With no game tonight there's nothing in the local papers today besides All-Star stuff.
Art Garcia says that Josh Howard and the Mavs got robbed.
The Mavs won't be without representation. Dirk Nowitzki, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, earned his sixth consecutive selection. If anything, Howard's snub adds even more weight to Nowitzki's MVP campaign.
Regardless of whether Howard is eventually chosen, the slight underscores an apparent lack of respect for Nowitzki's teammates. Phoenix, Detroit, New Jersey, Houston, Miami and San Antonio each have multiple All-Stars despite trailing the Mavs (38-9) in the standings.
---------------------Regardless of whether Howard is eventually chosen, the slight underscores an apparent lack of respect for Nowitzki's teammates. Phoenix, Detroit, New Jersey, Houston, Miami and San Antonio each have multiple All-Stars despite trailing the Mavs (38-9) in the standings.
Eddie Sefko's All-Star article has a bunch of quotes from Howard's teammates about his absence.
"He got robbed, no question," said Harris. "There's no way he shouldn't make that team. I can't believe it."
"I think he's playing definitely at an All-Star level," Nowitzki said of Howard. "But every year there are guys who deserve it who don't make it."
"I am very disappointed that Josh was left off the All-Star team," coach Avery Johnson said. "We will keep focusing on winning a championship."
"He's not going to hang his head," Jason Terry said. "He's going to keep working on his game, and it won't be long before he is an All-Star."
---------------------Sefko also has a good article on the Mavs depth, particularly compared to the Suns.
They see the Suns playing seven players night in and night out and believe going 10 deep could be the Mavericks' best asset.
"You'd hope that eventually catches up with them," said Jerry Stackhouse. "No matter how good of an athlete you are, playing those minutes every night can take a toll.
"It may seem subtle now. But with all the guys we have, we feel like it will pay off in the long run."
--------------------"You'd hope that eventually catches up with them," said Jerry Stackhouse. "No matter how good of an athlete you are, playing those minutes every night can take a toll.
"It may seem subtle now. But with all the guys we have, we feel like it will pay off in the long run."
In an insider article, John Hollinger writes about the way votes are tallied in the coaches voting and thinks it's a little messed up. He creates a scenario explaining why he thinks Iverson AND Tony Parker made the team over more worthy forwards. I can't really explain it without pasting the entire article, but basically he thinks the way coaches have to vote per position then select two wild cards skews things towards the weaker positions. He uses numbers and stuff. It's all very hypothetical but very possible.
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Around the NBA: Phoenix beat a good team!
Dwyane Wade got fouled!