Rajon Rondo is in; Joe Johnson is out.
In a compressed season where the injuries have come one after another, it was nothing short of miraculous that all of the chosen 24 All-Stars were relatively healthy and would be in action Sunday.
Until now.
Johnson, a reserve on the Eastern Conference, will skip the weekend festivities to rest a sore left knee, the Atlanta Hawks announced Wednesday.
The Hawks had already Johnson would sit out Wednesday’s game at New York and Thursday’s contest vs. Orlando due to the injury. Now Johnson will skip Sunday’s midseason showcase in Orlando.
Johnson will be re-evaluated before Atlanta’s first game after the break vs. Golden State on Sadie Hawkins Day (Feb. 29).
The logical replacement choice, to some, was Josh Smith — Johnson’s teammate on the Hawks, whose 19-13 record is sixth-best in the league.
But commissioner David Stern selected Rondo, whose Boston Celtics have lost six of seven to drop into eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Rondo is averaging 14.8 and 9.5 assists (2nd in the NBA behind Steve Nash’s 11.0). Smith is averaging 16.0 points, 9.6 rebounds (15th in the NBA), 3.7 assists and 2.13 blocks (5th leaguewide).
rondo and smith, two players who need a good slap on the back of the head. i’d rather see the spot stay vacant than either of these two clowns make it.
I’d go with Brandon Jennings as a replacement. East already has a lot of SF/Wing players, they could use another guard, even if he is the third PG after Rose and Deron Williams.
Interesting follow up questions: does Jeremy Lin deserve the spot. I’d say no, but it might be too popular of a choice for Stern to pass up. We know he doesn’t care about pissing off the players, I could see him picking Lin.
the only all-star game jennings should make is the all-chucker team. i’d go with irving over jennings. better numbers, brighter star, younger, and quite honestly, not as much of a douche. the last thing jennings’ overblown ego needs is an undeserved ASG.
Regarding your third point, after Jennings didn’t make the All-Star game this year he was quoted as saying, and I’m paraphrasing, this will just make me work harder the rest of this year and the off-season and that he recognized that everyone who made the team deserved it. So I am not sure how that makes him a douche as you say.
Regarding your first point, yes he can chuck at times. But considering Bogut is hurt, they lack scoring, and the Bucks are 4-7 when he scores less than 20 I think that shows that the Bucks need him taking high volume of shots as he is their best offensive player.
Regarding your second point, I would have no problem with Irving making the team. He does have a brighter future, he is having a great year, and I like him. I just feel Jennings has done more to help his team with less talent on his team than Irving has.
And just curious, what is your specific example that Jennings is a douche?
4-7 when he scores over 20, what does that make them when he doesn’t? 9-12? that is literally a better winning percentage when he scores less, which I believe makes him yes, in fact, a chucker.
as for his “humble” quote about not making the game, was this before or after he declared to the world that he’d have no problem ditching milwaukee as soon as he became a free agent?
thirdly, yes he comes off as a douche, he looks like he uses the word “swag” about a dozen times a day. to me, that’s a douche. throw in that fauxhawk he had for the longest, and well, case closed.
airtight logic dude
Yea, hard to have a conversations with someone when logic isn’t used.