Wolves upset over Love's omission from showcase By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune The day before Al Jefferson discovers whether he has made his first All-Star Game, Timberwolves rookie Kevin Love was left out of All-Star weekend's rookie-sophomore game. And he, his teammates and his coaches weren't happy about it. Love used a colorful word to explain that the voting by NBA assistant coaches was nonsense and said their decision "could have" inspired his 17-point, 10-rebound night Wednesday. The assistants instead chose Chicago's Derrick Rose, Miami's Michael Beasley, Memphis' O.J. Mayo and Marc Gasol, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, the Los Angeles Clippers' Eric Gordon, New Jersey's Brook Lopez and Portland's Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez. "Absolutely embarrassing," Wolves guard Mike Miller said. "I can't think of two or three rookies playing better than him right now. He's done more to help us win in the last month ..." Love said he will use the five-day All-Star break to return to Los Angeles, work on his game and rest. He was averaging 8.9 points and 8.4 rebounds in 23 minutes a game entering Wednesday's game against Detroit, and at age 20 has proven himself to be one of the league's most efficient rebounders. "I'm still going to be upset because I'm so competitive and I would have loved to be in that game," said Love, who has moved in recent weeks to No. 2 on ESPN.com's rankings of rookies after being out of the top 10 earlier this season. "I thought it was all political. I've just got to keep playing the way I'm playing. There's always next year as a sophomore." Wolves coach Kevin McHale called Love's omission a "travesty." "That's utterly ridiculous; who picks that team?" McHale said. When told assistant coaches do, he said. "No way." Said Wolves assistant Jerry Sichting slyly: "You can never trust assistant coaches. We know nothing." link:http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/38577747.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUo8cyaiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU -------------------------------------------------------------- My sentiments exactly!!!!
He's not the type of player that the NBA wants to "showcase". Theyd much rather have high-flyers and dead eye shooters in the exhibition than some down low, under-the-rim type of player who does the dirty work.
have you seen this guy's outlet pass?!? It's tailormade for the type of game the Rookie/Soph will be...He would absolutly kill on the boards and then dishing court length assists...it would've sick!!! He would have been perfect....not to mention that it was the assistant coaches that make the picks not NBA front office execs....he deserved to be there....and since when was Marc Gasol considered a high flyer or flashy? The player that Love definitly should have beat out!
David Lee is neither a "high-flyer" nor a "dead eye shooter", yet he WON the Rook/Soph MVP. Love has a very similar game and I think Love could be a better player. He's putting up similar stats and he's a rookie. Love should be in this game regardless of how high he can jump or how well he cant shoot a jump shot.
David Lee is not a high flyer per se, but his game is definitely marketable -- more so than Kevin Love. This is the same guy who beat James White in a dunk contest. Plus, David Lee was averaging 10/10 off the bench as a sophomore. So, there aren't too many players you can put ahead of him production-wise. Even though Love has been impressive, the only player you can arguably put ahead of him is Marc Gasol, and he has produced more than Love statistically. Granted, he has been given more minutes, but the NBA usually measures results. Plus, there is an international flavor they are catering to fans overseas, especially in the Spanish community. Lending credence to this is Fernandez being voted into the dunk contest.
Lee averaged that in 30 mpg in his sophmore year while Love is averaging 9/8.5 in 22 mpg as a 20 year old rookie.
So? The fact still remains that he hasn't produced as much as the rookies ahead of him. Hence why he is watching all-star weekend at home. And for what it's worth, Love would not be getting any more minutes than Lee during that Larry Brown era.
He didn't produce because our old coach didn't give him a chance to produce, not because he isn't capable to. Now that he's getting minutes, his numbers have flown up from what they were originally. The voters got it wrong, that's why he's going to be sitting at home watching the game.
umm...he is producing as much in most cases more than many rookies ahead of him...in some cases with less playing time. he should have been there
It was actually a HighSchool Dunk contest...and he beat the heavily favored James "Flight" White that year! As far as dunking goes, White is amazing...ther are videos of him in highschool doing windmills and two handed dunks from the free throw line! But Lee beat out not because he was doing better harder to do dunks....but because White was playing to the crowd and trying to do outrageous dunks and ran out of time....so Lee actually won by default....but he has ups too