out of their mind. Thoughts?
Rasheed hasn't played consistantly enough to be an all-star,although his defense is very underrated by many people which has helped Randolph who isn't a very good defensive player focus his energy on offense.However The only guy who deserves a spot on the Blazers is Zach Randolph You can't leave out a guy who averages 23 points 11 rebounds on 48% shooting,considering he has basically played all season,has he even missed a game? The coaches should be able to see Randolph is the reason why the Blazers are in the playoff race,lets face it without his production they would be lottery bound.Zach has killed a lot of teams this season,that shouldn't go un-noticed.
I agree with cheeks both Rasheed and Zach deserve spots on the All Star team. Rasheed has been playing his ass over the past month and it is showing. Even when he wasn?t working as hard he is still good and that cannot be overseen. He can dominate most people in the NBA 1 vs. 1.
He should have, and he was very sad that he didn't make it. I just found this article on the topic: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> PHOENIX -- Trail Blazers forward Zach Randolph didn't hide his feelings about being left off the Western Conference All-Star team on Tuesday, a snub that came in the face of his being one of just five players to average 20 points and 10 rebounds this season. "I'm disappointed," Randolph said. "What more do I have to do? I'm doing the same thing as KG (Kevin Garnett), Tim Duncan and Jermaine (O'Neal), and they are in it." Randolph is averaging 21.5 points and 11 rebounds while making 48.2 percent of his shots. Only Garnett (24.5 points, 14 rebounds), Duncan (22.8, 12.8), Shaquille O'Neal (20.2, 11.1) and Jermaine O'Neal (20.4, 10.4) also are averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, and all will be in the Feb. 15 game in Los Angeles. "This will just motivate me to work harder," Randolph said. "I'm going to keep getting better and better." </div>http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonia...89999732470.xml
