OT: Blake Griffin to be named All-Star Reserve?

Most certainly he is part of the problem. His god-awful defense is a big issue.

The way I look at it is this - the Blazers are +15.3 points per 100 possessions with Aldridge on the court compared to when he is off. The T-Pups are only +4 pts. per 100 possessions with Love on the court compared to when he is off. The Wolves margin per game is around -6, without Love they would be -10 which would move them from the worst team in the western conference to the worst team in the western conference.

With LMA the Blazer's margin per game is about 0, remove LMA's contributions and the Blazers go from #8 in the conference to the worst team in the conference.

If you use margin on/off and remove both LMA from the Blazers and Love from the T-Pups, the Blazers margin per game will bearound -12 or -13 (because the Blazers have a slower pace it's not the entire -15.3 points), worse than the -10 margin the T-Pups would be without Love.

It is pretty clear to me, using these statistics - that LMA's contributions for the Blazers wins are much much bigger than Love's are to the Pups.

At the end of the day it looks to me as if this is an all-"star" game, not an all-"utility" player. Love to me, is not a star. You can not build a good team with him as your #1 player in the NBA. You can around LMA. I have no doubts that whenever a team plays the Blazers the coaches go around and say "if we contain LMA, we have a good chance of winning this game". I doubt very much coaches go into games against the pups saying that "if we contain Love, we win this game". He is just not a star. Fantastic role player, every team can use a guy with his rebounding skills - and he can shoot, he can pass some and he is not a head case. He is like Z-Bo without the off-court drama and with better ability to play within a system at the cost of less one-on-one ability to create for himself. Would love having him on the Blazers next to LMA - but would hate seeing him replace LMA. He is just not that good, not that dominant, not a star.

 

I just think the problem is that LMA is too plain. No flash. Griffin gets the love because of his numbers, but also the rim rattling dunks.

 

I think that at this point - LMA is a better player than Griffin, but Griffin is a star, even if he is not as good, statistically, as LMA. I have no doubts that stopping Griffin is item #1 on the board for every coach playing against the Clips. Griffin deserves to go to the all-star game. Everyone wants to see him, he is a major piece for his team and the one the other teams have to prepare for. LMA is all of the above except - not everyone wants to see him. Love is nothing of the sort - no-one prepares for him, no-one really cares much to see him - he is just numbers. If you want to go see numbers - go to a bar with a Keno display (or play the lottery - which is funny, because Love plays for the lottery as well).

 

Griffin's team isn't terrible, either.

I think LMA, Griffin, and Z-BO all deserve to be All-Stars over Kevin Love.

All that Love has proven is that he can put up stats as the primary option on a truly terrible team.

 

I suspect that if Roy was healthy and Aldridge was putting up these numbers in addition to Roy's usual numbers, he would be a lock. Of course, the team would also be playing significantly better if Roy was healthy too.

 

Blake absolutely deserves it. Hell, he's the only player in the NBA this year averaging 20/10/3. Beyond that, he's bee the most must-see player in the NBA this entire season. It would make no sense for him to not to be there, regardless of his teams W/L record.

 

I won't be surprised if 2 power fowards are picked for backups because it is most likely 2 SF are going to start.

 

I have no problem that Blake making the game, he is the kind of showy player you want in an allstar game. Kevin Love does not deserve to be on it, he is all about his own stats with shitty shitty defense and the timberwolves score keepers gift him 2 to 3 rebounds per game at home, sometimes more.

 

Seriously, If this Game is about Fun what would be the point of putting Love it in!? At least LMA can throw down some Oops

 

But it isn't. It's about money. They were charging $150 a ticket for that pile of shit game last year. Ridiculous.

 

Chris Paul was a better rookie than Blake has been.

LeBron as an 18 year old rookie straight from high school "struggled" by his standards and didn't have the rookie year Blake is having, but LeBron as a 19 year old sophmore was outstanding - better than 21 year old Blake.

 

hollinger just said LA will miss by narrow margin.

also said zach deserves it more then la, west and love!!!!

 

Rich (Portlandia)

Do you think Lamarcus Aldridge makes it to the Allstar game? Should he change his last name to Allstar?
John Hollinger (2:27 PM)

I think he's going to just miss, even after the commissioner makes his pick. My guesses are that the coaches pick Duncan, Ginobili, Nowitzki, Gasol, Westbrook, DWilliams and David West, and that the commish picks Blake Griffin. If Griffin gets in I think the commish will pick Kevin Love over West and Aldridge, although he could also go Nash or Zach Randolph. Lots of good choices out West.

 

Whaaaaat? David West?

LMA has him in ppg (21.3 to 18.9), rpg (9 to 7.4), PER (20.8 to 20.6), and since LMA has been asked to be The Man, those numbers are higher.

What coach goes into a game and says "Let's shut David West down. If NO is going to beat us, let's make Chris Paul do it."

Hollinger is off his rocker. Zach, LMA, and even Love all deserve it more than David West, IMO.

 

I don't know if Hollinger thinks West deserves to go... he obviously thinks that Stern would pick West over Aldridge.

 

He said the coaches will vote in West. I just don't see it.

 

Stein Says Love

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page/dime-110128-30/stein-all-star-reserves


But Seriously, The Wolves are 11-37 and he's their best player. I'm sorry but it's apples to oranges when comparing a player on the Wolves vs. LMA carrying the Blazers with No Help.

 

hollinger thinks stern is set to pick love (assuming griffin is voted in)

 

I think if LA has played the way he has played since mid Dec all year he would have made it.

I also disagree LA has done it alone, Miller, and Wesley has help a little too.

 

If by mediocre you mean nonexistent, I agree. For someone with such tremendous athletic ability, Griffin is horrible on defense. The kid juts looks totally lost trying to guard opposing big men.

BNM