NBA All-Star Rosters Lack Vitamin D(urant)

↵The 2009 All-Star reserves are okay, I suppose. Some of the problems were caused by what the fans did with the starters, some with damage done by fan voting.
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↵But the coaches also exhibited a clear bias for players on winning teams, and in one case, made a choice that smacks of either laziness or insider dealing. I was lobbying hard for stars not actively causing their teams to lose. In the East, Danny Granger and Devin Harris made it, but in the West, Al Jefferson and Kevin Durant didn’t. What’s more, the West had the iffiest selection of all: power forward David West, whose numbers are down from his breakout 2007-08. The Hornets are lower in the standing, he’s missed time with injury, and the team’s already got leading man Chris Paul starting. ↵

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↵I’d loved to have seen Durant, who could tear up the All-Star Game, put in over West. Jefferson’s very good, Durant’s approaching greatness. He’s also more deserving than Melo, even if the Nugget hadn’t been hurt. You could also argue that Jefferson, or Anthony, should’ve taken the spot that went to Pau Gasol. Gasol’s not being rewarded for his producton, but for his role in the Lakers juggernaut offense. A long way of saying, he wins, so he got the nod. This thinking pretty much defines the East’s roster. The Magic have three players; the Celtics, two, with Doc Rivers having lobbied hard for four. By this rationale, though, it makes no sense that the Cavs have only one representative, LeBron James. Why not replace Rashard Lewis with Mo Williams? Williams’s team has been better for most of the seasons, has been far more key to his team’s success, and has more than one dimension to him.
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↵I realize that means replacing a tall forward with a point guard, which could cause problems come game time. But notice, the East did allow Chris Bosh, listed as a forward in the fan balloting, to join the team as a center. Okay, so that makes the East even smaller, but it also opens up the door for flexibility that, if we want to be idealistic about it, could get us the most fair All-Star rosters.
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↵Also, I’ve got a gut feeling that Ray Allen should’ve gotten Paul Pierce’s invitation. Allen is having one of his best years as a pro, while Pierce has been up and down. It’s like last spring’s playoffs are clouding the coaches’ judgment. What do you think?↵