What are the chances Damian Lillard starts in the All Star game?

Team record won't matter if Westbrook is leading the league in scoring. Gaudy scoring influences the casual fan more than team success.

BNM

 

To go even further, I think there is a much higher chance he doesn't even make the team versus he starts.

 

It's like you're not reading my posts at all. I'm making the point that Lillard's popularity has skyrocketed since last year's All Star game. During last year's voting period, Lillard didn't have Conan/The Shot/NBA Live plus two national commercials and a major shoe deal. That's the whole point of me starting this thread! The question is.. has all of this given Lillard enough popularity to get voted in! Then you start chiming in with last year's votes which have NOTHING to do with the question I'm asking. Also, injuries have nothing to do with popularity. Kobe made it last year. People have become bored with Chris Paul. Been in the league for 10 years or so and has only won three playoff series.

If you say no, say it because you think all those things haven't made him popular enough. Don't come at me with last year's results.

 

This.

 

Check THIS out:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_2013_voting.html

Curry was EIGHTH in voting the season before. Why did Curry jump from 8th to 2nd? All I can think of is his sensational showing in the playoffs. Well, look, Lillard has done the same thing. One of the most unforgettable moments in playoff history. You can count on one hand, the amount of playoff serieses that have ended on a buzzer beater. He has captured the casual fan's attention. If Curry can jump from 8th to 2nd, why not Lillard?

 

Also, how about THIS? Two years ago, Paul George didn't even make the TOP 15 in All Star voting. Last year, he was a starter! He jumped over at least 14 people! Why can't Lillard have a jump like that?

 

Shane Battier and Jeff Green were ahead of Paul George!

 

I don't think Dame starts the allstar game but that depends on who's coaching it as well as fan votes. He'll make the team but not start

 

Coach doesn't decide unless there is an injury.

 

Whether Lillard deserves it or not has nothing to do with my argument. I've just never seen a player in Portland rise to superstar status so quickly.

 

Coaches pick the bench, Silver picks the replacements, I thought?

 

No way Lillard can be left off the all star team.

It would be very groovy if he started, but unless he is being heavily marketed in China, I don't see it.

I expect Lillard to make another jump in his game this year. He's that good.

 

I understand making the rirst team is the fans vote but the coach dishes out minutes once the roster is set and I don't see Dame on that first team. I think the right coach may give him MVP type minutes though

 

Fans pick starters

Coaches pick fans

Silver picks injury replacement

Coach picks who starts if a starter is injured.

 

All Star Starters are household names. They are names that people in Bangkok, Frankfurt, Buenos Aries, Moscow, and Beijing recognize. Lillard may be in that category soon, but he's no where near that now.

 

Because he doesn't have players like Shane Battier and Jeff Green ahead of him.

BNM

 

I see where Eric is coming from, but I tend to agree with BNM.

Yes, Dame has a ton of national branding right now. More so than even Steph Curry last season, but it will be difficult to beat out CP3 for the point guard spot, and then he has to compete with Curry, Kobe, Westbrook, Kobe, etc etc etc. That doesn't even take into account guys like Jrue Holiday, Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe, Tony Parker, or even someone like Trey Burk. The west is completely stacked at point guard right now. It will be difficult for anyone to dominate the All-Star nominations for the next decade. To get a nod is a huge honor right now at that position. Just look at some of the point guards in the west right now:

OKC - Westbrook
LAC - Chris Paul
PHX - Goran Dragic
GSW - Steph Curry
UTH - Trey Burk
NOR - Jrue Holiday
SAS - Tony Parker
DEN - Ty Lawson
MIN - Bricky Rubio
MEM - Mike Conley

Even the guys that aren't really All-Star material are still really solid.

HOU - Beverley
LAL - Lin
DAL - Jameer Nelson
SAC - Darron Collison

There isn't really a horrible point guard starting in the west right now. When was the last time so many good point guards were all in the league at the same time, and mostly still really young? Parker and Paul are the elder statesmen, but they're not even that old.

 

Am I the only one hoping we have a great record and both LMA/Lillard get left off.
Id feel sorry everytime an allstar at their position suits up against us because they will be playing against a beast mode version of Lillard or LMA

 

I would be surprised if LA was left off, but Dame will have to have a really good fucking first half of the season to make the team. He's going to be competing with some very capable players for those four or five guard spots.

 

Its going to be hard for either one of them. The players who will have a valid argument for an AS game is going to be 13-15 deep at both guard and forward positions.