NBA fans do an awful job of protecting the image of their favorite sport.
This is not the NFL, which has been America’s pastime for a generation and can do no wrong in the eyes of its fans. The only time the NFL has an image problem is when a storm affects satellite reception.
This is also not baseball, which has a considerable image problem with its collection of prima donnas on PEDS. But it also has more than a century of tradition on its side.
NBA fans constantly have to argue the merits of their sport not only against other sports but against other versions of their sport. The international game is more fluid. The college game has more energy and emotion. The women’s game has more fundamentals.
So what do NBA fans do to cultivate and protect the image of their favorite sport? They ignore common sense and vote their darlings as All-Stars.
Every year, fans vote for their favorite players as All-Stars, scoffing at unimportant criteria such as stats, winning and whether the target of their man crush actually took the court this season. And every year, their blind allegiance costs a deserving player.
Kobe Bryant? Kyrie Irving?
Come on, NBA fans. You’re better than that.
Here’s who should be in New Orleans in three weeks.
EASTERN CONFERENCE STARTERS VOTED BY FANS: LeBron James, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Kyrie Irving. You can quibble with whether Anthony’s losing or Wade’s inactivity should deny them a starting berth, but both clearly belong on the East’s roster.
Irving, however, is another story. What has been so scintillating about his play this season? Are you blown away by his team’s 16-28 record? His 43 percent shooting? Or the fact that Cleveland is a significantly better defensive team when he is off the floor? He shouldn’t be on the East roster – let alone starting – and there are plenty of alternatives.
RESERVE BACKCOURT: John Wall, DeMar DeRozan. Wall has been a much better point guard and leader for his team than Irving. DeRozan is 11th in the NBA in scoring and averaging nearly 24 points this month for a first-place team.
RESERVE FRONTCOURT: Roy Hibbert, Joakim Noah, Paul Millsap. All three are lunchpail players, which explains why they will never be voted starters by the XBox crowd. All three also are the most impactful big men on winning teams, which is more than good enough in this abomination of a conference.
WILD CARDS: Lance Stephenson, Chris Bosh. Stephenson is second on the Pacers in scoring and rebounding and first in assists. Shouldn’t the second-best player on the league’s best team be an All-Star? As for Bosh, he has had better seasons in South Beach, but it should not be forgotten that his 16.7 points per game come as a third option for a very good team.
TOUGHEST SNUBS: Kyle Lowry, Al Jefferson, Arron Afflalo. Lowry is most impacted by the fans’ inexplicable love affair with Irving. It’s tough to give the Raptors two All-Stars while completely ignoring every good player on the East’s losing teams – like Jefferson, who is keeping the Bobcats afloat, and Afflalo, whose improved play hasn’t improved the Magic.
WESTERN CONFERENCE STARTERS VOTED BY FANS: Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant. Props to the fans for elevating Love above Dwight Howard, although that was probably more from Howard damaging his image than anything else. And of course, those same fans also voted for Bryant, who played six 
games this season and is out with a leg fracture. Are you even paying attention?
RESERVE BACKCOURT: Chris Paul, Tony Parker. Paul was clearly deserving before he got hurt, but his return date almost coincides with the All-Star Game, so he may cede his spot and take some extra rest. I have seen several folks – including one of the TNT mouths and ESPN’s Marc Stein – advance the notion that Parker shouldn’t be an All-Star, which is preposterous for someone who is no lower than fourth in the MVP race right now. (Check out Sheridan’s latest rankings).
RESERVE FRONTCOURT: LaMarcus Aldridge, Dwight Howard, DeMarcus Cousins. There are many folks who feel Aldridge should be starting ahead of Love, but Love’s numbers are better and his team isn’t terrible. Both should be ranked ahead of Howard, who has had better seasons but still performs at an All-Star level.
We know we are going to get some heat for picking Cousins, but he is 10th in scoring, fifth in rebounding and 10th in steals. Before spraining his ankle Wednesday, he was averaging 23.9 points and 13.1 rebounds with 20 double-doubles in his last 22 games. He has been considerably better than Anthony Davis or Dirk Nowitzki, even though his team hasn’t.
TWO WILD CARDS: James Harden, Damian Lillard. Harden was better last season but still has been the West’s 
best shooting guard this season. In our estimation, Lillard is just as meaningful to Portland’s success as Aldridge.
TOUGHEST SNUBS: Dirk Nowitzki, Anthony Davis, Goran Dragic. One of these guys will get Bryant’s spot, and Paul’s injury may open another slot. Nowitzki has the reputation, Davis has the numbers and Dragic has the wins, although Phoenix’s best All-Star candidate is injured Eric Bledsoe.
TRIVIA: Who are the only two players in NBA history to score 60 points in a game before the advent of the shot clock? Answer below.